Stress Management
Jen and Sarah discuss how stress affects the body and how to manage it
to improve your health.
Episode Outline/Takeaways
Stress affects every system in your body, particularly your cardiovascular health and GI system.
80% of primary care visits are stress-related.
Cortisol production increases when stressed thus putting your body in fight or flight mode.
Stress affects your mood and social connections.
When you are stressed, you are also more likely to use substances like alcohol in an attempt to make yourself feel better.
Stress often results in a lack of sleep. This becomes a cycle as cortisol levels go down with restorative sleep. When you’re not well-rested, your cortisol levels continue to stay elevated.
Burnout and depression can show up when stress exacerbates them.
Good vs. bad stress: eustress is the kind of stress you put your body through when exercising, and it creates a positive effect.
One positive part of stress management is that it can lengthen your lifespan and improve your health. Telomeres (a proxy for lifespan) have been shown to be longer in studies when stress is well-managed.
Set boundaries for yourself: set an alarm to go to bed, don’t check work emails after a certain time, limit your screen time, have a day of relaxation every week, do meditation and mindful breathing, have “me-time” or a hobby, etc.
It is tempting to let go of self-care and exercise when stressed, but make sure to set boundaries for your work and other deadlines so you do not abandon your practice of self-care.
Stress is multi-faceted. We have to look at all the pillars to improve such as nutrition and exercise.
While drinking another cup of coffee or pouring yourself a glass of wine might give you the temporary dopamine hit, the crash you will have later will be detrimental to your health.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy apps can be a fantastic tool to help reset your brain and manage stress symptoms.
Vague goals like “I need to reduce my stress” will not be as effective as “I will set an alarm to go to bed at 9 pm” or “I will not check my work email after 5 pm.”
Takeaways:
80% of primary care visits are stress-related, so stress is the underlying cause that needs to be treated.
Find what your stressors are and set boundaries for yourself in those areas.
Look at how you can help yourself through nutrition and exercise.
Do not abandon exercise and proper nutrition when stressed in order to meet your deadlines. Work will always be there. Take care of yourself first.
Make stress reduction goals that are specific.