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The Health Impacts of Stress
A Note on Stress & Anxiety
Stress and anxiety feel inevitable in our modern day lives and have a hugely negative impact on our mental and physical wellbeing. When anxiety becomes chronic, it can be overwhelming and an excessive amount of the stress hormones epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol are known to cause a diseased state. Cortisol itself actually inhibits the immune system by preventing the production of T-cells - important players in the immune system - and by interrupting the distribution of other immune cells to the lymph nodes and bone marrow. When the body and mind are in a continuous panicked, “survival” state, this leads to the individual feeling as if they are constantly treading water. Undertaking even basic daily and automatic tasks can become a struggle - even breathing! We have both been there - not fun.
But it is manageable. The human brain is commonly said to be the most complex object in the known universe(2), yet remarkably we all have the potential to reorganise and reshape our minds (neural pathways) due to their malleable nature and the ability of the brain to change continuously throughout an individual's life(3). We discuss techniques to positively reprogram the mind and change thought patterns on our Meditation + Neuroplasticity page and the root cause of anxiety below.
The Mind-Body Connection
Our mental and physical states are entwined and one profoundly affects the other, as those who have suffered from a mental disorder such as anxiety of depression will know intimately after having experienced first-hand the physiological symptoms. You may have noticed that when your body is tense, you are more stressed or anxious. During times of stress, your body automatically tenses up, preparing to protect itself from a potential threat. And when your body is relaxed, it is much easier for your mind be at ease. Stress manifests itself physically in the body, wreaking havoc with our internal systems(4), (5), (6) and this mind-body connection is made explicit when we study the (appropriately named!) nervous system. Here’s a brief run-down of the part we will focus on here -
the autonomic nervous system is regulated by the Limbic System in the brain and includes all of the nerves that branch out from the brain and spinal cord and extend to other parts of the body including muscles and organs. It is the control system that acts largely unconsciously to regulate bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, pupillary response etc. There are 3 branches and each part of the system plays a vital role in how information is communicated throughout the body -
- the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) which is responsible for stimulation of "rest-and-digest" or "feed and breed" activities that occur when the body is at rest.
- the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is responsible for stimulating activities associated with the fight-or-flight response.
- the enteric nervous system (ENS) or intrinsic nervous system consists of a mesh-like system of neurons that governs the function of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also known as the second brain.
Dr Gabor Maté, physician and author, has studied development psychology, neurobiological development and trauma extensively and their relation to and impact on potential lifelong physical and mental health, including autoimmune diseases, stress, cancer, ADHD, addictions and a wide range of other conditions. He reinforces the understanding that our mind and body are inextricably linked; “Why do (behavioural) patterns translate into illness? ...because as traditional medicine has always understood and as Western science has now confirmed, mind and body are inseparable…the emotional sections in the brain are connected with the immune system, hormonal apparatus and the nervous system.”(7)
Stress + the Gut
“A new study has raised the possibility that stress may cause autoimmune disease, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, because it found a higher incidence of autoimmune diseases among people who were previously diagnosed with stress-related disorders.”(8)
It makes sense that stress and anxiety could be one of the major causes of autoimmune diseases as the link between stress and gut dysfunctional conditions such as IBS and SIBO has already been made(9), and they are both suspected to be gut-specific autoimmune conditions such as IBD(10). We believe Chronic Anxiety was the cause of our chronic SIBO cases.
GI Health + Brain Health
The gut has hundreds of millions of neurons which can function fairly independently and are in constant communication with the brain. This explains the ability to feel “butterflies” in the stomach and the origin of the phrase “Trust your gut/gut feeling”. Stress can affect this brain-gut communication, and may trigger pain, bloating and other gut discomfort. The gut is also inhabited by millions of bacteria which can influence its health and the brain’s health which can impact mental clarity and affect emotions. Stress is associated with changes in gut bacteria which in turn can influence mood. Thus, the gut’s nerves and bacteria strongly influence the brain and vice versa.
Early life stress can change the development of the nervous system and how well the body reacts and copes to stress throughout an individual’s life. These changes can increase the risk for gut diseases or dysfunctioning later on in life(11).
Impact on the Bowel (Colon/Large Intestine)
Stress can also cause sensations of pain, bloating or discomfort in the bowels. It can affect how quickly food moves through the body which can cause either diarrhea or constipation. Stress can affect digestion, and what nutrients the intestines absorb and can induce muscle spasms in the bowel which can be painful. Gas production related to microbiome activity may increase. The intestines have a tight barrier to protect the body from the majority of food related bacteria and stress can compromise this intestinal barrier, causing a “leaky gut” or intestinal hyperpermeability which can allow gut bacteria to enter the body. Although most of these bacteria are easily dealt with by the immune system and do not make us sick, the constant high-alert inflammatory/immune response can lead to chronic symptoms.
Stress especially affects people with chronic bowel disorders, such as inflammatory Bowel Disease or Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This may be due to the gut nerves being more sensitive in those individuals, changes in gut microbiota, changes in how quickly food moves through the gut, and/or changes in gut immune responses.(11)
Self-Care
Self-Preservation + Self-Compassion
“...what I learnt all those years...was that who gets sick and who doesn’t isn’t accidental… (or) ...random, there were certain identifiable patterns...and behaviours...where people were unknowingly, unintentionally, bringing on the disease themselves. And it wasn’t their fault...”(7)
As Dr Gabor Maté states above, there are certain behaviours and attitudes common in those with chronic conditions. One major trait is the habit or compulsion to put others needs and desires above your own. Illness is an opportunity for self-growth and development, reevaluating your life, your priorities and learning to put yourself and your well being above all else. Dr John Bergman discusses in this lecture on self talk, how we often treat and speak to ourselves more harshly than we realise. Become aware of your self talk, and learn how to listen to your body and it’s needs. Become comfortable with saying ‘no’ to others, taking yourself away from potentially damaging people and situations. Learn to be okay with staying in and looking after yourself, avoiding the wrong foods and temptations which will hinder your healing. Self-care is a skill which takes time to develop.
HEALTH, HAPPINESS + VITALITY come before everything else.
Deep Relaxation for Mental Wellbeing
Managing Stress Through Deep Relaxation
Stress and anxiety are very manageable. We found a combination of different practices most effective. I (Sophie) began meditating, mindfulness/awareness training, CBT and tai chi, all of which reduced my anxiety levels dramatically within days. Gina began meditating and practising yoga daily, which not only reduced her anxiety but also released her from a bad bout of depression!
The below 2 practises are super easy - you can do them lying comfortably on your bed or a sofa - and both are recommended by the medical establishment. They also happen to be a form of meditation - there are many overlaps here and we recommend you read our Meditation page to find out more relaxation practices. The many benefits of meditation are profound.
- Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) involves lying down while scanning your body from the crown of your head to your toes, squeezing and then relaxing every muscle individually. With regular practice you’ll be familiar with what tension—as well as complete relaxation—feels like in different parts of the body. This can help you notice the first signs of the muscular tension that accompanies stress. And as you relax body relaxes, your mind will follow.
- Body scan meditation is similar to PMR but instead of tensing each muscle, you observe them, bring your awareness to them and the sensations we rarely notice and take for granted such as the cool air as it enters your nose and warm air which exits.
The Breath + Deep Breathing
Instead of breathing from the chest, breathe from the abdomen. Belly breathing stimulates the vagus nerve which runs from the head down the neck right down to the colon and allows deeper, slower breaths. This activates the relaxation response - reducing heart rate and blood pressure and lowering stress levels. The result of deep relaxation, slower breathing, and a lower heart rate is less oxygen is needed in each breath and fewer breaths needed. As a result, your cells demand less oxygen. It takes about six hours of deep sleep to reach this same level of relaxation and oxygen consumption. Through deep breathing and meditation, you can achieve this result within minutes(12).
These 2 Yogic breathing techniques are super powerful so be sure to try them out also -
- Alternate Nostril Breathing (this technique saved me during a panic attack years ago!)
- Square Breath Technique
Movement + Stress
Movement + Stress Relief
The human body did not evolve to be stationery. We evolved to move and move constantly, so it's not surprising that exercise has so many health benefits - including stress relief. To provide the body with extra energy to deal with stress, stress hormones stimulate the breakdown of stored fat into smaller fatty acids that we can use for short-term energy in an emergency situation. These fatty acids, called triglycerides, enter the bloodstream waiting to be taken up by our muscles to be used for quick energy if we need to flee a stressful situation. If we don’t use the fatty acids for energy through a physical outlet, the fatty acids remain in the blood, eventually causing high cholesterol. Add to this the stress hormones’ direct effects on increasing blood pressure which can result in the branch points of arteries receiving small injuries from the quicker flow of blood. This can lead to blood clots(6).
Exercise is a great way to prevent this negative series of events; in addition to providing endorphins that make us feel better, exercise uses the triglycerides in our blood stream so there are less to become trapped in our vessels as plaque.
Incorporating regular exercise into your stress management routine is a must and luckily, virtually any and every form of exercise promotes physical and mental well being, as well as being stress-busting(9). Below are some links to help you get moving and stretching to release tension in the body, increase circulation, oxygenate your body, stimulate your internal systems, release endorphins and promote overall wellness. The more we move the better!
- Yoga - an ancient practice which has gained huge popularity through youtube babe Yoga With Adrienne
- Thai Chi - another ancient practice and the world’s oldest form of exercise. The beauty of Thai Chi is that you focus on your breath while moving so if you struggle with yoga you may find this easier
- Dancing - the best form of exercise! Put on your dance/party playlist and dance like a crazy person at home. Or go out dancing and dance like a crazy person in front of other people
- High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) - great for when you are tired or have a busy schedule as these workouts last between 5-15 minutes. Again, good instructional videos can be found on YouTube and this one is one of my favourites and also includes weights.
More links on our Movement page.
The Roots of Anxiety
Anxiety, Fear + the Reptilian Brain
“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.” - Lao Tzu
The Roots of Anxiety
Anxiety is different from stress - it’s commonly defined as a sense of dread, fear and apprehension that puts you on alert and can be a constant (and really unpleasant) companion for days, weeks, years or even with an individual their whole life - if we don’t become aware of our anxiety we cannot even begin to address and conquer it(13). Life-long anxiety can happen to those who grow up in an anxious or fear-filled environment where anxiousness is a “normal” state of being. Anxiety can result from stress or fear, but this state of heightened awareness can stay with us long after the trigger has disappeared. The trigger stimulates and physiological response in the body called the “fight or flight” response.
Negative Thinking, The DMN + Anxiety
‘Negative thinking is learned thinking. You weren’t born thinking this way. You probably learned it by watching the people around you. Negative thinking is thinking that leads to negative consequences. Its based on false beliefs or on a few selective facts, and it ignores important facts that would lead to better consequences. Negative thinking is usually rigid, absolute, and not supported by most of the facts.
When your thinking is rigid and absolute, you tend to take an all-or-nothing approach and you are resistant to change.’(14)
Studies have shown that negative cognitive styles and thoughts are associated with increased stress reactivity, low mood and accelerated cellular aging. In other words, there is a fundamental link between our thoughts and the stress levels we experience(15), (16). This Health article discuss in more depth how negative thinking can cause physical pain and diseased states in the body. As Western societies favour the negative, obsessive thoughts of the Default Mode Network (DMN) and we are conditioned into negative thought patterns from a young age(17). We go into this subject in more depth on the Meditation page.
The “Fight of Flight” or “Stress Response”
Once the “fight or flight” response is switched on, it can be hard to switch off and is often perpetuated by negative thought patterns which can be hard to break from. This highly effective survival strategy is designed for short-lived life or death situations and not for the multiple daily triggers of our modern lives such as crossing a road, being late for a meeting or losing your bank card or keys - we’ve all been there!
Breaking Down the Stress Response
The stress response begins in the brain. When someone is confronted with an approaching danger, the eyes or ears (or both) send information to the amygdala, an area within the primitive core of the brain that contributes to emotional processing. The amygdala interprets the images and sounds. When it perceives danger, it instantly sends a hormonal distress signal to the hypothalamus. Both form part of the Limbic system (see my illustration). This area of the brain functions like a command center, communicating with the rest of the body through the nervous system, activating the body to either fight or flee.
The hypothalamus triggers the body to shift from the parasympathetic nervous system (our natural state) into the sympathetic nervous system (a “stressed” state) which functions like the pedal in a car. It triggers the fight-or-flight response, releasing a rush of hormones and chemicals such as cortisol into the bloodstream which provides the body with a burst of energy so that it can respond swiftly to any perceived dangers. The parasympathetic nervous system acts like a brake. It promotes the "rest and digest" response that calms the body down after the danger has passed(14).
In those who exhibit higher levels of stress and anxiety, the amygdala (found in the primitive core or “Reptilian Brain”), appears significantly larger in volume under MRI scans, when compared to their peers, all of which showed patterns of stronger connectivity to the rest of the brain as normal(15). Thus, the more stress and anxiety experienced, the greater the “fear centre” of the brain. Stress can also exert long-lasting damage on the brain(16) - yet another reason to learn to manage and reduce stress levels as much as possible.
However, the brain is endlessly malleable and can be reshaped and moulded, behaviours and thought patterns unlearned and favourable neural connections strengthened with the right techniques and practises. It is possible to shrink the amygdala, shift from one nervous (system) state into another and change the way your body copes with stress. See our Meditation & Neuroplasticity page for more. Even living near natural spaces - forests, parks etc. - and surrounding yourself with nature promotes amygdala and brain health, enabling individuals to cope better with stress(17). We into more depth about this in Nature + the Microbiome.
Creativity + Stress
Creativity for Stress Relief
Creativity - an Antidote to Stress
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up” - Picasso
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw
On Creativity + Being Human
We are all creative. Indeed, we owe the very survival of our species due to our ability to think outside the box, innovate and problem-solve in hard times. For example, the invention of sewing technology in the Palaeolithic(18) allowed us to create warm animal hide and fur clothing which enabled us to cope with Ice Age conditions.
Creativity = Decreased Stress
Scientific studies have revealed that undertaking a creative task, whether it be filling in a colouring book, playing with glitter and paint, sewing, playing an instrument or singing, tending plants etc. reduces cortisol levels, releases dopamine, increases happiness levels, boosts our overall mental health and improves brain and immune function.(19), (20). This great, albeit unscholarly, article explains well how creativity focuses the resources of the mind away from the fear centre in the Reptilian core and into the prefrontal cortex/Neomammalian Brain (the executive centre), where complex, abstract thinking and problem-solving takes place. During times of stress, the brain “shuts off” this section, focusing all of its energy and resources on the fear centre to prepare the body to fight or flee the oncoming threat. Evolving during times where threats were mostly physical, had large pointy teeth and wanted to eat us, the brain is unable to differentiate between different triggers such as a physical danger or our modern impending work deadlines. Luckily, by undertaking a creative task, we can allocate the focus of our brains away from the Reptilian core and into the prefrontal cortex, in turn, shifting our minds out of the fear centre and back into a more neutral, natural state which is full of creative potential.
Creativity is such an important part of our mental and physical health that I (Sophie) created a separate page dedicated to this subject. See Creativity + Art As Therapy.