Spring, Stress & Resilience
Hello Spring! It’s one of my favorite seasons. I love the warmer, lighter days and seeing all the flowers and green. It’s a reminder of the renewal that comes with a new season.
And yet, stress seems ever present in our world. I hear about stress daily from my clients. How does this impact us and what can we do to cope?
Are you feeling stressed too? It seems that the base level stress is high for many right now, and this can make everything feel harder and steal our joy.
A lot of things contribute to this. Change and uncertainty feel like a threat to our brain. We don’t like feeling a lack of control. Media and technology make it easy to hear a constant barrage of upsetting news. It can be hard to know what is fact and what is false or exaggerated. So, I suggest setting more boundaries around news consumption and taking brain breaks. Take time to focus on the present moment, the small things and the ways we can spread calm and kindness to those around us. Still….we are bound have times we feel overwhelmed or worried.
Remember that stress is an inevitable part of life. It can be a bit like rain. A little of it can be a good thing and even necessary for growth. But too much can be overwhelming and harmful. We can’t stop the rain, but we can take shelter and find ways to care for ourselves.
This takes effort though. And being intentional. But it is important. Stress has a real impact on our body and mind. Following are some ways that it affects us.
Stress and Your Body
Our bodies are designed to handle some acute or sudden stress. But when stress is prolonged or becomes chronic, it can have harmful consequences to our physical and mental health.
Here are just some of the ways stress can negatively impact your body:
Respiratory Issues
Prolonged stress can lead to respiratory issues such as shortness of breath. Individuals who do not have an underlying respiratory disease may not be very impacted. But for those with pre-existing conditions such as COPD and asthma, stress can dangerously exacerbate the situation.
Heart Health
When we’re stressed we go into fight or flight mode. This causes our heart to beat faster and our blood vessels to dilate. Our system is flooded with stress hormones. In short-term scenarios, these physical manifestations help get us out of danger. But for prolonged periods, this can put a lot of stress on our heart and blood vessels, potentially leading to a heart attack or stroke.
Gut Health
Did you know that 80% of your immune system is in your gut? Our gut and brain are connected and are both impacted by stress hormones.
Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your gut as it changes the beneficial gut bacteria. And this change can negatively impact your mood and immune system. When you’re already feeling stressed, the last thing you need is to also feel depressed, but these can go hand in hand.
Sexual Health
Both the male and female reproductive systems are influenced by the nervous system. When we are stressed, our sexual hormones can get out of balance, and we can lose desire and sexual function. Stress can also impact fertility.
Emotional Health
Last but not least, stress impacts our emotional and mental health. Stress, especially chronic stress, can affect our brain chemicals and neural networks and contribute to conditions such as overwhelm, anxiety, depression, mood swings and sleep issues. These issues may lead to relationship issues and impair our functioning at work and home.
Clearly, stress can really impact our health and well-being. While we can’t stop the rain from falling or stress from entering our lives, we can practice healthy stress management. That means eating right, getting enough exercise, and getting quality sleep. It’s also crucial to learn healthy coping skills, thinking patterns and to cultivate sources of support. If you need some help, please reach out: [email protected]
Self-Care Tips for Spring
- Enjoy the spring flowers and the beginning of garden season.
- Enjoy having more light and warmer days.
- Get outside and walk, go to the park or the farmer’s market.
- Read more. Studies show reading decreases stress.
- Do some spring cleaning/organizing (enjoy the results & the process too!)
- Start a gratitude practice. Look for things you appreciate each day.
- Start making plans for a summer get-away or staycation.
- Pause and just breathe…
Articles & Resources
Ways to Increase Dopamine and Boost your Mood
“A dopamine menu is a list of healthy habits and activities designed to naturally elevate your dopamine levels and make you feel pleasure, motivation, and reward. The idea behind a dopamine menu is to provide an actionable and sustainable approach to improve your mood and prioritize your mental well-being.”
The Power of Self-Care: Small Changes That Lead to a Healthier You
10 Tips to Build Resilience
https://psychcentral.com/lib/10-tips-to-build-resilience#2
Quotes & Inspiration
- “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James
- “One simple mindset reset that can help us face and find the good in the stress in our lives is to view it as an opportunity to learn and grow.” — Kelly McGonigal
- “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein
- “You are braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Christopher Robin
“Hello, sun in my face.
Hello to you who made the morning and
Spread it over the fields…
Watch, now, how I start the day
In happiness
In kindness.”
-Mary Oliver
