Since the beginning of time, the biggest challenge that has always faced human existence was in how to effectively cope with the physical environment that surrounds us. From the need to hunt and gather food, to searching for adequate housing protection from the elements, or escaping an occasional life threatening danger, our bodies are uniquely designed to handle brief episodes of stress.
When our thinking mind determines that we must summon up an effort to tackle a perceived problem, the adrenal gland bumps up its production of hormones to confront the issue with a sudden burst of energy. This really is a good thing, as it enables us to handle the important details of our lives.
The downside to this process, however, is that our thinking mind is not always rational about what it considers to be a threat to our well being or what is harmless. Our thinking mind is bombarded with literally hundreds of bits and pieces of useless information that is a normal part of living in a modernized world.
While it is certainly impossible to eliminate all of the stress from our lives, it would not necessarily be beneficial for most people. Keep in mind that a certain amount of stress actually motivates many people to make positive changes in their lives. Learning how to prioritize and distinguish between what needs are important to you, and which ones you would be better off letting go of, is the key to balancing your stress levels.
Be advised that a constant infusion of a stress hormone called ‘cortisol’ can build up in the bloodstream. Over a relatively short amount of time, this can lead to a variety health complaints such as anxiety, depression, decreased immunity, weight gain or loss, hypertension, muscle aches and pains, digestive issues, or adrenal exhaustion resulting in a no hormone response at all to fight or flight, ending in a complete collapse. Nearly all physical health problems can be traced back to one main contributor, emotional upheaval.
Reducing the amount of stress we have some amount of control over is one constructive way of turning off a few of the everyday, little things that may really be bothering us like loud music, the media, and that constant on-the-go cycle of modern life.
Despite our best efforts to keep a lid on run away stress, the unpredictability of life is going to throw us an occasional curve ball. Troubled relationships, natural disasters, and job losses are an inevitable part of living life and will cause our stress hormones to spike. You may just have to let go at a time like this, and treat yourself extra nice until the crisis passes, as it usually does.
Dietary Needs:
One of the best ways to sustain our physical stamina in an emotional crisis is giving our body what it needs to produce energy in the first place. Junk foods may be an easy pacifier to reach for, but a well balanced healthy diet would serve us much better. Avoid using caffeine and alcohol to cope with life’s unpredictability, drink more pure water instead.
Get more fresh air and plenty of sunshine when at all possible, as vitamin D will help keep your sleep/wake cycle regulated.
Exercise and Sleep:
Even if you really aren’t motivated to exercise, find some type of physical activity that you can do on a regular basis. Walking and aerobics are popular choices, but there are so many others to choose from.
Try to get in 20 to 30 minutes of physical exertion (3 to 5 times a week) that gets your heart pumping and you have to breath deeply. Stress hormones are proportionately produced during physical activity and provides a healthy release mechanism for emotional anxiety. This re-uptake helps relax our body and mimics our running away from danger so we can rest and sleep normally afterward.
Sleep is something many of us short change ourselves on. We often get keyed up trying to finish that one last thing before bedtime. Whatever you think you must finish up, it usually can wait until the next day. Give yourself at least an hour to relax and unwind before bedtime. Take a warm bath or shower, as it helps lower body temperature to help make you drowsy. Read something pleasant that makes you feel good.
Emotions:
Many of us have been taught to live by a certain set of rules or standards that can cause a lot of unhealthy emotions to be kept suppressed. Our ideas, thoughts and beliefs about certain situations or people can have a very limiting effect upon our lives. Open up your mind to the possibilities that we all carry around some emotional burdens from our past that we may not be consciously aware of in the here and now. When we make the effort to free ourselves up from something that we may have long forgotten about, we can open new pathways to happiness and resolve old issues for good.
There are so many little day-to-day things that can really add up over time. Consider learning how to appreciate more of the things that are going well in your life, and all the material things that you already have.
Get together often with family, friends and neighbors that make you smile, laugh and feel good about life. Connect with your significant other and give each other back and foot massages, meditate, or pursue some creative project. Just know and trust that making the effort is enough, and the calmer life you are hoping for will be here before you know it.