Is your body reacting to stress?
The world we live in is a stressful place. Even the most organised individuals in the world still deal with stress as a response to unexpected situations. But there are methods you can put in place to better deal with stress in both expected and unexpected circumstances. This blog is designed to teach you not only the effects of unmanaged stress but also how to make sure you aren’t caught in that position unarmed.
Signs your body is reacting to stress:
- Binge eating high Carbohydrate and Sodium containing foods
- You feel tired most of the time (Fatigue)
- Your heart pounds faster (Increased heart rate)
- You feel like you can’t catch a deep breath
- Shorter attention span
- Aches & Pains of muscles and joints
- Headaches
- Gut issues such as bloating and irregular bathroom habits
Many people suffering from stress will experience 5 or more of the above symptoms which together can negatively impact quality of life. Surprisingly, many of these symptoms arise because the body automatically attempts to counteract stress. In short your body is trying to help you, so why not try to help your body in return?
Some of the ways we can relieve our bodies of stress are a healthy sleep schedule, adequate nutrition in the form of a high protein diet and mild to moderate daily activity.
A healthy sleep schedule for most adults means to receive at least 7 hours of sleep each night with minimal variation of sleep and wake times. Sleep helps to regulate the majority of our bodily functions through the promotion of hormones. Now back to that symptom of bingeing on naughty foods… have you ever wondered why this happens? Sleep is our body’s way of recharging to get more energy, much like an electronic device. But your body also knows that it could access high energy in a much shorter time frame than a sleep. That’s about your cue to reach for a bag of salty crisps or a bar of sweet chocolate. Unfortunately the energy that comes from high carbohydrate foods such as these is generally short lived and stored as fat. By getting thorough rest at a designated time will allow your body to destress, encouraging your hormones to focus and energise you for longer.
This leads us to the next point – Adequate Nutrition. By no means does the above mean not to eat when you’re hungry. If your body wants food, it’s telling you it needs something and this includes carbohydrates. Dietitians recommend a balanced diet of fruit and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and healthy fats. A combination of these foods sets you in a good position to tolerate stressful situations productively.
Last but not least, the big winner – daily exercise. Before you stop reading right there, spend just another 3 lines to understand what exercise has been proven to do to your mood. Simply moving your body has been proven to increase one of the confidence hormones, testosterone and significantly decrease Cortisol, the hormone that makes you deal with stress in a more meltdown-type of way. You can change the messages being sent to your brain simply by moving your body – It is like free, self-controlled counselling!
When you notice any of these symptoms arise, you may want to consider the likelihood that they are caused by stress. And when you do, you now have some tools in your pocket ready to give your body a helping hand back and mitigate them.