How to make your stress work for you - Shannon Odell

翻译人员: Liwen Huang 校对人员: Jing Quan

Your eyes dilate as the room snaps into focus.

当你突然成为屋里的焦点时， 你的眼睛睁大。

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

疲劳消散，随之而来的是 心脏怦怦直跳的警觉。

Your muscles tense, injected with energy.

你的肌肉紧绷，注入了能量。

And for a moment, time seems to slow down.

一下子，时间好像慢了下来。

The reason?

原因？

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

你在自助餐厅中央 笨手笨脚地把托盘掉在了地上。

It’s not unusual for our minds and bodies

我们的身心对日常情况

to have seemingly exaggerated responses to everyday situations.

做出看似夸张的反应并不少见。

An upcoming project deadline,

临近的项目截止期、

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

与家人的争吵，甚至是令人尴尬的瞬间，

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

都能轻易地触发所谓的 身体战斗或逃跑反应。

It’s a set of hormonal and physiological changes

这是一系列荷尔蒙和生理变化，

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

进化出这些变化是为了帮助我们的祖先 逃离危及生命的情况，

like avoiding a venomous snake or fleeing a charging hyena.

如避开毒蛇或逃离冲来的鬣狗。

Yet, this fight or flight response may feel less appropriate

但是，这种战斗或逃跑反应可能不太适合

for the types of stressors we face today.

我们如今面临的应激源类型。

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

当我们认为某件事具有威胁性、 压倒性，甚至令人尴尬时，

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

就会触发一条名为 HPA 轴的信号通路。

It starts with activation of the hypothalamus,

它从激活下丘脑开始，

the hormonal control center of the brain.

下丘脑是大脑的荷尔蒙控制中心。

The hypothalamus sounds the alarm,

下丘脑发出警报，

alerting the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands,

使垂体和肾上腺警觉，

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

导致肾上腺素和皮质醇等 压力荷尔蒙的释放。

These hormones travel through the bloodstream

这些激素通过血流传递，

and relay all sorts of effects,

产生各种影响，

like increasing heart rate to improve oxygen flow

如加快心率以提高氧气流量，

and boosting the amount of energy available to the brain.

增加大脑可用的能量。

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

如果这听起来像是一件好事， 那是因为它可能是！

This stress response helps you react quickly and efficiently

这种压力反应有助于你 在面对眼前的危险时

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

快速有效地作出反应， 如躲开突然转向的车。

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

但是，在还未威胁到生命的情况， 它也可能是有益的。

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

例如，小剂量的压力可以很激励人。

Nothing quite drives you to practice a piano solo

没有什么比即将举行独奏会的压力

like the pressure of an upcoming recital.

更能驱使你练习钢琴独奏的了。

Feeling a little stressed may even help you learn.

感到有点儿压力甚至有助于学习。

The hippocampus, a brain region essential to learning,

海马体，学习必不可少的大脑区域，

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

富有对压力荷尔蒙皮质醇有反应的受体。

Lab studies have found that adding a mild stressor,

实验室研究发现， 增加一个温和的应激源，

such as a sudden temperature change before a memory task,

例如在记忆任务前突然发生的温度变化，

can enhance performance.

可以提高表现。

Further, during your teen years,

此外，在青少年时期，

the brain is rewired to promote exploration and learning.

大脑被重塑以促进探究和学习。

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

它做到这一点的一个方法是 让 HPA 轴反应更灵敏。

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

当这种压力反应触发的频率过高 或持续时间过长时就会出现问题。

Normally when we experience a stressful event,

通常，当我们经历压力事件时，

stress hormones are released for about 15 to 30 minutes.

压力荷尔蒙会被释放 约 15 至 30 分钟。

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

但是，如果我们日复一日地 面临多种或持续的应激源，

the HPA-axis starts to adapt.

HPA 轴就会开始适应。

Anticipating future stressful events,

预见未来的压力事件，

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

HPA 轴更长时间地保持激活状态， 并持续释放压力荷尔蒙。

This causes issues throughout the body,

这会导致全身问题，

and can lead to problems like sleeplessness, brain fog,

可能导致失眠、脑雾、

digestive issues, and even heart disease.

消化问题，甚至心脏病等问题。

So how much stress is too much stress?

那么多大压力是太大呢？

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

很难说，因为并非每个人都 以相同的方式承受压力。

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

不同的因素，例如基因、环境甚至年龄，

can influence the way your body responds.

都会影响身体反应的方式。

But no matter your situation,

但是，不管情况如何，

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

都有办法可以让压力应对更容易一点儿。

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

例如，运动被认为 会促进新神经元的产生，

which may help our brains become more resilient to stress.

这可能有助于大脑变得更抗压。

A run through the park or a basketball game with friends

跑步穿过公园或和朋友一起打篮球

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

也可以很好地将注意力 从让你倍感压力的事上转移开。

Speaking of friends,

说到朋友，

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

与他人共度时光实际上可以 缓冲身体对压力的反应。

This may be due to the actions of oxytocin,

这可能是由于催产素的作用，

a hormone that helps us feel closer to others,

催产素是一种帮助我们 感觉和他人更亲近的激素，

and can also dampen activity of the HPA-axis.

还可以抑制 HPA 轴的活动。

And simple actions, like pausing to breathe during stressful situations

而简单的行为，例如 在有压力的情况停下来呼吸

or journaling every day, can have a huge impact.

或每天写日记，都会有很大的影响。

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

这些也被称为正念练习， 随着时间的推移，它们可以

help you build a greater understanding of your thoughts and feelings

帮助你更好地了解自己的想法和感受，

and remain grounded in the present moment.

保持心态平衡。

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

我们并不总能控制生活扔给我们什么。

But there are ways to better prepare our minds and bodies

但是，有办法让我们的身心为

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

应对将来许多的最后期限、 尴尬的对话和倾洒事件更好地做准备。