Your Body On Stress

STARTING POINT: NERVOUS SYSTEMS

First off, we need to talk about our nervous systems.

You've probably already heard of the central nervous system (CNS), which is like your command center. It helps you think, articulate, and behave. It consists of your brain and spinal cord and is involved in various processes of your body.

Then there's the peripheral nervous system (PNS), working tirelessly to keep your heart beating, your organs functioning, and your breath flowing. It includes all the nerves and is kind of like the communicator, from and to the the CNS.

This one is further split into the somatic and the autonomic nervous systems – I know, a lot of terms here, but I promise, we are getting to it.
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It’s the latter, the autonomic nervous system, we're focusing on today. Because this is the system where your stress reactions are managed.

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FIGHT-OR-FLIGHT VS. REST-AND-DIGEST

The autonomic nervous system has two modes: Fight-or-Flight (that's the sympathetic nervous system or SNS for short) and Rest-and-Digest (aka the parasympathetic nervous system or PNS).

Picture a scenario where you're scared.

What is happening?

Your brain picks up on potential danger and flips the switch to the SNS, kicking you into fight-or-flight mode.

Here are things you might noticed:

• your heart races, pumping harder
• your muscles tense up
• you're starting to breathe more rapidly

And here are some other things that also happen:

• your pupils widen
• your digestion hits the pause button
• your blood vessels widen
• cortisol is enabling the availability of
  "energy fuels" like fatty acids and glucose

Your body is now in overdrive:
Ready to face whatever threat's ahead.

And this is active until your brain gets the sign, that the danger has passed.

Only then does it actively change back to the “normal state”, with the help of the PNS, to get back into the mode: Rest-and-Digest.

But here comes the thing:

These functions do not only activate in times of danger; they also do so in daily life.

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HOW IS THAT USEFUL?

Evolutionarily, the SNS, or fight-or-flight mode, has been a lifesaver, quite literally.

It helped our species recognize and react to danger in a manner that has made us the most powerful beings on planet Earth.

It's also a secret weapon for our focus, especially in high-stakes moments, like when you're about to pitch your ideas or deliver a keynote.

Positive stress can boost your concentration, empowering you to master the challenge ahead.

There are studies even suggesting that mild stress could be beneficial for longevity. In theory, short-term mild stress may positively influence the overall resilience and, therefore, long-term health.

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WHAT TO BE SCARED OF?

So, when is stress actually becoming a problem?

It happens, if and when the switch back to "normal mode" doesn't follow anymore.

If you're always in battle-ready mode; when your stressors outweigh your relaxation phases.
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Here are some potential consequences to this:

• Your heart's constantly under pressure
  ​increasing the risk for heart issues
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• Muscles stay wound up tight
  ​hello, headaches and sore necks
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• The function of the digestive system is persistently disrupted
  ​this speaks for itself​
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• You're swimming in “energy fuels” with nowhere to go
  (remember those fatty acids and glucose from earler?)
  ​leading to chronic fatigue or immune disorders

It's not stress itself that's the villain. It's the lack of balance.

In my interview with a female founder, she told me the following:

I am very grateful to have my children, as they are my balance. Otherwise, I would completely immerse myself in my company and only think about that. And in a startup, there are many more negative moments than there are positive ones.
​[Founders need] a balance. So that they don't just focus on the company, but that they have something that is so important that they have to switch off.

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CONCLUSION

Herein lies the actual challenge:

In a rapidly changing world, full of negative news, overloaded with options to choose from: stressful situations linger around every corner.

Your brain is not (yet) programmed to understand which stress-triggering situation is about life and death
and which is not.

Maria created a good perspective.

We all need something to balance out the noise.

For her, this is spending time with her kids.

For me, it can be playing guitar, doing yoga, or punching my canvas (yes, I did once rage with paint on my hands and punched a canvas – and it was exactly what I needed).

For others, it might be some kind of sports, or art.

Not everything is always working the same for everyone.

What works for me, might not work for you. And it also might work in one situation, but not in another.

It is about listening to yourself.

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REFLECTIVE TASK

If you are open for it, I have something for you to wrap this up.

I want to ask you now to think about the things that bring you balance. What is it, that brings you closest, to "forgetting" about your work?​
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If you have some answers in mind, do the following:

• Write them down:
  On a piece of paper or save them in your notes.
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• Store them: Find a suitable place. It might be your wallet, but it should be somewhere that is easy to access in times of stress.
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• Use them: The next time you feel stressed or exhausted, take the paper and choose the thing that resonates most with you in that moment – and do it.
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• Commit to it: If you write them down today, promise yourself to keep your eyes and heart open for the next situation when you are feeling stressed. Promise yourself to commit to it, at least once.

I am gonna do the same now 😊

Stay mindful,

Carina 🌻

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Disclaimer: Please be aware, that my content is meant to increase your awareness towards your personal mental health, it is not meant to be a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor in a case of mental health issues.

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