The Vicious Cycle of Stress and Strategies for Breaking It

Stress is a part of life and for me lately life has been kind of stressful. Having a baby, leaving my full time job to pursue Damastíque, traveling with a baby, feeling the pressure to get back into shape.  In the short term, the release of hormones triggered by stress can provide powerful motivation and encourage focus and performance. If the stressor isn’t removed or the situation isn’t resolved, however, short-term stress can turn into long-term stress, and that can have serious negative consequences.

When the brain identifies a stressor, it initiates the body’s fight-or-flight response. As a latina we tend to live in this chronic survival mindset. On the onset it’s good because this response exists for survival purposes and can be beneficial for helping us make decisions and take actions that keep us safe in dangerous situations, and enhance our mental or physical capabilities in situations that we’ve trained or practiced for – like taking a test or competing in a sport. 

Events like these trigger the hypothalamus to signal the adrenal glands to release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which elevate the heart rate, increase the use of glucose by the brain, and enhance the body’s immune responses while suppressing the processes of other systems. When the threat disappears, hormone levels stabilize and normal activity resumes.

But it’s not just short-lived circumstances that can activate stress responses, and it’s when stress becomes chronic that it can start to have detrimental effects on our health. We’ve come a long way in recognizing our limits and our need for good self-care practices, but there’s still a pervasive tendency to pile our plates with more responsibilities and activities than we can manage. We wear our stress like a badge of honor, comparing our level to other people’s levels and using it as a measuring stick for our worth. 



Because our bodies are equipped with a number of resilience mechanisms, we can sustain stress overload for a remarkable amount of time. But even though the effects might not immediately be evident, overexposure to adrenaline and cortisol can lead to anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, digestive issues, headaches, and increased risk of health concerns like heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and even cancer.

When cortisol levels are normal, the hormone acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. A chronic stress response that elevates cortisol levels can cause unhealthy inflammation levels, however, because the body’s sensitivity to cortisol decreases due to prolonged exposure. Cortisol also influences the amount of estrogen in the body, and estrogen in turn influences the production of pigment in melanocytes. Because inflammation and estrogen imbalance are two known causes of melasma and hyperpigmentation in the skin, and both of these conditions can be caused by stress, it can also be said that stress is a cause of melasma.

It’s clear that chronic stress is not a desirable state to stay in – but how do we break the vicious cycle? The easiest – and least helpful – answer is “eliminate stressors,” but that’s often easier said than done when we have non-negotiable obligations to fulfill and expectations to meet. If it’s not possible to minimize the number of responsibilities you carry, the next best thing is to employ strategies that enhance your body’s resilience to stress and encourage the restoration of balance.

One great way to reduce stress levels is by incorporating physical activity into your routine. Even gentle, low-impact activities like walking can have positive effects, so don’t feel like you have to jump up and start training for a marathon! The best kind of exercise is the kind you enjoy and will continue to do regularly. 



Eating a nutritious diet also helps to combat chronic stress by providing your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs for stress and mood regulation. Reducing the consumption of processed foods and added sugars can also go a long way in lowering perceived stress levels and enhancing your body’s resilience.

Both of these practices fall under the larger umbrella of self-care, which also includes relaxing activities like taking a bath, reading a book, pursuing a hobby that interests you, and getting a massage or – my personal favorite! – a facial. If you’re not already making time for self-care, it might feel indulgent or selfish at first. But studies have shown that practicing self-care can not only lower stress, but also improve your quality of life and reduce your likelihood of burnout!

Humans aren’t machines – we aren’t built to take on an increasing number of tasks until we can’t function properly. And taking time to tend to our own well-being isn’t selfish or indulgent – it’s necessary! “Without self care, we compromise our mental wellness and our ability to cope with life’s inevitable curveballs,” says clinical psychologist Natalie Christine Dattilo, PhD. “Carving out time…for self care helps us develop greater self-reliance; strengthens our sense of empowerment…and self-efficacy; and better protects us against the psychological wear and tear of never-ending obligations, responsibilities, and deadlines.”

Stress might be a part of life, but we don’t have to let it take over our entire lives. And when you take steps to break the cycle of stress and implement strategies for taking care of yourself, you’ll be better able to take care of the tasks and responsibilities that people depend on you to complete!

Sources: 

https://www.wellandgood.com/why-self-care-is-important/

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2012/12/good-stress-bad-stress.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

https://doctorclaudia.com/melasma-unmasked