Handling Holiday Stress
We all know the feeling. Your shoulders are up at your ears, butt cheek’s clenched together, and your breathing has become shallow in the chest. This is a common body response for when you are experiencing stress. Stress occurs in our lives in many ways. From household or parenting stress, work related or relationship stress, and currently we are in the season of holiday stress!
There are times when a little bit of stress is a good thing, like the stress of a deadline to promote getting work done, or the excited feeling you get on a roller coaster. Stress is a part of life that is here to stay, but with practice of coping skills it is possible to manage and mitigate the effects it has on our body.
Before we discuss ways to manage stress it is important to uncover the mechanisms at play when the body is experiencing stress.
When the body is experiencing stress, signals are sent out that there is a need for a quick response. This comes in the form of increased heart rate and a surge or hormones. In a situation where there is an actual threat, the body’s survival instincts keep us safe with this physiological response. But in our day to day lives we are rarely in life-or-death situations. Evolutionarily, our lives have become a lot safer than they once were. But the body does not differentiate its response to stress, even if the stressor is an email from work, or the never-ending dishes and laundry, the body’s response will be driven from survival mode. When the brain perceives a stressor, the distress signals are sent out, and the sympathetic nervous system takes over. This creates a chain of events that ripple to all parts of the body, beginning with the release of epinephrine (AKA adrenaline) which activates the stress response system, and releases cortisol. Sometimes this all occurs before we are aware of what is even happening. As the stressor subsides, the cortisol levels will decline back to a base level, as the parasympathetic nervous system brings the body back into balance.
Cortisol plays a role in many different body functions outside of the nervous system, such as the immune system, cardiovascular system, respiratory, reproductive and cycle hormones, musculoskeletal system, digestive system, and more! With its effects rippling into all areas of the body, it is no surprise that even our pelvic floor and cycles are influenced by stress. Untreated stress can influence the function of our pelvic floor by decreasing the muscle integrity, leading to an increase in urgency and incontinence. Cortisol can also influence the regularity of the menstrual cycle, and onset of peri-menopause. The goal is not to avoid all stress, that would be an unrealistic and impossible task. Rather, the goal is to focus on stress adaptability and nervous system regulation to help mitigate the effects of stress on the body.
Here are some amazing ways to help mitigate and manage stress:
Sleep: quality sleep allows the nervous system to be in it’s parasympathetic state of resting and repairing all body systems.
Movement: moving the body has been shown time and time again to reduce stress and it’s effects on the body.
Thought therapy: working on your mindset and thought patterns to become more neutral than reactive can help break the cycle of chronic stress.
Breathing: diaphragm breathing can help to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, and reduce stress effects.
Connections: this is the perfect time of year to enjoy loved one’s company. Laughing and feeling connected to others around you can help reduce cortisol.
Nourishment: ensuring the body’s other systems are being fed with adequate nutrients can help reduce stress.
With stress being a constant thread that holds life together, it is not something that we can actively try to avoid. Although the effects of stress can be body wide, pelvic floor included, there are many ways to mitigate and manage these effects. Prioritizing sleep, movement, nourishment, and focusing on staying connected with loved ones are all great ways to help the body become adaptable to stress.
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/the-role-of-cortisol-in-the-body#:~:text=Cortisol%20is%20a%20steroid%20hormone,cortisol%20can%20cause%20health%20problems.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol
