What I Discovered About Stress Last Year (And How It Affects You)
I seem to learn more about this topic every year I’m alive, as I’m sure many of us do. I personally believe stress is the main catalyst for chronic disease and illness in our modern lives, not only because a nervous system stuck in a protective stressed state will be detrimental to the function of every other system, but because the flow-on effect of psychological stress on each fundamental pillar of health is enormous. Our ability to maintain discipline in our movement, eat food that fuels us, go to bed on time without having to ‘wind down’, schedule social activities that recharge you and of course the main reason people get out of rhythm with their adjustments – “I got busy” or “I’ve just been so stressed”.
Here’s some powerful insights I came across through an ungodly amount of content consumption from books to podcasts last year:
With regards to your exercise, stress is stress – it all fills the same cup. Psychological stress will affect the physical. When you’ve had a big day mentally, you can bet your ability to hit the same numbers at the gym or run at the same pace you did last week will be near impossible. You can either reduce the stress causing the cup to overflow, or increase the size of the cup (or both) if you want to continue those physical gains this year.
“What you think about you bring about”. The person you have to spend the most time talking to is yourself and your internal dialogue is more important than anything else for your health. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s true – you need to be the hero of your own story. The only way to earn respect is to respect yourself, and respect is earned, not given. You earn self-respect by making the decisions every day that the person you’re trying to become would make. If you’re stuck on your phone watching mindless videos, avoiding important tasks that will help you reach your goals, or if you don’t go for that run, or don’t have that difficult conversation with someone, your self-talk will chew you up in negativity. In any given moment, do the thing that makes you most proud. Be careful what you focus on because the world will show up like that.
How you frame something in your mind determines the physiological response you have to what you’re thinking about. Is the stress you’re currently going through truly stressful? Or are you grateful to be in a position where this much trust has been placed on you to perform? Maybe you are truly going through a tough time, but just remember – “adversity is a terrible thing to waste”. The stress will pass, you will learn from it and be stronger because of it.
Dr Andrew Huberman & David Goggins talk about a structure in your brain called the anterior mid-cingulate cortex (aMCC). Goggins’ emphasis on “embracing the suck” and overriding the mind’s natural desire to quit ties to the aMCC’s role in evaluating effort and pushing through discomfort. Huberman adds the scientific framework, explaining how this brain region helps detect conflict (e.g., pain versus the desire to finish a goal) and signals the importance of persisting. In essence, lean into hard things and tackle them head on if you wish to feel the accomplishment that comes with it. It’s important to note that if you don’t have the capacity to tackle things head on, make sure you reach out to your network for support and work through it together.
Starting the day with a 15 minute morning walk as soon as you wake up has been a game-changer for reducing stress. Easy movement first thing in the morning helps lower cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, while exposure to natural light balances your mood and boosts serotonin. Walking outside in nature is the key (not down Queen St) as it enhances these effects, calming the amygdala (your brain’s stress center) and promoting emotional resilience. Focus on what you’re grateful for that day and what you’re looking forward to. As Tony Robbins says, “you can’t be fearful and angry and ungrateful at the same time.”
Last but not least, getting adjusted regularly helps with autonomic balance in the nervous system. This helps your body shift out of the sympathetic fight/flight response and into the parasympathetic rest/digest response giving you more emotional balance. So many of our practice members are wired and tired, leaving them running on empty. By improving the brain’s ability to move between the ‘stress mode’ and ‘rest mode’ through a healthy spine, you’re giving yourself the best chance to build a bigger cup and be more adaptable to the stress in your life.
If you want to chat about your goals in person with one of our chiropractors as a new patient or adjustment visit, you can book through our website.
– Dr Hayes
