Why Stress Matters

“Every stress leaves an indelible scar, and the organism pays for its survival after a stressful situation by becoming a little older.” – Hans Seyle (1950)

We all know the effects of stress. Especially those that tend to affect our unique bodies the most. From higher blood pressure to poor, reduced thyroid sufficiency, restless sleep to achy muscles to unhealthy food cravings to poor memory, our experience is stress is clearly Not “all in our mind”. Our bodies are directly affected – and over time, harmed – by ongoing stress. 

The human body is well designed to weather stress. Just not on a constant basis. The human nervous system has two primary modes: sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS). The sympathetic mode promotes survival; it prioritizes our ability to Fight, Flight, and Hide as necessary during times of threat and stress. The parasympathetic mode promotes thriving; it prioritizes our ability to Rest, Digest, Heal, and Procreate. We need both modes, but the body cannot be in both modes at once. Generally, the body is not going to choose to thrive with the PNS unless our survival seems assured. 

Our body is constantly sensing our environment for cues and clues about the status of our world. The largest, most influential component of that environment is our thoughts. Are we relaxed, secure, and content, so is it safe to be in a PNS mode and thrive? Or are we tense, angry, vigilant, ruminating, or fearful, so the body believes it needs to protect us by being in a SNS mode? No matter what “story” we might tell ourselves (or others) to rationalize or justify our stress, our body knows the truth about how we feel and is going to respond accordingly. 

Both the SNS and PNS modes cause-specific, purposeful actions in the body. We experience different muscle contractions, glandular secretions, and nervous system transmission depending on which mode we are in. This means that a client may experience frustrating or debilitating “symptoms” that actually is evidence of the body working as designed, not a sign of anything awry or wrong in the body. For example, to promote survival, a SNS mode promotes higher blood sugar and higher blood pressure (both important to run and fight with stamina), and functions such as digestion, sleep, and detoxification will be notably – again, purposefully – impaired. 

Sustained stress and the consequential SNS mode activation can readily promote chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, IBS, obesity, and autoimmune diseases. Often our thoughts – our lifestyle overall – is causing the body to have an SNS reaction when what we want to be having is a PSN life experience. Having clear skin, lots of energy, a healthy weight, clear thoughts/memory, healthy pulse and blood pressure, easy digestion and bowel movements, fertility and libido, and deep restful sleep are all gifts of PSN activation. 

We are designed to easily promote survival with only occasional or episodic SNS activation that ceases and allows a sustained period of healing and vitality with the parasympathetic nervous system in charge. What are Your daily choices and thoughts communicating to Your nervous system?

I invite you to take the opportunity to reflect on how your choices (especially your thoughts) may be creating chronic disease in your body by trigging an ongoing SNS reaction. Where is there an opportunity to make different choices in order to change your body’s reaction? Where you cannot control circumstances, can you change your perspective? Your expectations? Can you choose to let go of old grievances or guilt? Can you choose to change your future?

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