The Four Stages of Stress

Which One Are You In and How Can You Get Out?
(Credit to Dr. Don Verhulst)

Whether it's the upcoming summer activities for your kids, tax season, or everyday work worries ailing you, springtime is stress season. And that can bring imbalance to our health if we are not careful!.

Stress can cause a host of immediate physical symptoms, from headaches and indigestion to fatigue and weight gain. Stress is also the number one enemy of your immune system. Learning to manage our stress load is critical to our mental and physical wellbeing.

Fortunately, you can track your stress levels by familiarizing yourself with the signs of stress cycles. Knowing when you are in a productive state and when you need to take a few minutes to relax is key to keeping your stress levels under control.


LEVEL I

Level I is the body's first signal that it needs a break, and it manifests through subtle signals. You start to get fidgety, you start yawning and sighing, or wanting a snack. You may also notice an inability to concentrate and recalling familiar facts and words. These are the body's first way of signaling that you are experiencing stress.


LEVEL II

The second stress level is deceptive in that it does not feel at all like stress. We experience a surge of endorphins that make us feel good, energized, and highly alert, which is the body's natural stress response system. The problem is that many of us allow our bodies to repeat this cycle several times throughout the day, depleting resources and impairing normal physiological functions.


LEVEL III

Although you may feel invigorated during level III of the stress cycle, your body is running out of steam. Your memory, performance, and critical thinking falters; you begin to feel physically and mentally fatigued, and lose your sharpness. We all know these symptoms; but we often fail to realize that they are caused by ignoring earlier signs of stress.


LEVEL IV

Level IV stress is the danger zone we enter after being continually in a state of level III stress. The body becomes overwhelmed, and reacts chemically with a flood of powerful, damaging stress chemicals. Beyond physical and mental exhaustion, symptoms progress to more serious stress-related disorders including insomnia, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, immune system dysfunction, depression, anxiety, breakdown and a shortened lifespan.


How can you beat stress before it beats you?

The simplest way is to set aside time to relax when you notice you are entering into a stress cycle (at level I, ideally), so that you avoid the body's progression into higher levels of stress. As little as 20 minutes of relaxation once or twice per day can create significant benefits by neutralizing the effects of stress on your body. Make sure you set aside time for some peace and quiet, exercise, and relaxed, nutritious meals.

Stay tuned for upcoming post on five easy ways to bring your mental and physical health back into focus!