Harness your stress response

There’s no doubt about it, modern life is stressful. We live in a world which constantly demands our attention. Whether it’s workplace stress, family drama, or worry about an increasingly unpredictable future, if you are feeling so stressed out it’s making you feel unwell, you are not alone. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that in 2019/2020, work-related stress, depression, or anxiety accounted for 51% of all work-related ill health cases in the UK.

But why do we get stressed? What purpose does it serve? “Can we not just get rid of it once and for all?!””, I hear you ask…! 

Before we send stress to room 101 for good, it’s worth taking into account that the stress response holds part of the key to human existence. Think about it – if our cave-dwelling ancestors saw a lion and were overcome with a sense of peaceful wellbeing, they probably wouldn’t be around much longer. 

Whilst we don’t (usually) have to deal with large predators threatening our lives, we still have the same powerful stress response ready to spring into action. It just hasn’t cottoned on to the fact we’re not in imminent danger of a lion attack. Evolution takes a long time to catch up, doesn’t it.

Whilst our ancestors would escape from the lion (hopefully!), return to the safe haven of their cave, and do a nice bit of cave painting to relax and reset, much of the time we don’t get the chance to switch off from our stress. It can seem ever-present, and in some cases it really is that way. Have you ever found yourself “doom-scrolling” through your work emails at ten in the evening, with a looming sense of dread about the next day? Me too, by the way.

It may not always be possible to change our situation , but often we can change our reaction to the situation.

During the day our stress level builds up as we go about our day at work or whatever it is we’re doing. Whilst your boss may not approve if you get up, walk out of the office and head to the nearest cave for some painting time, some workplace-friendly activities are a little more appropriate.

1) Give yourself a break: This doesn’t need to be a long one. A minute or two can be enough to reset. 

2) Shake it off: it may sound strange, but trust me, it works. Literally shaking your body can help to shake away tension and stress, as it signals to the brain that you are out of “danger” (remember, this is what your stress response perceives is happening) and it can let go of tension. To do it, stand, if you can, and give your arms and legs a shake. You could think about doing this for anywhere between 5 – 20 minutes at the end of the day, or for a minute at a time in between tasks during the day

3) Go for a short walk: If you don’t feel like answering your colleagues’ questions about why you are standing in front of your computer jiggling around, you can get some of the same benefits by taking a short walk away from whatever you’re doing. One minute, a few times a day, can be hugely beneficial.

4) Breathe! The stress response can cause us to breathe fast and shallow (your body’s way of sending as much oxygen to your muscles to get you away from that lion as fast as possible). Signal to your mind that you are safe by taking some deep breaths through your nose, activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to calm you down. One of my personal favourite breathing techniques is to breathe in deeply through your nose, then  breathe in a little bit more, filling your lungs as much as possible. Hold it for a second, and then slowly release it through your mouth for a little dose of instant calm.

5) Talk it through: You don’t have to suffer stress in silence. A qualified therapist can help you to manage chronic stress. Hypnotherapy is a great way of releasing tension, getting to the root cause of what might be causing chronic issues, and learning new coping strategies for dealing with stress.