Stress manifests differently in everyone - for some it can be felt as anxiety or panic attacks, for others it's overwhelming, that urgent need to get everything done right now - this is where the love of lists is born! And then there are the lucky few who thrive on stress and work well under pressure - please teach us your ways!
Don't get me wrong, a little bit of stress can be motivation and almost "healthy' but when we're talking stress, we're talking constant or chronic stress - this is not ideal. In chronic states of stress we see a plethora of health conditions arise such as cardiovascular dysfunctions, diabetes, auto immunity, reduced immunity, anxiety and depression.
Healthy stress – is that really a thing?
It is important to understand the different between good and bad stress along with knowing what stress looks like for you and knowing your limit.
Stress is referred to as either the sympathetic or parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for a 'fight or flight' response and often rears its head during any potential danger - which is great if someone is chasing you but not so great when you are trying to close a deal or meet a deadline - hello anxiety!
Your parasympathetic nervous system works in the opposite way and is what we call 'rest and digest', ensuring your body doesn't overwork, restoring calm to the body. So neither of these systems are essentially 'bad' - they both have their time and place however when your body sits in 'fight or flight' mode for prolonged periods of time we being to see symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, lethargy, anxiety, illness and those chronic disease states mentioned above.
Top Tips to Reduce your Stress