Stress is a completely unavoidable part of modern life. Due to jam-packed schedules, demanding jobs, and the never-ending email list, we can, as a result, find ourselves running rather quickly toward illness and burnout. The very first thing we can take a look at and understand better is the science of stress; the basics. In learning how our bodies react to stress, the how and why, we can be more empowered to notice it right away and self-regulate in order to combat its effects on us. Learning How our Body Reacts to Chronic Stress
Our nervous system is very complex. Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the queen (or king) of our CNS, acting largely unconsciously, and is regulated by the hypothalamus of our brain.
The ANS has branches that include the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS). The SNS is responsible for the fight, flight, or freeze response, and the PSNS is responsible for the rest and digest response.
How can we determine when the SNS is activated or has reached a chronic level of being ‘turned on’? Some of the initial symptoms can include increased heart rate, increased rate of perspiration, increased blood pressure, renal vasoconstriction, muscle blood flow will decrease resulting in tingling extremities, and shortness of breath, to name only but a few. Chronic or prolonged activation will elicit the release of adrenaline from the adrenal medulla, much like a hose left on. If this happens too often, or for too long, the adrenals will suffer, a.k.a the beginning or adrenal fatigue/exhaustion.
The job of the PSNS is to help us to recover after the SNS has been activated by an event. But when it happens too often, our bodies no longer react as expected, and can not recover as the SNS stays active.
Getting our PSNS to kick in will now take actual work, and if we do not place extra focus on this, we are going to start feeling exhausted every moment of the day, and that is only the beginning. We know that the endocrine system is not the only part of our body that takes a hit when we are under chronic stress, it is every part of our body.
75-90% of visits to the doctor are a direct result of ailments relating to stress [1].
The more your SNS is activated, the more likely you will experience anxiety, insomnia, chronic digestive upset such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and will be at risk for longer-term mental and physical health issues.
So the question becomes, how do we down-regulate the SNS response?
The goal is to feel our feelings, not to stuff them down or attempt to ignore them. This creates a low simmer of stress that can be dangerous. Tune into your feelings. Start with the somewhat smaller sensations such as hunger or thirst, and move onto irritation, sadness, frustrated, angry, jealous, so on and so forth. Practice getting in tune with how you feel at any given moment. Find ways to express them healthily. I like to journal, dance, and sometimes sing on the top of my lungs. I try and tune in to my body and ask what it needs, listen intently, and provide. This does take practice….but you can get there!
We do not need to sit atop a pillow and say Om (although I do this often), but to make a conscious choice to rest our nervous system to restore and maintain our health.
This is a shift, or a dance, a downregulating of the stress response that our body has created as a habitual choice.
What Can Be Done?
Begin by considering what would help you to decompress. It can be a lengthy ritual, but it doesn’t have to be. Quiet, mood lighting, focusing on deep breathing, practicing the art of doing nothing at all, is all a good place to start.
The vagus nerve NEEDS to be toned as well, look for that topic in my next article (and upcoming class), as that is a topic all in of itself.
Find ways that suit you to release the stress from the body, or what I prefer to think as the moving of stuck, intense energy that is not serving you, slower intentional movement is best. Yoga, tai chi, and meditative walking are great.
*Note, if you know that your adrenals are struggling, high impact cardio is not a good idea. I went through a period during the worst of my illness where anything that raised my heart rate above 120 bpm left me exhausted for a full 24 hours or more.
Creating Rituals
A nighttime ritual before bed is often very helpful to settle. If you are running around the home picking things up, making lunches, folding laundry, paying bills and the million other things we do, it is going to be hard to shut the switch off right when you lay down and go to sleep. Try teatime. Turn off all electronics at least 30 minutes before lying down. You could sit in silence, read a small passage of a feel-good book, or journal a gratitude list for the day. To-do lists are NOT welcome here.
Here are some herbs I recommend trying.
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate) is an absolutely gorgeous flower, and in the dried herbal form, it is beneficial to calming the mind. As a matter of fact, “Scientists believe passionflower works by increasing levels of a chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA lowers the activity of some brain cells, making you feel more relaxed” [2].
Passionflower is also a beautiful herb for anxiety, but there are a few contraindications to be aware of. This herb is not for anyone who is currently pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are already taking sedating medications, avoid passionflower in your cup, or you could greatly intensify the effects of your medication.
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) in your tea is a must! Touted for relaxation of body and mind. Fun fact! In Germany, lemon balm is licensed as a standard medicinal tea for sleep disorders [3].
The essential oil, typically sold as Melissa, is amazing too, but rather costly. Many do not know that it takes quite a lot of plant material to fill that bottle, so I recommend using the herb to help calm before bed.
Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is another favorite for calming the body, mind…and bonus, the belly! Use caution if you have an existing ragweed allergy or hay fever, chamomile may affect you as well.
Some recommend valerian (Valeriana wallichii) …but I think the herb tastes awful, and the essential oil smells even worse. Use catnip (Nepeta cataria) instead! Catnip is rich in nepetalactone, which has mild but effective sedative qualities, and acts much like valerian! [4]
If you mix equal parts of a couple, a few, or all of these herbs and enjoy teatime before bed, you might find yourself much more inclined to sleep peacefully.
Aromatherapy
Are you a bath person? A luxurious soak without any demands may be just what you need. Here is one of my favorite blends:
Bliss Bath
Rose Absolute (Rosa x damascene) 6 drops
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) 4 drops
Epsom salt 1 cup
Unscented fragrance-free shampoo 1 Tbsp
Full fat crème ½ cup (optional)
Mix and add to bath after the water has run. Light a candle, grab a glass of wine and relax.
*More on the proper way to take a bath with essential oils, and why I listed shampoo (a must) later on.
Diffuser Blend
Turn the timer on your diffuser before you slip under the covers with your favorite nighttime blend. Here is one of mine:
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) 4 drops
Marjoram (Origanum majorana) 3 drops
Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata) 2 drops
Neroli (Citrus aurantium) 1 drop
Here is the study to support the effectiveness of this blend.
The number of drops given above is suitable for a 400 ml. water reservoir diffuser. If you wind up loving this blend as much as I do to completely melt away your worries, lower stress hormones and help you sleep, make yourself a master blend and store for easy access.
Said gently, much of our daily stress tends to be in not accepting things as they are. Practice letting go. Start with little things in the home. It can wait. Let others be responsible for themselves whenever possible. Put things down that do not belong to you.
Do not “should” all over yourself! I “should” have gotten the ______ done today. I “should” have been able to keep my cool when my children were fighting. I “should” have… I “should” have… I “should” have. Holy stress! No more “shoulding” on yourself.
Laugh more! Laughing is the single best thing you can do for your stress levels. Have Netflix? There are some amazing, and wicked, stand-up comedians on Netflix. Once the ears are in bed, sit down and enjoy!
Lastly, if you find yourself truly bone aching exhausted and are sleeping well, truly taking care of self with food, water, vitamins, all of it, with no improvement, please see your doctor. You deserve the best care possible.
References
[1] https://www.stress.org/americas-1-health-problem
[2] Passionflower. Retrieved from http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/passionflower
[3] Blumenthal, M. (2000). Herbal medicine: expanded commission e monographs. Austin: American botanical council. (pp. 230-232)
[4] Catnip. Retrieved from https://www.anniesremedy.com/nepeta-cataria-catnip.php
Like so many practices in life, I encourage you to become educated on the proper use of essential oils. When using them, please do so cautiously, understanding that there is often misinformation on the internet. You can be assured that I support only educated and proven resources. While essential oils should not be feared they should be respected and used properly to ensure the safety of the individuals using them.
Please note that I am not a medical practitioner. The content of this website is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice. Do not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating any medical or health condition. If you have or suspect you have a medical problem, promptly contact your professional healthcare provider. By using this website, you assume full responsibility and liability for your own actions.
