Stress is almost a buzzword these days, but it is at least public enemy number one.
Stress is present in all our lives, and it can be both good and bad. Think of a first date, or your wedding day, your first day at your new job, a performance you've prepared for... you're bound to be able to think about it for hours, parry it, and get excited about an event that is actually a joy.
We have long faced different types of challenges than our ancestors in the hunter-gatherer era. We're not running to/from mammoths to get food and not have it, we're working for a neurotic boss, we're under pressure from unsustainable deadlines, our boyfriends bleed if we go out without them, and anyway what's there is suspicious, he must be cheating on us, we have headaches, hope it's not a brain tumour and who knows what else we have in our heads at twenty four zero. So, the type of threat is different than it used to be, but the processing process hasn't changed.
The ancient stress response is the "fight or flight" response, driven by the most ancient part of our brain, the amygdala. The body prepares itself to cope with the stressor: adrenaline is produced, the heartbeat speeds up to get blood to the limbs as quickly as possible so we can run fast and fight smart, our pupils dilate to see better, our hair stands on end so we can sense danger more clearly from our movements. Our skin, our palms are clammy with sweat because blood flows from the surface of the body to the heart and muscles, so there is less blood loss in case of injury.
Long-term bodily functions stop working, digestion, brain function, growth - people who are fighting for their lives don't need such luxuries - and chronic stress can lead to, for example, fertility problems or stomach cramps and digestive problems. The body is trying to get rid of excess weight, which would make it difficult to make a quick dash for the saber-toothed tiger, which is why we run to the bathroom so much before exams, for example...
If stress is chronic in our lives, and the fight-or-flight stress response kicks in too often, it is not good for our bodies: sooner or later they will react with illness. Raised blood pressure is a breeding ground for cardiovascular disease, stress hormones affect insulin balance, which increases the risk of diabetes. If the stress hormone cortisol is present in high levels for too long, it is easy to get caught in a vicious circle, causing the amygdala to overactive, increasing feelings of fear and negativity.
The brain is an extremely plastic organ, with neurons forming new connections as we experience new things, even as adults.
Cortisol inhibits the brain's nerve cells from producing new synapses and thus new pathways, so we are effectively stuck in our old and familiar parathesis, kneading ourselves into a negative attitude.
A lot of small, everyday fears and anxieties are more damaging than rare but major stressors, because the more often the stress system is activated, the more often it will be, the more responsive it will be, and we find ourselves in a para-spiral.
Once the stress response has started, we can "release" the stress hormones from the body through active physical action. In the old days, this meant running away from a predator or stabbing a saber-toothed tiger. Today, these solutions would be quite counterproductive in the context of a conflict at work, for example. Exercise, activity, helps, so brisk walking, running is recommended, as many of my patients put it: "So regular exercise is good, but not every workplace has a treadmill, there are times when you suddenly have to deal with tension and you can't run away.
It's good to have a stress management technique you can use anywhere, anytime, such as progressive muscle relaxation!
Nóra Árvai psychologist, perinatal consultant, specialist writer, nutritionist.
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