We all experience stress at different times of our lives. Work, relationships, finances, or events happening in the world are among the many sources of stress. But what is stress? Stress is our body’s physical and psychological response to events that are perceived as taxing or outside our ability to cope. Stress can be temporary (acute) or more long-term (chronic). Stress can also be detrimental to our physical and emotional health, adding to the risk of cardiovascular disease. So it’s important to understand stress and make an effort to identify sources of stress and ways to minimize its effects.
On a personal note, my mother suffered a debilitating stroke at a time in her life when she faced a lot of work stress. In fact she suffered her stroke in a bathroom after a contentious meeting with her fellow regional bank managers. Research has shown a link between stress – including work stress – and stroke. While my mother had various risk factors and symptoms that contributed to her stroke, I’m convinced that the chronic work stress that she suffered from was a key catalyst leading to her stroke. Her stroke and its debilitating aftermath are part of the inspiration for WellTree.
How Stressed are You?
If someone asked you how stressed you are, what would you say? Unlike your height, weight, blood pressure, and other physical characteristics, stress is not so easily quantified. Stress on the other hand is subjective and is not directly measurable with tests. It’s more of a feeling and that feeling is your autonomic nervous system (ANS) activating. The ANS is comprised of your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system activates when stressed. This activation triggers a fight or flight response which activates stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol that can cause various physical symptoms such as increased heart rate and increased blood pressure. It can restrict breathing airways, causing shortness of breath and rapid breathing. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) counteracts the sympathetic part of the ANS, helping the body to recover once a perceived threat has passed, reducing the stress hormones.
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a measurement that has gained attention in recent years as it has become common on wearable devices. HRV measures the variation in time between each heartbeat, which is controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Under stress, the body’s “fight or flight” response (SNS) is activated, leading to a lower HRV. A higher HRV indicates a more active PNS, which is associated with relaxation, recovery, and stress resilience. When stressed, the body’s sympathetic response suppresses HRV. Consistently low HRV readings can suggest chronic stress or an inability to adequately recover from stress. It’s important to note that many things can impact HRV including diet, exercise, exercise recovery, and more. So while HRV may be a useful datapoint, it is one of many indicators of stress and overall health.
High blood pressure, elevated heart rate, spikes in your stress hormones, and HRV are all physiological responses to stress. Behavioral markers can include poor sleep, moodiness, or increased eating, drinking, smoking, or substance abuse. The most common way to evaluate one’s level of stress is through self-reported questionnaires, examples include the Perceived Stress Score (PSS), the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale, and the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM). Note that these have some limitations and, while they can provide valuable insights, they are not a substitute for a comprehensive evaluation by a medical professional.
Good Stress vs. Bad Stress
Not all stress is bad. Positive stress – called eustress – is the stress you feel at the start of a race, before a job interview, before a first date, before giving a presentation, or anything where you are pushing your limits. Eustress tends to be short-term and within our coping abilities and is often associated with personal growth, enhancing focus, efficiency, and productivity and helping to push us beyond our comfort zone. A life without some eustress would be a rather boring life, so bring it on and watch yourself grow!
Distress on the other hand can feel overwhelming and beyond one’s ability to cope. It is often long-term leading to chronic stress; examples include prolonged work stress, feeling financially overwhelmed, and relationship stress. Unlike eustress which can enhance performance, chronic stress can contribute to physical health issues including heart-related issues such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Chronic stress can lead to mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and burnout.
Managing Stress
Now that we understand the types of stress and how they can impact us – for better and for worse – what are some of the steps you can take to reduce stress?
- Mindfulness and Meditation – William James, a philosopher and one of the founding fathers of modern-day psychology said “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” How we react to stress can be dictated by our mindset. A mindfulness practice can help bring perspective and presence, helping us to replace unconscious reactions by creating space between stimulus and reaction. Similar to the way that wind sprints can train your body to run faster, mindfulness exercises train you to react to the world around you more consciously which can help bring clarity when facing stressful situations.
- Exercise – Who doesn’t feel better when they exercise? That’s because exercise stimulates the production of endorphins which are our body’s natural mood enhancers. While exercise is a form of physical stress that can cause stress hormones to spike in the short-term, over time the body is better able to respond to stress. Other byproducts of exercise are increased energy and stamina, better sleep, and a sense of achievement that comes with pushing the limits of your body, whatever that looks like for you.
- Sleep – Good sleep is essential to managing stress. Stress can disrupt your sleep by making it harder for you to fall asleep, causing you to wake up throughout the night, or it can diminish the quality of your sleep by causing you to experience light sleep versus deep, restorative sleep. Poor sleep can make you moody, impair your ability to handle stress, and can heighten your body’s stress response. Good sleep hygiene – going to bed at a consistent time that will allow for the required 7-9 hours of sleep, avoiding screens and caffeine too close to bedtime, minimizing alcohol, and not eating too close to bedtime can all help to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.
- Setting Boundaries – Saying no to things or situations that bring you stress is one way to manage stress. This requires being more mindful and intentional about your actions. Sometimes we are not even aware of our actions as we move through life on auto-pilot, unaware of the stress that we are exposing ourselves to. Does reading the news bring you joy or does it cause you stress? Do you feel inadequate and stressed as you scroll through social media of fabulously beautiful people seemingly thriving in their #vanlife or #yachtlife? Are you a people pleaser, quick to say yes when asked to do anything, regardless of your true desire or the impact it may have on you? Acting with intention and saying no to things that bring you stress and compromise your well-being are key.
- Time Management – Setting boundaries and time management go hand-in-hand. The busier you are, the more important it is to manage your time to eliminate spending time on low-priority things that are not helping you achieve your goals. Poor time management causes tasks and responsibilities to accumulate, leading to increased stress. Prioritizing your tasks, setting goals, creating a schedule, and holding yourself accountable are all important aspects of time management. There are many books on the topic of Time Management, three of my favorites are: Atomic Habits, Deep Work, and Getting Things Done. Listen to them on audible while working out to maximize your time. You’re welcome!
What Can You Do?
Beyond being aware of and managing stress, another important thing you can do is tune into your body. Wearable technology is making it easier than ever to see how your body is doing. You can measure your fitness – are you hitting your step goals or getting your workout in? You can measure your sleep – are you hitting your sleep goals? And you can measure physiological markers such as heart rate, respiration rate, oxygen level, and HRV. The more you use these devices, the more you can understand what normal looks like for your body which gives you the ability to take action when things seem abnormal. While you should always defer to your doctor for medical insight, wearables can provide insight and talking points that you may want to discuss.
Action Plan
Take a moment now to reflect on your current stress levels and consider what steps you can take to manage them. Remember, small daily changes in areas like mindfulness, exercise, and time management can make a significant difference in managing stress. If you find that stress is overwhelming, don’t hesitate to consult a mental health professional, such as a psychologist or counselor, or talk to your primary care physician. By understanding and addressing stress, you can improve not only your mental and emotional well-being but also your cardiovascular health and overall quality of life.