How to make your stress work for you - Shannon Odell

Your eyes dilate as the room snaps into focus.

Fatigue dissipates, leaving heart-pounding vigilance in its wake.

Your muscles tense, injected with energy.

And for a moment, time seems to slow down.

The reason?

You clumsily dropped your tray in the middle of the cafeteria.

It’s not unusual for our minds and bodies

to have seemingly exaggerated responses to everyday situations.

An upcoming project deadline,

a fight with a family member, or even an embarrassing moment

can easily trigger what’s known as the body’s fight or flight response.

It’s a set of hormonal and physiological changes

that evolved to help our ancestors escape life-threatening situations,

like avoiding a venomous snake or fleeing a charging hyena.

Yet, this fight or flight response may feel less appropriate

for the types of stressors we face today.

When we perceive something as threatening, overwhelming, or even embarrassing,

a signaling pathway known as the HPA-axis is triggered.

It starts with activation of the hypothalamus,

the hormonal control center of the brain.

The hypothalamus sounds the alarm,

alerting the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands,

leading to the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

These hormones travel through the bloodstream

and relay all sorts of effects,

like increasing heart rate to improve oxygen flow

and boosting the amount of energy available to the brain.

If this sounds like a good thing, that’s because it can be!

This stress response helps you react quickly and efficiently

in the face of immediate danger, like dodging a swerving car.

However, it can also be beneficial in less than life-threatening situations.

For example, stress, in small doses, can be very motivating.

Nothing quite drives you to practice a piano solo

like the pressure of an upcoming recital.

Feeling a little stressed may even help you learn.

The hippocampus, a brain region essential to learning,

is rich in receptors that respond to the stress hormone cortisol.

Lab studies have found that adding a mild stressor,

such as a sudden temperature change before a memory task,

can enhance performance.

Further, during your teen years,

the brain is rewired to promote exploration and learning.

And one way it does this is by making the HPA-axis more reactive.

The problem is when this stress response is triggered too often or for too long.

Normally when we experience a stressful event,

stress hormones are released for about 15 to 30 minutes.

But if we face multiple or persistent stressors, day after day,

the HPA-axis starts to adapt.

Anticipating future stressful events,

the HPA-axis stays activated for longer, and continuously releases stress hormones.

This causes issues throughout the body,

and can lead to problems like sleeplessness, brain fog,

digestive issues, and even heart disease.

So how much stress is too much stress?

It’s difficult to say, as not everyone experiences stress in the same way.

Different factors like your genetics, environment, and even your age,

can influence the way your body responds.

But no matter your situation,

there are tools that can make dealing with stress a bit easier.

Exercise, for example, is thought to prompt the production of new neurons,

which may help our brains become more resilient to stress.

A run through the park or a basketball game with friends

can also be a great distraction from whatever’s stressing you out.

Speaking of friends,

spending time with others can actually buffer your body’s response to stress.

This may be due to the actions of oxytocin,

a hormone that helps us feel closer to others,

and can also dampen activity of the HPA-axis.

And simple actions, like pausing to breathe during stressful situations

or journaling every day, can have a huge impact.

These are also known as mindfulness practices, which can, over time,

help you build a greater understanding of your thoughts and feelings

and remain grounded in the present moment.

We can’t always control what life throws at us.

But there are ways to better prepare our minds and bodies

for the many deadlines, awkward conversations, and spills, ahead.