Your brain frequently responds to a possible threat by triggering the "fight, flight, or freeze" reaction in order to keep you safe. Your body releases hormones to get you ready for whatever action is required to stay alive, which might include fighting, running away, or freezing.
Although that reaction is useful when there's danger, your body might overreact to it. Furthermore, stress may have a disastrous effect on both the body and the psyche.
Individuals display stress in many diverse ways. For instance, someone can be unable to sleep at night and spend it endlessly looking around social media. However, even when their companion gets a good night's sleep, they frequently misplace their keys and get quite agitated when there are approaching deadlines.
Stress can be a natural reaction to life's challenges, but too much stress can lead to long-term mental and physical suffering.
Here's what you should know about how to reduce stress and the consequences of your body's "fight, flight, or freeze" reaction.
How to express stress
Health experts consider different categories to explain the different ways that stress occurs in people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these include changes in health, energy, behavior and mood. They rely on their emotions and can even point to signs of stress that you didn't know were causing you.
The timing of symptoms can help identify stressful situations or triggers. Or, your anxiety and frustration may be the result of chronic emotional pain. For example, if your blood pressure rises and comes back quickly after a heated conversation with your boss, you may be having a stress response. But if you find yourself replaying your boss's speech over and over in your head, chatting for days on end, or developing a new obsession with game nights to deal with your anxious feelings, you may be suffering from chronic stress.
How does stress affect the body?
Stress is a normal part of everyday life. But if the fight, flight, or freeze response isn't turned off, it can take a toll on your health. Difficulties often occur in several key areas, including psychological, physical, behavioral and interpersonal.
Mental
The development of anxiety and depression can cause anxiety. If your brain is always looking for danger, you may be constantly worrying. Or you start to feel hopeless with endless fear. According to the National Library of Medicine, both emotions can cause problems with sleep, concentration, and memory due to the overload of anxious thoughts.
Physical
When the body's "fight, flight or freeze response" is activated, the brain releases cortisol, the hormone that produces an adrenaline rush. You may feel your heart racing or feel an overwhelming surge of energy.
But according to the Johns Hopkins Health Library of Medicine, consuming too much cortisol can cause physical changes, including weight gain, high blood pressure, and oral health problems. In addition, chronic conditions such as eczema or irritable bowel syndrome can recur.
Action
Your body is smart. He knows that too much stress is bad for your health. Therefore, your body may want something to help it relax and get rid of negative emotions. Unfortunately, this is not the most beneficial way to relieve stress.
Common behavioral changes include increased alcohol or drug use, eating high-carb foods, and becoming distracted by mindlessly scrolling through social media for hours on end. While these activities may provide immediate stress relief, they can lead to new health problems in the long term.
Human Relationship
Have you ever noticed that your patience wears thin as an important deadline approaches? Sometimes being kind requires silence.
Your brain doesn't work to make you better, it works to protect you from stress. You may feel irritated or angry. Or, depending on your personality, you may become increasingly dependent on people, seeking reassurance or unconsciously pushing others away.
Healthy ways to relieve stress
Although stressors can have a variety of emotional and physical effects on the body, there are ways to help alleviate these negative emotions.
It's important to remember that your brain can fight you when you're at rest. If you think it's protecting you from danger, your body may see the slowdown as an additional threat. Stay focused on the challenge, remember that there is no immediate danger, and try these stress relievers:
Buy time and space
Giving the brain time to adapt and "rest" from stressful activities can help the system to regulate itself in a healthy way. It's easy to feel overwhelmed when juggling virtual work meetings, making lunch, and stressful phone calls. Don't forget to add a space. Take a break before answering the phone, take five minutes to breathe deeply between work and family, set an alarm to stretch throughout the day, and find ways to delegate certain tasks. Every little bit helps relieve stress.
Experiment with soothing options
It may take some trial and error, but finding ways to reduce stress can help with chronic stress. You can try light exercise (high-energy exercise can raise your heart rate and increase your body's "fight, flight or freeze" response), Epsom salt baths, deep breathing exercises, and guided meditation. Mindless activities like painting or crafts can distract your mind. As you try different things, remember to keep track of what works and what doesn't. You can keep a list of helpful stress relievers and refer to them when you need them. Reduce system stressors
When you're stressed, it can be tempting to consume caffeine, alcohol, sugary foods and surf social media. These activities provide short-term fun and entertainment. But long-term effects often include anxiety and poor sleep quality, according to the CDC.
Resume
It's never a bad idea to seek professional help when you're feeling overwhelmed. Let's say that even after trying several helpful stress-relief medications, stress continues to affect your ability to concentrate and complete daily activities. In this case, you may want to try virtual therapy or contact your healthcare provider for additional assistance. If you think about harming yourself, get help right away. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) can help. No one should experience stress alone.
