The Science Behind How Stress Affects Your Body
Plus: Microsteps to help you activate your parasympathetic nervous system and recharge.
We know that stress doesn’t feel good, but constant stress can also impact memory, mood, and even contribute to chronic disease. Our brains are wired to focus on the negative, which can make it difficult to handle stressful situations, or maintain perspective during difficult moments. But if we don’t take action to get ahead of our stress, it can become cumulative and affect almost every aspect of our lives.
Here’s how it works: When you’re stressed, your body goes into “ fight or flight” mode, which is controlled by your sympathetic nervous system. That’s what helps you detect danger in times of stress. The goal is to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, so you’re not spending all your time in a state of alarm. The parasympathetic nervous system is a network of nerves that relaxes your body after periods of stress or danger — and lowers your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Remarkably, all it takes is 60 to 90 seconds to activate it and get back to a state of calm.
Here are three Microsteps to help you activate your parasympathetic nervous system:
Try paying attention to the rising and falling of your breath in a moment of stress.
You’ll release neurotransmitters that slow your heart rate and help you shift from a place of fear and reaction to calm and relaxation.
Set aside a few minutes to write in a journal.
Journaling is a great way to organize your thoughts and manage your stressors. Doing it by hand will help you focus and avoid digital distractions.
Choose a “go-to” recharge strategy that works best for you for moments of overwhelm.
Maybe it's breathing, reframing, positive affirmations, or going for a run. By taking a moment to reset, you'll reduce your stress response.
Watch a Thrive Reset when you’re stressed.
Reset is based on research that shows we can course-correct from stress in 60-90 seconds by activating our parasympathetic nervous system, relaxing the body and lowering our levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Explore Thrive Resets here!