Mastering Stress: Strategies for a Balanced Life

In our fast-paced and demanding world, stress has become a common experience for many people. It's essential to understand what stress is and how it affects us for the benefit of our overall quality of life. In this article, we will explore the concept of stress, its effects on the body and mind, and holistic strategies for managing and reducing stress.

A personal story from the team about overcoming stress Before getting into the nitty gritty of what stress is and what we can do about it, let's pop into an anectode about overcoming stress. This is a short story about one of our colleagues here at Holofy, who had to figure out how to overcome the massive amounts of stress and anxiety in her life at a certain time. In January 2020, she had just moved to Australia when the COVID pandemic struck. Long story short, she was unable to sleep well from (at the time) unknown toxicity issues, her and her partner were fighting often, she did not have a way of finding local work due to the COVID shutdowns and feeling financially secure, she was very concerned about her mom who had severe mental and health problems, and this dream trip had quickly disintegrated into her first ever depressive episode. Luckily, she discovered how to find peace and mitigate stress and ultimately heal, using various tools and protocols that we will get into in this article.

First, she found breathwork. No matter how she slept or how stressed she was, she could always find a few minutes in the day and breath and reset herself. This reliable tool let her find her true self no matter the inner chaos, and over time taught her body to exit chronic “flight or fight” mode.

Second, she fixed her nutrition. She found all the foods that were causing her inflammation and distress, which ultimately allowed her to sleep and feel so much better.

Third, she detoxed from various metals and toxins, and cleaned up her water and environment, again allowing for reduced inflammation and better sleep and mood.

She learned how to meditate, allowing thought-patterns to reset, emotional patterns to reset, to provide space between events and her reactions.

She incorporated more “bodywork” into her exercise routine. Allowing her body to stretch out and improve blood and energy circulation allowed to feel much more calm.

Now, she is much more stress-resilient and happy, and feels knows what to do if and when chronic stress were to come again.

Stress is the body's natural response to demanding or challenging situations. Stress can be both physical and psychological, and it affects each individual differently.

When stressed, our body activates a 'fight-or-flight' response, releasing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Prolonged stress can negatively affect health.

Chronic stress impacts various bodily systems, leading to health issues. This is mainly due to changes in neuro-endocrine systems, the immune system, and mitochondria function.

Chronic stress weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to infections, colds, or chronic infections.

Stress can also have a significant impact on our mental and emotional health:

Anxiety and Depression: Chronic stress can contribute to the development or exacerbation of anxiety disorders and depression. Cognitive Function: High stress levels can impair memory, concentration, and decision-making abilities. Sleep Disturbances: Stress can interfere with sleep patterns, causing insomnia, restless sleep, or poor sleep quality. Mood Changes: Irritability, mood swings, agitation, and decreased motivation are common emotional responses to stress.

What can be done to better cope with stress? Okay, so that's all the negatives of stress, so what can we do about it? How can we manage our stress in the short and the long term? Truly, the best answer for you and your specific stress needs would be best helped with a personal assessment and personal stress-reducing protocols (different people will have different needs), but in this article we will cover the most effective protocols you can adopt to begin tackling your stress right away.

“Chronic illness—mental or physical—is to a large extent a function or feature of the way things are and not a glitch; a consequence of how we live, not a mysterious aberration.” - Gabor Maté, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture

First, how we think about stress affects how stress affects us. If you feel stressed, try not to overthink that this stress is “terrible,” for you.

That being said, we also don't want to over-tolerate stress, particularly chronic stress. What we seek is harmony.

The next section contains are our top protocols for you to best manage stress. If you’re looking for a quick stress hack now.

Protocols to help manage stress:

Breathwork can help manage stress and promote calmness in just a few minutes. By consciously controlling your breath, you can influence your nervous system, mood, and even your immune system.

Explore different breathwork techniques to find what resonates with you. In this article, we will focus on a few simple and effective methods you can start using immediately.

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BREATHWORK FOR FOCUS AND CALM - THE “10-20-30” Try this technique when stressed. The 10-20-30 involves three rounds of breathing, each progressively longer, taking about 2 minutes.

You might feel tingling or dizziness; ensure you're seated safely, not driving or using machinery. Regular practice improves breathing and oxygenation, aiding long-term stress response.

Find a quiet spot to sit where you won’t be disturbed. For this breathwork, you will mainly breath in and out through your mouth. Round 1: breath in and out of your mouth 10 times. Ideal time to use this breathwork is at the beginning of the day before work.

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BREATHWORK TO RELAX - THE “4-2-6”

This breathwork is done by breathing in and out through the nose. You will inhale for 4 seconds. You will hold your breath for 2 seconds. You will exhale for 6 seconds. Then inhale again for 4 seconds, hold for 2, exhale for 6. Keep repeating this breathing style for at least 1 minute, or for longer until you start to feel more relaxed. 5+ minutes is a good amount of time.

This breathwork focuses on a longer exhale then inhale, which signals to your nervous system to relax and feel safe.

Breathwork is a very powerful tool that can help with stress, anxiety, trauma, immunity, mental clarity, athleticism and overall health and wellbeing. Becoming aware of your breath will provide positive returns. As well, notice when you may be holding your breath unconsciously, it can happen when working or very focused and may be causing unnecessary stress. We recommend looking into various breathwork practices including the Wim Hof Technique, Transformational Breathwork, Holotropic Breathwork, and many others that can be found in-person and online.

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Next time you feel stressed, let yourself hum! Singing can also have similar effects. Particular when you hum/sing/sigh, you are releasing 15 times as much nitric oxide from your system from baseline.

Meditation is a game-changer in regards to stress. Like breathwork, there are may types of meditation methods, but the main idea is to train your focus and reduce the “monkey-mind” effect.

As well, some studies have shown meditation to have 5x more impact on relaxing the nervous system than even sleep! (**Dr. Mark Hyman reference).

Furthermore, while even just 5 minutes of a meditation practice can be useful, studies show that we start to see real brain-wave shifts after 25 and then 45 minutes of meditation.

We begin to enter theta and gamma brain-wave states, which allow for deeper states of relaxation and mental clarity. You may find once you get into a regular meditation practice that you sleep better, make better decisions and are less stressed.

How to start a meditation practice: Find a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed.

Find a comfortable position on the ground or a chair with a straight spine. Focus on your breath as it enters and leaves your nostrils, training your attention to stay present and reduce mental chatter. Over time, you can expand awareness to sensations throughout your body.

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Thought Patterns Recognizing your thought patterns is crucial for stress. To help recalibrate your thought patterns, try these tips:

Incorporate a journaling practice. In the morning, write down all the good things that happened yesterday, and the good things to look forward to today. And otherwise just write down what comes to mind for about 5 minutes. Leave little notes to yourself, especially in environments that may be “triggering,” on thoughts that you really want to have instead. Actively monitor your thoughts, and reduce the ones that are no longer serving you, and increase the ones that are!

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Exercise and stretching Regular exercise is key to managing stress! Our bodies are built to move and be in motion almost all day, so making sure to move will send you body and mind the right signals to relax. In fact, exercise is the #1 anti-depressant, humans don't do well without regular movement. We recommend a minimum of 30 minutes a day of exercise, even upwards of 60-120 minutes a day is ideal for peak human wellbeing (source: Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia**). This can include cardio, resistance training, sports, yoga, dance, walking and more!

We also recommend to incorporate a regular body-work practice. This includes activities like yoga and stretching, to allow for fascial release, muscle stretching, mobility and improve energy and blood circulation of the body. Once you start, you'll really start to notice a difference in how you feel. If your body is tight and energy stagnant, it makes sense then that you may feel heightened stress. At least 1x a week of bodywork is great!

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Supplements for stress There are many supplements out there that can help reduce stress, but we recommend these supplements to get started:

Ashwaganda: is an adaptogen that is believed to have a calming effect on the nervous system. It may help reduce the production of stress-related hormones like cortisol, which is often referred to as the "stress hormone." By modulating cortisol levels, ashwagandha could potentially help mitigate the physiological effects of stress. L-Theanine: is an amino acid that is commonly found in tea leaves. It is often used to promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety. It is believed to have a calming effect on the nervous system by increasing the production of certain neurotransmitters, including GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which is associated with relaxation and tranquility.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: commonly found in fish oil supplements, are associated with improved mood and cognitive function. Magnesium supplement and Magnesium baths: Magnesium has calming properties and can help relax muscles and promote relaxation. It may also contribute to improved sleep quality by supporting relaxation before bedtime. Try taking a magnesium supplement 1 hour before bedtime, as well grab some magnesium flakes (or Epsom salts) and take a bath or foot bath 1 time a week for massive stress-relief.

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Sleep Making sure you get good sleep is extremely important for managing stress! Besides exercise and nutrition, sleep is another pillar of a high quality life and mitigating stress.

Consistent Sleep Schedule: Bed & wake at same time daily. Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Read, stretch, meditate, or bath. Limit Screens Before Bed: Avoid devices at least an hour before bed. Comfortable Sleep Environment: Cool room, minimal noise & light.

Great stories are for everyone even when only written for just one person. If you try to write with a wide, general audience in mind, your story will sound fake and lack emotion. No one will be interested. Write for one person. If it’s genuine for the one, it’s genuine for the rest.

Great stories have a personality. Consider telling a great story that provides personality. Writing a story with personality for potential clients will assist with making a relationship connection. This shows up in small quirks like word choices or phrases. Write from your point of view, not from someone else's experience.

Great stories are for everyone even when only written for just one person. If you try to write with a wide, general audience in mind, your story will sound fake and lack emotion. No one will be interested. Write for one person. If it’s genuine for the one, it’s genuine for the rest.

Great stories spark emotion. The best stories make us feel something—whether it’s joy, sadness, excitement, or even a sense of nostalgia. When crafting your narrative, don’t just aim to inform; aim to connect with the heart. Use descriptive language that pulls your reader in, making them feel like they’re living the experience with you. The emotional connection will make your story resonate.

Get sun exposure Aim to get at least 45 minutes of sun exposure on your body a day! Especially in the morning and the hours between 11am-2pm (even if its cloudy) you’ll want to get sun on major body parts (legs, arms, torso, etc). This is also prime-time for vitamin D absorption, which will boost your mood and is a key vitamin for immunity and hormone health. You’ll feel happier, more relaxed and also likely sleep a lot better. Humans evolved to live outside and receive nutrients from the sun and nature, so mimicking that environment whenever possible will bring relaxation and health benefits.

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Get grounded Put your feet on the ground everyday! The earth carries a negative electrical charge. When you make direct skin contact with the earth, it is believed that you absorb free electrons, which can neutralize positively charged free radicals in your body. This process is thought to have antioxidant effects, reducing inflammation and potentially promoting overall well-being.

Also, we are constantly surrounded by electromagnetic fields generated by electronic devices, Wi-Fi signals, and power lines. Early evidence is showing that grounding can help balance these EMFs by providing a connection to the earth's natural electric field. So, put your bare feet on the earth whenever possible, at least 5 minutes a day is great. As well, getting yourself a “grounding mat” for your bed and putting your electronics outside your room at night will help you get grounded.

A note to women and hormone health in relation to stress

During the time of this writing, there are a disproportional amount of women with auto-immune conditions in comparison to men.

One reason for this seems to be related to the high amounts of stress for the average women.

Now, that is not to say men do not also endure copious amounts of stress, but we are focusing on hormones here and how it relates to stress.

At different points in a women's hormone cycle, she will be more or less resilient to stress depending on which hormones are more or less present.

Especially during the week before the beginning of a women's cycle, when energy is generally lower, it is important for women to take more time for self-care

Conclusion