Stress management | #2

Hello Friends,

Welcome to The Health Plunge, where I share the interesting things I come across in my pursuit of bettering myself every day. Here you'll find the discoveries I've made while studying this month's theme, along with other exciting insights I can't wait to share. I hope this provides both entertainment and enlightenment in your own journey to better health.

November Theme

Stress Management: Physiology, Protocols, Supplements & More

As November brings shorter days and less sunlight in the Northwest, many face challenges with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and holiday stress. Come along as we embark on a four-week series on comprehensive stress management:

Week 1: The Science of Stress

Week 2: Physical and Nutritional Stress Management

Week 3: Mental & Cognitive Strategies

Week 5: Holiday Season Survival Guide

Physical & Nutritional Stress Management

This week focuses on physical and nutritional strategies for managing stress. We'll explore effective exercises and movement practices, along with dietary approaches - including which foods and supplements can help or hinder your stress response.

Hormetic Stress: Building Resilience

Hormesis embodies the principle "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." By deliberately exposing yourself to controlled stressors (hormetic stress), you can actually improve your body's stress response. While this doesn't reduce external stressors in your life, it increases your stress tolerance - making you more resilient to daily challenges.

Types of hormetic Stressors:

• Cold Exposure

  • Options include cold showers, cold plunges, or natural water immersion

  • Note: Exercise caution with cold plunges and natural water exposure

  • Personal experience: I invested in a portable cold plunge and use it when I'm feeling brave!

• Heat Exposure

  • Sauna sessions

  • Long Hot baths or hot tub (enough for you to start sweating)

• Exercise

  • High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) offers optimal hormetic benefits

  • Other effective options:

    • Weight training

    • Cycling

    • Running

    • Rowing

    • Any heart-rate-elevating activity

• Fasting

  • Increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)

  • BDNF enhances cellular stress resilience among other benefits

• Hypoxic Breathing

  • Controlled breathing protocol incorporating voluntary breath holds

  • Temporarily reduces oxygen circulation in the body

  • Benefits from measured oxygen restriction

Sleep:

Sleep plays a crucial role in managing stress, and their relationship forms a powerful feedback loop. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to hypercortisolemia (elevated cortisol levels), putting your body in a state of high alert and anxiety. This heightened state then makes it harder to sleep, further increasing cortisol levels. You can learn more about optimizing your sleep in my previous articles:

• THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP | #1

• THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP | #2

Breathing:

Your breathing pattern is intimately connected to your internal state. During stress, our breathing becomes shallow, reducing oxygen flow throughout the body. During panic attacks, hyperventilation kicks in as part of our fight-or-flight response. One of the most effective tools for quickly reducing stress is the physiological sigh - a double inhale followed by a long exhale. This naturally occurring breathing pattern can be consciously used to calm your nervous system. I've written extensively about breathing techniques, and you can find more information here:

• THE SCIENCE OF BREATHING | #1

• THE SCIENCE OF BREATHING | #2

• THE SCIENCE OF BREATHING | #3

• THE SCIENCE OF BREATHING | #4

Nutrition:

Diet & Inflammation:

Research shows that people with anxiety typically have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies (Study). An anti-inflammatory diet can help reduce stress levels and improve overall well-being. Focus on foods rich in:

• Fiber

• Omega-3 fatty acids

• Fermented foods

Supplements:

• Omega-3 fatty acids

  • Pill

  • Fish oil

• L-Theanine

• Magnesium

• Vitamin C

• Probiotics

Foods and Substances to Limit:

Avoiding stress-triggering foods can be just as powerful as adding stress-reducing ones:

• Stimulants

  • Caffeine and nicotine can amplify stress responses

  • Can increase anxiety and heart rate

• Alcohol

  • Disrupts sleep quality. Which will increase cortisol in the feedback loop that I described above.

• Sugar

  • Interferes with the body's stress-response system (HPA axis)

  • Reduces your body's natural stress-coping ability

  • Can cause brain fog which can impair decision-making when facing stressors

Additional Finds

How I like to structure my day:

I learned a valuable time-management concept from this video by Ed Mylett that transformed my productivity. The method divides your day into three 5-hour blocks, treating each block as if it were an entire day. While this strategy may not suit those with traditional 9-5 jobs, I found it extremely effective during my flexible work periods and still use it on my days off. By mentally reframing time this way, I've noticed significant improvements in my productivity.

Quote That Struck Me:

“If you keep living the way you are, what will your life look like in 20 years?

Sometimes we need patience. Sometimes we need action.” - James Clear author of Atomic Habits.

P.S.

All my previous blog posts are now available on the main website - just click The Health Plunge logo at the top to explore. More exciting updates coming soon!

Disclosure: As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.