Stress

What Is It?

Stress is a state of mental and emotional strain resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. It is that overwhelmed feeling of worry when concerned about a particular outcome. Stress is a person’s reaction to events that are considered threatening or have the potential to throw someone out of balance. Stress can be either positive or negative, or both, depending on the circumstances and the length of time it is experienced for.

Causes

Everyone experiences stress. Triggers vary from one person to the next, and therefore it is important to understand what your triggers are. Triggers can be identified more easily by tuning into and journaling thoughts and feelings encountered in certain situations. Common examples of stress triggers are financial issues, studying for a big exam, applying for a new job, undergoing the interview process, health concerns, relationships, and the death of a loved one. Is Stress All Bad? Stress is beneficial when it motivates people to rise quickly and meet challenges or deadlines. It also provides the energy needed to react quickly in emergency situations. In addition, acute stress boosts brainpower and increases immunity as well as resilience. Chronic stress is one of the primary causes of disease. Long-term stress contributes to lowered immunity, digestive issues,^[1] chronic fatigue, hypothyroidism, inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, and hormonal disturbances.^[2]

Stress and the Body

There are two main branches of the nervous system: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system. The CNS consists of the brain and the spinal cord. Meanwhile, the peripheral nervous system consists of the autonomic nervous system (ANS); the ANS branches into the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). In a healthy state, there is a balance between the SNS and PNS. Stress is a vital warning system and has a direct impact on the sympathetic nervous system, activating this “fight-or-flight” response. The fight-or-flight response is that “on-edge,” adrenaline feeling when the body senses immediate danger and needs to preserve all of the energy possible in order to escape and be safe. A good example of such a perceived danger is being chased by a tiger. On the other hand, the PNS functions in a relaxed, “rest-and-digest” state.

When under constant stress, the SNS mode is activated, and normal bodily processes and organs involved in digestion, elimination, and healing/repair are not functioning properly. Repercussions of less PNS activity include reduced absorption of nutrients, anxiety, and further drain on energy through lack of restful sleep. It is important to learn how to switch off the SNS response.^[2]

When the body is experiencing stress, the hypothalamus signals to the pituitary gland, which signals the adrenal glands to produce cortisol and other hormones such as epinephrine. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. In a state of constant, prolonged cortisol secretion, a deficit of other important hormones, such as progesterone and estrogen, develops. Stress hormones therefore have inhibitory effects on the reproductive system.^[3] Increases in cortisol secretion downregulate the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis due to the negative feedback loop, inhibiting gonadotrophin-releasing hormone’s release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland. FSH and LH play important roles in estrogen secretion and ovulation, respectively.^[2] Taking it a step further, long-term cortisol production exhausts resources and leads to an overall state of depletion known as adrenal insufficiency or adrenal fatigue.

Natural Approaches for Stress Management

It’s impossible to eliminate stress, but there are simple techniques available to help manage it.

Adaptogens: The use of botanical herbs to modulate the stress response. Adaptogens have numerous properties, ranging from improving energy to increasing mental performance in times of need. There are both relaxing and stimulating adaptogens. Speak to your naturopathic doctor to find out which one is indicated for your presentation.

Self-care: It is easy to become overwhelmed and overburdened with tasks and things to do. Self-care is an important part of any routine. Engaging in a pleasurable activity that gives you energy is important! Set 15–20 minutes aside daily to enjoy life a little more.

Maintain a normal routine: Human beings are creatures of habit, and our body likes routine as well!

Get plenty of sleep: The body heals and repairs itself during the sleep phase. Lack of sleep leads to agitation, and this ultimately leads to more stress.^[4]

Support systems: These are comprised of friends or family members, or both. Support sessions can be highly beneficial for reducing the impact of stress by providing solutions to problems and allowing for emotional release. It is important to release tension in a healthy way so that stressors are not internalized and causing the body further harm as a result.^[2]

Exercise: Physical activity produces endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural pain killers. Endorphins also improve ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress. Studies show exercise is effective at reducing fatigue, improving alertness and concentration, and enhancing cognitive function.^[5] Avoid exercising a few hours before bedtime, as this can disrupt sleep patterns.

Meditations and Body Scans with Guided Imagery: Studies show that meditation programs are effective in reducing psychological distress.^[6] Mindfulness-based stress reduction is an increasingly popular practice demonstrated to alleviate stress and treat certain health conditions.^[7]

Deep-Breathing Exercises: Mindfulness and deep-breathing exercises normalize cortisol levels.[8] Various techniques exist, and these deep-breathing exercises can help to balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Inhale through the nose for five seconds, hold for five seconds, and then exhale through the mouth for six or seven seconds. The key is to exhale longer. Repeat this process five times.

Yoga: One 60-minute yoga class per week over the course of six weeks resulted in improvements in feelings of clear-mindedness, composure, elation, energy, and confidence. The yoga group also reported increased life purpose and satisfaction, and feelings of greater self-confidence during stressful situations. Even short-term yoga programs are effective for enhancing wellbeing and resilience to stress.^[9]

Laughter: Laughter is the best medicine! Humour and laughter strengthen the immune system, boost energy, diminish pain, relieve tension, and protect against damaging effects of stress. Laughter triggers the release of endorphins.^[10]

Summary

Long-term stress has profound effects on physical, mental, and emotional health. Chronic stress ultimately leads to a state of depletion, where people develop adrenal fatigue and/or other health issues. Signs and symptoms of stress vary greatly, and resemble symptoms of many other conditions; it is important to see if symptoms you are experiencing are a result of stress or another condition. Stress is inevitable, but there are tools available to help minimize its impact.

Naturopathic doctors have tools at their disposal to assess stress levels in patients. Speak with your health-care professional before trying any new supplement or adaptogen to ensure they are of good quality, and to minimize the risk of drug-herb interactions. Naturopathic doctors spend time with their patients and ask many questions as part of an initial assessment, with the ultimate goal being to understand each and every patient as an individual. Everyone is different, and naturopathic doctors devise individualized treatment plans for patients.