How much stress is too much? Lets talk about Allostatic Load.
Allostatic load means the 'total' stress load on the body - the 'sum' of all stress.
If you imagine a bathtub full of water though - at some point if you leave the tap running, it will overflow.
Stress works in the same way. There is the capacity to handle the stress, or there just isn't.
Stress can be physical (HIT classes, lack of sleep, illness), Emotional (worrying about an event that has happened or might happen), or even nutrition-related (fasting, undereating, overeating, overconsuming highly processed foods).
The thing with stress is that it's positive in the right amount - pushing us to meet deadlines, releasing feel-good hormones and enabling us to sense danger and defend ourselves.
If you imagine a bathtub full of water though - at some point if you leave the tap running, it will overflow. Stress works in the same way. There is the capacity to handle the stress, or there just isn't.
For stress to be positive (growing muscles, running faster, being more resilient) you need to understand the 'goldilocks principle' - if it's the right amount you'll become stronger.
But here's the thing - modern life is constantly throwing deadlines, bills, teenagers, traffic and other curveballs at us. If we don't have the tools to cope, a standard day quickly 'floods' the bathtub and we head into dangerous territory. When I say dangerous, I mean for your health.
Stress poorly managed will lead to (among other things):
trouble sleeping
gut issues - gas, bloating, reflux and 'bathroom' issues
cravings for high salt and high sugar you can't ignore
weight gain, or weight loss
constant illness
fatigue- even if you have slept well.
brain fog, lack of motivation for no real reason
anxiety - again it seems out of character for you
eventually, it can lead to a condition known as HPA-D or HPA Axis Dysfunction which will have you firing off the wrong hormones at the wrong times of day (and often in too high or too low amounts).
So what should you do?
The first step is awareness. Awareness creates a micro-second pause. That micro-second gives you time to think and change how you react, to choose your next move.
So much of our daily stress is 'manufactured' in our brains. Just like anything with practice, it gets stronger - in other words, if you're practising 'being stressed' regularly, you'll jump to DEFCON one quicker!
Awareness can be cultivated through mindfulness practices. I don't mean the 'crickets chirping, cross-legged' kind.
I mean:
Stopping to do several box breaths
Use a mindfulness track on your phone to reset. There are so many that are only 2-3 min long. I'm a raving fan of headspace, or something similar.
Stepping outside for a quick walk around the block
If you're inside - look out the window - how many green things can you see? (this 'tricks' the brain by interrupting the looping circuit).
Can you catch yourself in a thought/moment? If you can you'll notice.. "huh...I'm thinking about something that's causing me stress". Note it, then perhaps timebox it for later that day to problem-solve the issue.
The list is by no means exhaustive and you'll need to find something that works for you - something that doesn't feel woo-woo and is easy to remember in the heat of the moment.
Lastly, acknowledging too that there is only so much we can control might help. Often our brains will take us to the doom and disaster outcome of a situation - even when it hasn't happened and might never eventuate.
This is the first in a series of posts where I hope to educate you on the impacts of stress on your wellbeing. Not just educate on the impacts, but on how you can shift the needle on the way you respond (food, mindset and lifestyle tools) so that you can keep your flat to the floor for longer.
Are struggling with high stress levels or HPA-D and feel like this could be why you’re just not feeling good? I can help you with simple tools and a strategy to mange your stress levels. After all - few of us can just down tools on our responsibilities.
Using research-backed diet, lifestyle and change strategies, I teach my clients how to manage stress, energy and modify their lifestyles to support their goals.
If you want to know how I can help you, book a free consult.
