We all know that stress is a part of life. There are some good points to having stress, as stress can cause us to take action, but an overall high level of stress can cause health problems. But chronic stress can also cause weight gain as well as play havoc with blood sugars if stress is not managed.
If we go back in time to the cave men, we can look at how our bodies respond to stress. If a cave man went out hunting and a bear came after him, he would go into the flight or fight response, either choosing to fight a bear or run. This response would trigger hormone responses, such as increased cortisol to help increase your energy to either fight or run, and a decrease in your serotonin levels because you would not want to fall asleep when you are fighting or running.
Increased cortisol results in your body storing fat (which encourages weight gain) because the cave person would need that stored energy for fighting or running. The decreased serotonin levels result in your body craving carbohydrates because the carbohydrates are easily transferred to energy. The carbohydrates also function to help relax and comfort you since the serotonin level is not optimal. Sustained stress hormone elevation can also lower thyroid function which can affect your metabolism. They also can interfere with growth hormones which affect our muscle mass, resulting in a lower muscle mass which decreases metabolism.
Along with stress, many behaviors can increase cortisol, such as skipping meals, not getting adequate sleep, not eating properly, and consuming high amounts of alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat.
If we think about our level of stress compared to a cave man, a cave man's response to stress was immediate and then when the bear disappeared, the stress level went down. The problem with stress today is the stress level remains elevated all the time, resulting in the constant increased stress hormones in our system. By lowering our stress and working on how we manage stress, we can lower our stress hormones and help promote weight loss and better diabetes control.
Tips to Relieve Stress
1. Determine what you can control and what you can't control. We sometimes waste a lot of time worrying and trying to solve problems that we cannot control. Learning to stop and look at whether you can really change the situation or whether it is out of your control and you need to let go and change how you are dealing with a situation is important.
2. Take time for you. I frequently hear that it is selfish to take some time for you. I also hear that there is never enough time to do something for you. But if you think about running ragged and never having any downtime or you time, it is taking away from how you are responding to others in your life. By being stressed, anxious, worried, etc, you may be more irritable with those you love, or may not be fully present to enjoy the moments because you are off in your mind worrying about other things. So by taking time for you, you are able to take care of others better. It is like the airplane analogy. Put on your own air mask before putting on your child's. So make it a priority to schedule some you time. It can be something simple like a quiet cup of coffee in the morning, a hot bath, reading a favorite book, going for a walk, or developing new hobbies.
3. Eat healthy and limit stress increasing foods such as sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. Also eat regular meals and planned snacks. Skipping meals can increase stress. Many people are not breakfast eaters, so try lighter breakfasts such as a granola bar or smoothie. Seek out a Registered Dietitian if you need help in this area.
4. Try some guided imagery, meditation, yoga, or progressive relaxation. Guided imagery is a process where you do deep breathing and imagine yourself somewhere pleasant such as a beach. You imagine using all your senses such as feeling the sand, smelling the salt water, hearing the waves and birds, seeing the grass blades blow and waves crash, etc. Even a five minute "vacation in your head" will help relax you. I had a client who told me "I go fishing in my head." I love a CD called Ten Minutes to Relax. It is a quick guided imagery that can help lower stress. Progressive relaxation is a process where deep breathing is used, along with tensing and releasing muscles in order to help you see whether muscles are tense without you realizing it. It helps you relax by releasing muscles. Many audios are available that help walk you through this process. When done daily, guided imagery and progressive relaxation help lower overall stress.
5. Take 4x4 breaks each day. This means learning to take four small breaks throughout the day and do four deep belly breaths. This helps you just slow down and relax a few times during the day.
6. Exercise. Yes, that is the dreaded word most people do not like. But exercise is a great stress reliever. It also can increase your energy level and help you focus better. Exercise helps lower those cortisol levels and stimulates serotonin. So build some regular exercise into your routine. Plus you get the benefit of burning calories to help you lose weight.
7. Find a support person. Find someone you can trust and share your thoughts and feelings with. When thinking of a support person, discern who a healthy support person would be. This would be someone who listens and is nonjudgmental, not necessarily have to solve your problem but just being present with you, and someone who does not tell you to "get over it."
Work on lowering your stress to help change your cortisol and serotonin levels and you will see the benefits in your life. Work on adding in some of these techniques each day, as well as other stress techniques as this is not a complete list of stress reduction. Sometimes people have to actually schedule them on their calendar or post sticky notes for reminders. And don't be afraid to seek help from a professional if you need more individualized help.
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