The Good and Bad Sides of Stress

Despite our best efforts, we are all guilty, at one time or another, of succumbing to the stress that tries to overwhelm us. It is impossible to live a life free of stress, and I would argue that a stress free life can have its own negative health effects. But, like anything, it’s about finding the balance required in your life to thrive. 

It’s important to note that not all stressors are harmful. Acute stress can result in a stimulated and strengthened immune system, quicker healing times, increased cognitive function, heightened awareness, and quicker reflexes, and better mental health. 

Dr. Firdaus Dhabar, a neuro-immunologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University has been studying the positive effects of stress on the body; and, how to better enhance the effects of short term stress. He also studies ways to decrease the negative consequences of chronic long term stress. He very briefly sums up his work in this 8 minute video, but other research articles by Dr. Dhabar can also be found online as well as a longer presentation by Dr. Dhabar, which can be found here. It is worth the watch. 

As Dr. Dahbar has pointed out, the “bad stress” that we all think of when discussing its negative effects is chronic stress. Our body has been equipped with tools and resiliencies to deal with chronic stress. It is not something that will immediately knock us to our knees. However, if chronic stress goes unchecked for too long, it can start to have negative consequences on our health. These negative consequences can present themselves as increased levels of anxiety and depression. It can present as an illness or worsening illness due to the release of cytokines (signaling molecules) from our immune system. It can even cause faster cellular aging and a shortening of telomeres, which can protect our DNA. 

But chronic stress is not a chronic diagnosis and can be addressed with lifestyle changes. That said, you may be asking yourself: How do I manage my chronic stress, increase my resiliency, and what tools can I utilize during periods of long term stress? Great questions, readers! ;) 

Ways to manage chronic stress: 

1. Knowing your limits: Everyone has their own peak level of stress to which they can tolerate. And this may change depending on your stage in life. Be honest with yourself, and when you feel yourself reaching that threshold, pull back on the stress triggers so that you may rest and recover.

2. Make time for play: As a society, we are phenomenal at filling our schedule with work, chores, and taking care of others. The first thing we push down the line is time for ourselves and play. Schedule yourself time to have fun if you have to. As Dr. Dahbar points out, meditation is great for stress management, but playing; fishing, kayaking, reading, “whatever floats your boat”, will have the same stress reduction response. Release your inner child and incorporate leisure time when you can. 

3. Change your perception: Heartmath Institute points out that the emotional stress response can be soothed with a change in your perception. Easier said than done, I realize. But this can be a key tool in harnessing the power of stress, instead of allowing it to overtake you. We as a people are strong and resilient. Stress, like the rest of the areas in our lives, needs to be managed; not ignored. Not compounded. And certainly not feared. Longevity and life fulfillment starts with proper stress management. 

Tools to add to your Toolbox:

• Hobbies/ Interests (kayaking, fishing, walking, running, reading, playing music, learning new skills. Whatever floats your boat. Going out for dinner. 🙂)

• Wonder (Relearn how to look at the world around you and ask questions about yourself and the space you occupy. This will help reduce your stress response to your environment. 

• Cognitive Behavior therapy (Reflective practices)

• Regular Sleep Cycle

• Exercise 

• Healthy Diet

• Work/ Life Balance

• Meditation

• Yoga

• Prayer

• Social Interactions

• Saying no

• Turning off the News. 🙂

• Try a social media cleanse

• Changing your environment.

• HeartMath Institute offers introduction courses for free. These courses help train you to become attune to your heart rate and stress response to your emotions. They educate you on different tools that you can use to decrease your heart rate and stress response. This is a wonderful way to increase your resilience to unexpected or expected experiences that may trigger an undesired stress response. As we learn to cope and manage our stress according to our personal needs, our health improves and the amount and type of stress that we can experience can also expand.

Chronic stress is not always easy to get control of. It’s not always as simple as going to a yoga class or eating some chocolate. It involves introspection, and small changes that will compound into huge differences. If you’ve been struggling with chronic stress and need help implementing changes in your life, reach out to our Nurse Coach Elizabeth, and ask how she may be able to help you reach your goals.