Day 5 ❍ The Upside of Stress

When it comes to the overall health of your body, stress plays a crucial role. With all of the obvious downsides, it is important to note that there is also an upside to stress. That it can actually be beneficial for your body. While I may be hard pressed to convince some of you that driving in LA is good for you, stay with me on this. 

Stress can be essential for facilitating health as we grow older. In fact, under-exposure to stress can actually lead to more rapid aging. The most common form of healthy stress is exercise. It puts stress on the cardiovascular system, raises cortisol, and ultimately promotes repair and building of muscle tone and tissue. Our bodies intelligence is constantly at work to heal. Apart from exercise though, it is common to think of stress as a sort of repeat offender. 

At times, we may experience ‘toxic’ stress where we feel like something is just too much to handle. Subsequently, how we handle the stress often causes more harm to our body and mind. Some might lean into drinking, smoking, drugs, sugar, adrenaline looping, plus endless forms of behavior that can have deleterious affects. It could also cause harm to others. And even if you don’t do those things, and you make it look nice on the outside, the stress is still attacking your body. So how could stress improve our health as we age?

→ Studies have shown that when stressful situations are approached with a different mindset, one that is determined, curious, open, and able to being uncomfortable, the effects on our body can be helpful in many ways. Our attitude towards difficulty and stressful situations can actually improve our resiliency as we age.  

Renowned stress expert, Dr. Elissa Epel, explains how stress can be measured through something in our body called telomeres. Telomeres are a region of repetitive DNA sequences at the end of chromosomes. They protect the ends of the chromosomes from fraying or getting tangled. Moreover, telomeres play a vital role in protecting our genome.  (Genome is the genetic material that is present in our cells). When we are young, telomeres have more resiliency, but they get shorter as we age. When they get too short, cells lose power for division and growth. By preserving the telomeres, there is potential to protect and treat diseases associated with aging. 

This idea that ‘stress can be good for you’ is not so simple as a 40 character tweet. We need to create a Stress Challenge Response through something Dr. Epel describes as a ‘Stress Shield.’ We don’t always have an innate framing that ‘I am going to get through this.’ So we cultivate our system and find what works. Like yoga, we won’t always do it perfectly. We simply practice and over time, we evolve and grow.

ACTIONS - BUILD YOUR STRESS SHIELD

  • Breathwork is the most effective way to alleviate stress in the body. Try doing some of these practices: Physiological Sigh, Box Breathing, or Longer Exhales 4-2-6-2 breath (inhale 4, hold 2, exhale 6, hold 2) or 4-7-8 breath (inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8). There are so many forms of breath work that can help you. I encourage you to experiment with these and see what resonates.

  • Reframe the story. Consider using some of these mantras to shift your mindset in the heat of the moment: ‘I’m going to get through this.’ ‘This is happening for me, not to me.’ ‘Right now it’s like this, may I be at ease.’

  • Get wise. Have you dealt with something like this before and what did you do? If not, who do you know who has dealt with something similar?

  • Distance yourself. Consider how you might feel in five years or some time after this passes.

  • Use music. If music is your muse, try singing to shift your perspective so you can shift your mindset.

  • Be creative. If you are a creative, use your creativity to shift your perspective so you can shift your mindset.

  • Get physical. Go for a walk or exercise so you can shift your mindset.

  • Try a ‘Boundary Clearing’ practice. Use your arms to create a pushing away motion. Push to what is in front of you (or to the sides) to allow yourself some space and security so you can shift your mindset.

  • Avoid Isolating. 

JOURNAL

  • What are some ways to re-appraise a current stressful experience?

  • What is one thing you can do today to set yourself up for a better tomorrow?

LISTEN 

  • Interview ‘Control Stress for Healthy Eating, Metabolism & Aging’ with Dr. Elissa Epel on the Huberman Lab podcast

Now that you’re ready to take the drivers seat with tools to help you navigate the stress of LA roads, try driving in Italy. I dare you.