Is Stress Always a Bad Thing? Not Necessarily, and Here's Why
Probably one of the biggest things patients hear from their doctors is, “You’ve really got to get your stress levels down.” Gee, ya think? From the pandemic and the ensuing job shortage to troubling news stories and financial woes, getting stress levels down, particularly these days, is much easier said than done. And being told to do so is stressful in and of itself! It’s time that we have a more extensive discussion around what stress is and why it’s not always bad (but also what to do when it is), which is what we delve into below.
What Is Stress?
Dictionary.com defines stress as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.” Of course, this carries only negative connotations, but my own definition of stress challenges the idea that stress is always bad:
I would say, “Stress is biology’s way of giving you energy so you can have the motivation to do things in your life. Cortisol - a naturally occurring steroid that helps you stay awake during the day - is also associated with stress. If you didn’t have any stress, you would essentially be in a coma.”
Having some stress is essential for your biology and your ability to function. Good stress drives you to do things—even basic human functions that we’ve done for so long that we no longer think about them. If you’re thirsty or hungry (hangry!), this is your body’s way of saying, “Hey, pay attention; go get some food and something to drink.”
How to Think About Stress Differently
For most modern humans, we get stressed about things we have to do, such as taking care of children, parents, extended family members, etc. We even stress about running errands and doing laundry. Stress is often motivated by social cues. You can reframe stress, though, or think about it in a way that it’s just your body giving you the energy to motivate you to do something.
The Stress Hormones and Their Roles
Cortisol is a daytime hormone/steroid that comes mainly from the adrenal glands located on top of the kidneys. The other hormones from the adrenal glands are norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) and adrenaline (aka epinephrine). Cortisol spikes in the morning, but it’s a bit on the slow side when responding to stress. Neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins that exist in the nerves and some tissues, on the other hand, are your means to get quick energy and influence behavior. For example, your adrenaline kicks in because something happened, and you have to act. The body is adept at giving you added energy to figure out what to do in your situation, and the neurotransmitters help with movement, problem-solving, and learning from the situation. Some neurotransmitters, like GABA, help keep the nervous system more calm.
Endorphins and dopamine kick in after you’ve completed a task that you feel good about, such as your body’s physiological response to exercise. You can also get them from eating - before food coma sets in, of course. Dopamine and endorphins are rewards systems.
Thyroid hormones can help with metabolism and energy production similarly to cortisol but, again, those are a little slower acting, unlike neurotransmitters. You need sex hormones, like testosterone and estrogen, and your thyroid to build parts of your body while things break down, making them particularly critical during puberty, as the body’s changing a lot.
What Happens When Stress Hormones Get Imbalanced
Because our stress hormones regulate metabolism and energy production, an imbalance in these can create dysfunction in the body. If something is off or you’re under a lot of stress, you may have too much nervous energy. On the other hand, if you can’t wake up and have no energy and motivation, these long-term stressors can ultimately manifest themselves as anxiety, depression, other mental health issues, insomnia, and possibly metabolic disorders like diabetes. Good stress helps you problem solve and get things done. When it becomes excessive, however, that’s when you can encounter issues and may need to consult your doctor and/or a therapist.
How Much Stress is Too Much?
Stress can manifest in ways like over-exercising and doing other activities to excess but, these days, it’s really often more about overthinking things, which is why we always urge patients to write things down. Get those things out of your head and onto a piece of paper so that you’re not ruminating. The main problem with stress is when people worry about things they can’t control—such as the pandemic—you’re stressing out about a surely stressful situation, but there’s nothing you can do about it. So I work with patients to differentiate between stress that can help you accomplish something versus worrying about something out of your control. There is one caveat, however, as some people experience stress due to certain illnesses or conditions, which is why it’s always important to consult your physician if you feel your stress level is getting unmanageable.
Ways to Control Stress
As with most things, there are solutions and ways to manage your stress so that it doesn’t feel like it’s overwhelming you.
Some ways to control stress are:
Seek the help of a counselor or therapist. You don’t have to feel unwell to seek help. Help is help. It doesn’t mean you have a mental disorder, and you don’t have to buy into the stigma that “something is wrong with me”
Create placeholders for the stress (as discussed, to-do lists to get your tasks out of your head) to help you reach your goals
Get organized with calendars and the like, but remember to set realistic expectations about what you can get done in a day
Self-care practices such as meditation, deep breathing, exercising, eating healthily, laughing, fostering loving and compassionate relationships, and being mindful of the language/self talk you use
Herbs That Can Help With Stress
As an expert in herbs, I am always happy when there are natural alternatives to help ease the symptoms of problematic things like excessive stress. Thankfully, there is a whole class of herbs/plant medicine called nervines that support the calming part of your neurotransmitters like GABA, as discussed earlier.
Some of the herbs and plants we offer patients who are dealing with excessive stress are:
Valerian, used traditionally for nervousness and sleep difficulties
Skullcap, historically used for restlessness and spasms
Hops, yes, the same herb to make IPA beer, traditionally used for irritability
Chamomile, used over the ages for nervous stomach aches and calming children
Holy Basil, traditionally used in Ayurveda for a variety of conditions such as healing
Linden, from a tree, and used often for irritated tissues and calming effect.
Quite frankly, there are even more plants and herbs that can help reduce the symptoms of stress, but those should suffice for the sake of this article. As a doctor in Naturopathic & Integrative Medicine, I’d love to help you find non-habit-forming ways to reduce stress that isn’t benefiting you. We can discuss how much of your stress is good stress versus bad stress, what the symptoms you’re experiencing are, and the best solutions for your particular case— so contact me, and we can get started on a plan that works best for you.