We all experience stress in one form or another. Business, parenting, studying… all the different roles you have can make you stressed sometimes. The first sign usually is overthinking about something. Then low and behold, stress has overtaken us. If you’ve been stressed lately, better read intently because today we’ll talk about how to manage stress and make sure it doesn’t take over your life.
What is stress and what causes it?
Stress is our body’s way of responding to outside pressure or demand. Experiencing something new or threatening can induce stress. An upcoming test, work, family problems, health issues, worries about the future are just some situations that can cause stress. But wait, not only do negative experiences generate stress, positive and happy events can also be a root of stress (i.e. moving to a new home, a promotion, marriage). We deal with it differently but it always starts with our brain.
Once a stressor has been recognized by our brain, the hypothalamus sends signals to our adrenal glands which release hormones. Adrenaline aka epinephrine is one of the main hormones released by the adrenal gland. It is released to prepare us for dangerous situations, increasing our chances of survival. Adrenaline is also known for its fight-or-flight action.
But the main hormone responsible for stress is cortisol. Cortisol is released from the adrenal cortex and is regulated at the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.
These hormones perform different functions to cater to the immediate need of the body responding to stressors. Cortisol is responsible for:
- Keeping the body on high alert
- Increasing gluconeogenesis and decreasing glycogen synthesis
- Affecting the part of the brain that controls fear, motivation, and mood
What are the effects of stress?
Essentially, adrenaline and cortisol are good hormones that prepare and keep our body on high alert during stressful situations. But having these hormones in our system for a long time may induce negative effects. Here are the negative effects of adrenaline and cortisol:
- High blood pressure
- Higher risk for heart attack
- Diabetes
- Weight gain
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Lethargy
These effects will definitely be observed if one does not manage stress. Chronic stress can lead to a low immune system making you susceptible to foreign substances like viruses and bacteria.
What are the ways to manage stress?
If you’ve been stressed lately, it’s hard to handle continuous stress without any help. In the long run, is not healthy or a smart choice not to take care of your mental health.
So learning how to manage stress should be one of your priorities. Here are some tips that we can share to help you manage stress and continue to live your best life:
- Breathe. It is the most basic thing we can do. Controlling your breath can ultimately lower your cortisol levels. You can find many breathing exercising on the internet and start with the basics.
- Sleep well. Sleeping is the foundation of rest and lowering cortisol levels. Lack of sleep can result in higher cortisol levels which can lead to many negative effects in your body such as medical issues or mental illnesses like depression.
- Choose to be happier. Thinking about yourself negatively will not result in anything good. Choosing to be happy may not be easy sometimes but it is the best approach to managing stress. Being happy is the best way to lower your stress levels.
- Socialize. Many people report isolating themselves unconsciously while going through stressful periods. However, socializing with family and friends can be key to managing stress. There are many ways to build and maintain relationships even when social distancing.
- Take care of your body. Eating right, exercising, taking natural supplements like CBG can help.
How can CBG help in managing stress?
CBG or Cannabigerol is one of the many cannabinoids present in hemp. It is non-psychoactive and presents a ton of potential benefits to its users.
ECS or the endocannabinoid system is a system inside our body that keeps the balance of everything just right. CBG binds to the receptors of the ECS to bring about its benefits. One of the key CBG benefits is strengthening anandamide function, known as the bliss molecule. It has also been found to counteract oxidative stress and is a potential treatment for neuroinflammation because of its neuroprotective properties.
Takeaway
No one is exempted to stress – everyone experiences it and everyone reacts differently. Sometimes there are good situations that stress can bring us but only for a short period of time. It will be a different story if you have been plagued by stress for a long time. So recognizing and learning how to manage it is important. If you’ve been stressed lately, applying these simple but very important tips in your daily lives will help make a difference. Discipline and control will play a big key in managing stress and there are natural alternatives like CBG that will help you along the way.
