Are You Sick of Stress? Here’s How To Cope

What is Stress?

Stress can be defined as a perceived state of threatened survival triggered by a psychological, environmental or physiological stimulus or adverse change.

Stress stimulates an inflammatory response in the brain and nervous system, [1,2] and has been shown to have a significant impact on immune system function, as well as play a large role in the development of cancers and tumours. [3,4]

What are the Stages of Stress?

Research has indicated there are four stages of stress. These include:

Stage 1: The alarm reaction to the environmental demand or stimulus.
Stage 2: Your perception of the demand or stimulus, where the perceived threat or fear triggers the fight, flight or freeze response.
In this phase, your resources are invested in trying to adapt, as your body resets its level of function to deal with the increased levels of demand needed to cope and survive.
Stage 3: The exhaustion phase, where the resources of the body become depleted with time, as you are unable to sustain your response to the perceived threat or fear long-term.
This results in progressive dysfunctional and pathological changes.
Stage 4: Behavioural consequences, which is a result of the breakdown of the stress response.
While the stress continues to manifest there is a collapse in the compensatory mechanisms, which results in poor performance outcomes with more permanent behavioural changes and mental health issues.

What are the Signs & Symptoms of Chronic Stress?

Due to the multitude of factors that can cause stress, burnout and exhaustion, there are no specific diagnostic criteria. The most common early warning signs include:

Physical and mental exhaustion with the need for longer recovery time
Brain fog, impaired memory, physical weakness or fatigue
Reduced capacity to tolerate demands or to work under time pressure
Emotional instability or irritability, and/or increased sensitivity to sounds
Disturbed sleep patterns – insomnia, hypersomnia, restless sleep, and/or daytime drowsiness
Stress physical symptoms may include muscular pain, palpitations and gastrointestinal problems.

Strategies on How To Manage Stress

Improving how you cope with stress is a continuous process of learning how to transform your mindset to meet your specific circumstances or demands.

So how do you improve your ability to adapt to and manage stress?

Your success is determined by which coping mechanisms you have developed to manage stress. There is a term called ‘eustress’, in which stress is a positive concept.

This means that you require a certain level of stress to maintain a healthy balance, as maximum growth and development happen at the edge of both support and challenge.

‘Eustress’ motivates you into action to fulfil your most inspired mission.

It is well acknowledged how mindfulness and meditation training can reduce stress and improve the regulation of emotions. [7]

Mindfulness Stress Reduction Techniques

Meditation has also been shown to be beneficial in improving mental health conditions, and when combined with lifestyle factors (such as lifestyle, diet, cognitive and physical activities), it has an even greater impact in preventing conditions related to the ageing brain. [8]

There are a number of strategies that you can integrate into your daily life to significantly reduce stress and burnout. These include:

Practising mindfulness, meditation and yoga [7,8,9]
Practising deep, diaphragmatic breathing and stretching exercises
Music therapy [10] and guided mental imagery and sounds to induce a sense of elevated emotions [11,12]
Engaging in regular exercise that specifically meets the needs of your present health condition, and embracing and utilising the benefits of green space. [13]

Feeling Stressed, Exhausted and Burnout? Request a Call Back to learn more.

DR ALAIN FRABOTTA is a highly qualified and experienced integrative chiropractor and functional medicine naturopathic doctor in Sydney since 1995.

With a specific interest in the treatment, prevention, and management of complex chronic diseases, including stress management and mental health.

Alain provides a holistic, person-centred, multidisciplinary, solution-focused, results-driven approach.

He integrates chiropractic, naturopathic and functional medicine, nutrition, counselling, and coaching to help you bridge the gap between your physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Alain is the leading integrative chiropractic and functional medicine naturopathic doctor in Sydney who wants to help you achieve your health and well-being goals as well as reach your full potential in life.

He is also dedicated to providing you with a personalised, targeted treatment approach that employs functional and genomic assessments to diagnose and optimise your health, well-being, and performance.

Learn more about DR ALAIN FRABOTTA

Stress Management Relaxation Techniques

One of the most effective methods to cope with stress or burnout is relaxation training. Numerous studies have shown the benefits of relaxation training. including:

Pain reduction with an increase in movement
More preferable outcomes of high-pressure situations in sport, finances, work, and life
Improved sleep quality and cognitive function, resulting in an increase in mood, memory, focus, and ability to concentrate
Individuals who learn to relax are better able to manage their stress and are more likely to maximise their potential, achieve their desired goals and enjoy life.

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+ REFERENCES

[1] Liu Y-Z, Wang Y-X, Jiang C-L. Inflammation: The Common Pathway of Stress-Related Diseases. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2017;11:316. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00316.

[2] Krizanova O., Babula P., Pacak K. (2016). Stress, catecholaminergic system and cancer. Stress 19, 419–428.

[3] Thaker P. H., Han L. Y., Kamat A. A., Arevalo J. M., Takahashi R., Lu C., et al. . (2006). Chronic stress promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis in a mouse model of ovarian carcinoma. Nat. Med.12, 939–944.

[4] Selye H. Stress and the General Adaptation Syndrome. British Medical Journal. 1950;1(4667):1383-1392.

[5] Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. (1995). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

[6] Lazarus, R. and Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer Pub. Co.

[7] Xiao Q, Yue C, He W, Yu J. The Mindful Self: A Mindfulness-Enlightened Self-view. Frontiers in Psychology. 2017;8:1752.

[8] Chételat G, Lutz A, Arenaza-Urquijo E, Collette F, Klimecki O, Marchant N. Why could meditation practice help promote mental health and well-being in aging? Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy. 2018;10:57.

[9] Kristeller JL, Jordan KD. Mindful Eating: Connecting With the Wise Self, the Spiritual Self. Frontiers in Psychology. 2018;9:1271. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01271.

[10] Schaefer H-E. Music-Evoked Emotions—Current Studies. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2017;11:600.

[11] Fors E, Sexton H, Gatestam K. The Effect of Guided Imagery and Amitriptyline on Daily Fibromyalgia Pain: a prospective, randomised, controlled trial. Journal of psychiatric research, 2002: 36(3):179-187. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. Springer: New York.Weinberg, R. & Gould, D. (2011) Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology (5th Edition). Human Kinetics: Leeds. [12] Leon-Pizarro C, Gich I, Barthe E, Rovirosa A, Farrus B, Casas F, Verger E, Biete A, Graven-Bartle J, Sierra J Arusa A. A randamised trial of the effect of training in relaxation and guided imagery techniques in improving psychological and quality of life indices for gynaecologic and breast brachytherapy patients. Psycho-Oncology, 2007, 16(11):971-979.

[13] Roe JJ, Aspinall PA, Ward Thompson C. Coping with Stress in Deprived Urban Neighborhoods: What Is the Role of Green Space According to Life Stage? Frontiers in Psychology. 2017;8:1760.