Can you guess? What is this everyday condition that keeps you alive while killing you at the same time?
Stress.
Stress has kept humankind alive for thousands of years. Without it we might be just ancient history. But now it is out to kill us in several different ways and we all suffer from it.
Even small kids in their kindergarten years are diagnosed with stress and it doesn’t stop until we draw our last breath on Earth.
What is stress exactly?
It is a natural biological mechanism which is designed to help us in critical situations. Not just humans but all mammals enjoy the benefits of stress: the same hormones get activated in the primitive part of the brain.
Fight-of-flight and survive: this is at the depth of this natural phenomenon. And it is a very usual survival tool for animals and humans alike. Run as fast as you can when an unfriendly visitor enters your territory or fight back and send him running – depending on the current situation and the intruder.
Stress influences the whole body. When we are stressed Adrenalin floods our body, heart beat quickens, muscles are ready to flight or fight – the body is on high alert. Then another hormone, Cortisol is released to give extra power to us to master the situation we are in.
All the sense are sharpened, too. This is why we can act so efficient under the spell of stress. A heightened level of attention is given to what is happening around us and even multitasking seems to be a reality.
As you see stress at its core is a very useful to us. The problem begins when from the acute stress (e.g looking at a dog bearing his teeth at you) becomes a constant state of being stressed.
Stress is supposed to last for a limited period of time. You face the danger, your body gets pumped with hormones to solve the situation. You find a solution and act on it and your system returns back to normal. It takes a few minutes before the level of stress hormones begin decreasing in your body and even a few hours before you experience your normal state again. Until you face the next situation that stress you out….
Now think about your life. Just the last hour of today. How many less or more serious frustrating situations did you face in that 60 minutes of time? Take your time and make a list, please.
When does your body have the chance to return back to normal? Some days you are in a constant state of stress and that is what is killing you bit by bit, day by day.
In our new series we want to give you our best advice to deal with constant stress for a healthier you! Check back next week for our next blogpost!
In the meantime, taking a yoga class is an excellent idea to soothe your stress-ridden body and mind! Don’t have corporate yoga classes at your workplace? Call us at 314-630-1677 so we can design the perfect solution for you and your colleagues!
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