I visit with people every day that have overwhelming amounts of stress in their lives. In light of recent events with the economy, crime rates on the rise, and such uncertainty in the world, it’s no wonder that we have as much stress as we do. There are approaches to neutralizing the stress we feel every day, such as better organization and time management; however, the first step is to defuse the reaction occurring in the body.

Higher stress levels can be extremely damaging. The emotional and physical responses you experience with stress are set in motion by a series of chemical reactions taking place in the body.

You’re sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and as you glance in the rearview mirror, you notice someone coming up behind you very fast. This person is distracted and unaware of the stopped traffic. The teenage boy in the car beside you has his stereo bass beating very loud and very strong. What do you do?

This might sound somewhat familiar to you or maybe you’re associating a different event that caused an immediate rise in stress levels. Inside your body the alarm goes off. What begins happening in the body is a full frontal counterattack. The “flight or fight” response is initiated in the body. The body shuts down the digestive process, the blood pressure is elevated, the heartbeat is increased, breathing becomes shallow, and muscles tighten up. Stress hormones such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol (glucocorticoids, a class of steroid hormones) are released. The brain and the body kick into high gear to protect itself for an emergency. When these stress hormones are produced for prolonged periods, they attach themselves to and actually kill brain cells. The real problem occurs when these stress hormones don’t know when the danger has passed and continues producing.

Dr. Robert M. Sapolsky, Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University and author of *‘Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, has outlined in several studies the damage caused to the brain by the prolonged release of glucocorticoids. The hippocampus, which is the part of the brain responsible for storing memories and learning, is greatly affected. Actually, it is the area of the brain most affected by prolonged release of cortisol. Stress can affect memory by memory loss or by preventing the laying of the foundation for new memory. Stress can also compromise cognitive functioning.

There are simple methods you can use to neutralize the intense response to stress to calm the physiology of emotion in your body.

Breathing:

Becoming aware of your breathing is one of the easiest and quickest ways to impact your health in a positive way. Erratic breathing can perpetuate your stress. Learning to control your breathing can provide the support your autonomic nervous system needs to shift negative physiological responses. Breathing can make a tremendous difference in how you feel and it can be practiced anywhere at any time.

Relaxation:

Visualizing a “happy place”, praying, exercising, meditating, lighting candles and taking a hot bath, or getting a massage are all ways we can relax. Relaxation helps to relieve tense muscles, alleviate stress, decompress, and calm the emotional eruption occurring in your brain and body. Relaxation is beneficial to positive mental health and emotional well-being although it does require commitment and a little discipline.

Exercise and Nutrition:

Physical activity increases the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Regular exercise can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety and increase self-confidence. Exercise also can improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. Physical activity works to balance your stress levels.

Making better food choices balances increased stress levels. Unbalanced stress levels can lead to unhealthy lifestyle patterns. The Catch – 22 is that unhealthy lifestyle patterns lead to more stress! When we are under a great deal of stress, we are more likely to make poor food choices. Too much caffeine consumption, not enough water, junk food, emotion eating, or not eating at all are different ways we cope with our stress. The problem is that blood sugar imbalances, caffeine crashes, and poor nutrition can cause more stress and have serious health consequences. Eating healthier meals with fruits and vegetables, staying away from the caffeine and drinking 6 ounces of juice instead of coffee or soda, and seeing your doctor about a nutrition and supplement plan will decrease stress levels. Doctor’s prescription: Get moving and eat healthier for good health.

Sleep:

Getting the proper amount of sleep is vital for stress levels. According to the Better Sleep Council, 65% of Americans are losing sleep because of stress. On the other hand, sleep deprivation results in an elevation of cortisol (the extremely damaging stress hormone). The body heals itself when the subconscious is accessed. During the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) portion of sleep our body produces growth and melatonin hormones which perform healing activities, primarily to boost the immune system. Any amount of sleep deprivation affects mental performance. Doctor’s prescription: at least 8 hours of sleep for good health.

What’s Next?

Calming the physiology of the stress response is the first step. The next step is committing to restore or bring balance to your life. Most of us are busy caring for the needs of others while we neglect our own needs. Most often it is only when we are at the point of crisis that we start paying attention to our own needs.

Routine:

There are many positive benefits for establishing a routine. Routine can give a sense of organization, contentment, stability, order, and self control. In turn, it should help develop some personal discipline and more positive behavior. Routines don’t have to be boring to make life more structured. Life can be enjoyable if you add a little playtime into your routine.

Lifestyle Balance:

Getting your life under control will reduce the stress you undergo every day. If you’re willing to make some adjustments, things can change. Dedication to practice better self-management is essential. It’s not complicated, but it’s a process that won’t happen overnight. It requires you to stop spinning like a top and choose a better way to get things done. Goal setting, purging, list making and setting up logical systems for getting the things done, lessens your stress level and gives you more time for enjoying life. Planning now will save you time later.

Gratitude:

Keeping a gratitude journal enables you to stay focused on what is really important to you. Staying focused on what is really important helps you to better prioritize. When we focus on what is really important, we are able to move away from the negative energy of feeling victim to empowerment and taking responsibility for self as well as others.

Slow Down and Take a Break:

Leaving room for flexibility as you make adjustments will also alleviate some of the stress you’re feeling. Also, taking mini breaks and allowing others to care for themselves (if they are able) will give you a little “me time” and time to decompress and regroup. Taking time to be kind to ourselves avoids mental and physical exhaustion.

I visit with people everyday who feel overwhelming amounts of stress in their lives.  I tell them there are simple little changes they can make that can impact their life and reduce their stress in a very dramatic way. Taking inventory of your life and addressing the stress that you feel requires willingness and a commitment to change. Baby steps are o.k. There are times when change is uncomfortable – when moving beyond what’s familiar is fearful and odd. However, the hope lies in the final results: when there is emotional freedom from stress and room to breathe.