Don't Freak Out, But There are Snakes in Your Bed
What really happens when you feel stressed – and how to cut it off fast
Is life feeling a bit lifey right now amid the continuing onslaught of mid-year refresh messaging and Prime Day/Christmas in July promotions?
I get it.
In the US, the election cycle has gotten uglier than ever.
Wars are being fought which feel intensely personal to many who aren’t directly involved.
And the earliest hurricane to become a Category 5 cut a path of destruction all the way from Africa through the Caribbean up to Vermont… with 4+ months left to go in the season.
Don’t mind me, sitting here and liberally applying an extra bit of joy to your day.
It’s not like this is earth-shattering news. It’s all part and parcel to modern life… which we’re used to by now because we’ve been living it for awhile… right?
Right?
Well, no. Not really.
And it’s because of our stress response.
It’s Not Like There are Snakes in Your Bed… Wait, Never Mind
A looooooooooong time ago, when “living in a cave” was an actual thing people did and not an insult, our ancestors faced daily threats like wild animals, harsh weather, and aggression from other tribes.
The stress response evolved during these times as a way to keep people safe. It’s an internal mechanism that quickly primes you to respond to danger.
Of course, the hazards we deal with are different these days. I am fortunate to be typing these words from my comfortably dry and air conditioned home, which I don’t even have to leave to communicate with you.
I know what’s for dinner, I don’t have to hunt for it or gather it, and I’m more likely to face aggression from an internet troll than from the person walking down the sidewalk.
(If I were a “#blessed” kind of gal, this is where I’d put it, because I know I am. But I digress!)
So we aren’t facing the same existential threats – but we interpret our modern day perils as if we were. And we respond the way we have for millenia.
If you were alive thousands of years ago, part of your bedtime routine would have been to check for snakes and other creepy crawlies in the place you were planning to lay down. In 2024, you probably don’t need to look for things that go bump in the night… but there’s a good chance you check your phone just before bed, or right when you get up.
As Jesse Coomer notes – talk about an endless pit of snakes!
And you react physiologically to your little pocket computer as if it really were one.
What Actually Happens When You Feel Stress?
When you’re stressed, you immediately go into “holy sh*t, am I gonna go all Muhammed Ali, or try to run a 6-minute mile?” mode.
This activates the release of adrenaline. In turn, the adrenaline triggers your adrenal glands to secrete a hormone called cortisol.
The adrenaline and cortisol work together to elevate your heart rate, increase your circulation, give you a burst of energy, and kick your immune system into high gear to protect you from infection.
Adrenaline + Stress → Cortisol
Adrenaline + Cortisol → High Alert
Now, if you think this actually sounds like a good thing… it can be.
Acute (short term) stress can be extremely motivating and give us a burst of oomph to kick some ass at, say, a client presentation.
But like Tylenol, chocolate, and even your favorite band – too much is toxic.
High levels of cortisol can lead to issues including weight gain, high blood sugar and memory loss. Meanwhile, excessive adrenaline can raise your blood pressure, increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, and cause tremors and anxiety.
And those are just the tips of the icebergs.
Seriously… have I added enough joy to your day yet?
If not, I’m about to – because I do have some legit good news for you.
You can control your stress response.
Think of when someone startles you.
You probably feel a bit of a jolt from the inside, like you’re about to jump out of your skin. Your heart might race. Maybe your eyes widen and you involuntarily let out a little gasp.
Your body is getting ready to fight or flee…
Until your mind catches on there’s no threat – it’s just your nephew trying to get a rise out of you with his new plastic cockroach.
The moment you realize it, that heart-stopping tension starts dissipating as quickly as it appeared.
Which shows that even though you can’t always control whether your stress response is triggered… you can cut it off.
In fact, you have a lot more control over your nervous system than you might realize. And…
When you master your nervous system, you master your days.
You can decide whether something is worth that stress response and if it’s not, intentionally start shutting it down.
Or in the case of that client meeting where you need to impress, you might want to dial it up a notch. You can proactively do that too.
You just have to know what to do to make those shifts.
Hands down, the quickest, easiest, and this-feels-amazingest way to change your state is through breathwork.
Breathwork is, simply, the willful manipulation of your breath.
As little as one minute – yes, :60 – is enough to start changing how you feel. In three minutes, you’ll feel a noticeable difference. After that, keep going for more bliss… or get on with your jam-packed day.
That’s the power of breathwork, once you know how to do it.
I’ve got a new course starting next week where you can learn to use your breath to improve your sleep, your energy, and of course your stress levels.
It’s backed by a 100% guarantee and you can check it out right here.
Be quick about it… I’m holding my breath the cart closes Friday (July 19).
The Last Gasp
"God may forgive your sins, but your nervous system won't." ~ Alfred Korzybski
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