Stress Archives

March 25, 2021 By GOQii Leave a Comment

How to Break the Cycle of Adrenal Stress?

When it comes to stress, we often talk about work pressure, personal issues or chronic disease. But there are other elements that influence stress as well. For instance, in your experience, have there been times when you constantly feel tired but can’t explain why? You feel overwhelmed by situations you could handle easily? Do you find yourself drained of energy you may have enjoyed once upon a time? Have you struggled to get out of bed in the mornings even after sleeping for long hours? If this sounds familiar, there is a chance that you are suffering from something called ‘Adrenal stress” or “Adrenal Fatigue”. Simply put, your adrenal glands may be under-performing. All that chronic stress you have been masterfully coping with has finally caught up! Your adrenal glands are responsible for supporting you and sustaining a level of vigilance. Adrenal Stress happens when they show signs of strain.

Is this a death sentence? No! But it is a sign of imbalance. Chronic stress is a part of life. But if left unchecked and unassuaged for too long, it can lead to hormonal depletion, exhaustion, and adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal Glands and Stress

To understand the above, we need to understand how health and metabolism are affected by hormones. One of the glands that play an important role in metabolism is the adrenal cortex. The adrenal cortex gland releases hormones which are vital for biological function. To be more specific, there are two parts which release hormones – Adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. Adrenal cortex hormones regulate sodium levels, salt, and balances blood volume which directly affects blood pressure.

Another hormone (Cortisol) regulates metabolic rate of carbohydrate, proteins, and fat. It also regulates immune responses. It is responsible for suppressing inflammatory reactions. So it is a potent anti-inflammatory hormone. Finally, the adrenal glands are best known for secreting the hormone adrenaline, which rapidly prepares your body for action in a stressful situation.

When you are stressed, the hormones of the adrenal medulla are released after the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated. The adrenal medulla helps you deal with physical and emotional stress. You want these responses to happen. From an evolutionary perspective, it’s part of why we have survived for so long as a species.

If you encounter a stressful situation, you want your body to fire up stress hormones to feed you energy and adrenaline. You WANT to be able to run from a potential threat or beat it back. The problems come in when you have that relatively high level of stress but then don’t actually end up using that extra energy in the form of movement.

Adrenal Stress, Belly Fat and Weight Gain

During times of stress, there are actual physiological changes that happen in our body. Most of them are helpful for our survival (such as in the situation described above). But, if we continue to experience stress and we don’t actually end up running from our perceived threat or beating it back, those stress hormones increase our blood sugar (in an effort to give us energy) which then requires insulin to bring it back down.

In the short term, it feels like an energy crash. In the long term, it can lead to weight gain. When the adrenal glands are overworked, the body prepares itself by storing fat. We crave food, indulge in binge eating and we gain weight.

Adrenal imbalance causes a number of issues, including the abdominal fat deposition. When we have long term stress, both insulin and cortisol remain elevated in the blood, and the extra glucose is stored as fat–mostly in the abdomen. Studies suggest that fat cells have receptors for the stress hormone cortisol, and there are more of these receptors in our abdominal fat cells than anywhere else in our bodies. Moreover, belly fat is an active tissue, which responds to stress by depositing more fat. This cycle can not end until a step is taken to tackle the root cause of stress.

How to Break The Cycle

Go Easy On Food: Eating small and frequent meals helps cortisol balance the blood sugar and take off some stress. Cortisol counterbalances the action of insulin. Under stress when cortisol levels are elevated, it results in a perpetual need for insulin. Eventually, our bodies can develop resistance to it. Hence the name “insulin resistance”. In other words, our body can become less sensitive to insulin, forcing it to produce more for the same effect. If it stops to work altogether, that keeps glucose levels high in the blood.
Time to Eat: Our body has circadian rhythms which work closely with cortisol, which is highest in the morning and gradually declines throughout the day. When we eat we elevate our cortisol, so it is best to start heavy with breakfast and go light post evening. Heavy evening meals are the prime reason for an expanding waistline. A Higher waistline is associated with metabolic and lifestyle disease.
Unplug: Give time to yourself. Unplug means a disconnect from cell phones, laptops, work, any digital devices. Take out sometime which you spend only with your thoughts. It makes you realize your priorities and your goals better.
Sleep: As this gland also controls our circadian rhythms, it is responsible for our sleep cycle. Good 8 hours of sleep will make you take fewer calories through the day. Lack of sleep also makes one drowsy and ends in low energy levels creating stress. Maintain an 8 hour sleeping time for the body to regenerate.
Workout: Exercise is the best remedy to reduce stress by releasing pent up energy. As stated earlier, the whole reason our bodies respond to stress by producing more cortisol is so that we have energy available to spend. Having more energy isn’t a bad thing if you actually use it.

The best way to reduce stress levels is to have fun! Having fun and laughing should become one of your top priorities in life! It has multiple benefits, one of them being stress relief. Looking at the day ahead, ask yourself what is that one thing you can do for your body to support your adrenal glands? Then ask yourself how you can set aside some time for fun!

Want to know more about the adrenal gland and stress? Check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. Do leave your thoughts and queries in the comments below!

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February 18, 2021 By Gitanjali Bahl 1 Comment

Healthy Habits to Reduce Stress

Ever felt like you don’t have the time to eat, exercise, or interact with friends and family? Have deadlines and responsibilities chained you down in more ways than one? Do you spend most of your time at work with little activity? Are all these situations creating a stressful environment and draining you of your energy and mental health?

If your answer to the above was a yes, it is time you addressed these issues. Coping with expectations at work and at home can be taxing. While these are important, remember that nothing is worth it when it comes at the expense of your health.

The simplest way to reduce stress is to keep your mind at ease and your body healthy with simple lifestyle changes and time management. Letting go of bad habits and introducing a few healthy tweaks can help you rekindle your relationship with your mind and body!

Here are a few changes you can make to reduce stress:

Always start your day with breathing exercises or meditation which can keep you calm. You can practice the different forms of Pranayama or some basic stretches that reduce stress and keep you energized throughout the day. To learn how you can meditate the right way, join our GOQii Play Coaches Sheetal Tewari and Ronak Gajjar live on the GOQii app. (www.goqii.com/app)
Spend some time to plan your tasks for the day. This will keep you more organized and prevent any last-minute rushes that could lead to stress.
Avoid gadgets as much as you can. Use them only for work or as and when needed. Relying too much on your gadgets can cut you off from the real world. Overindulgence in gadgets is known to cause depression as well. Limit your usage timings or fix a particular time for them. Avoid them at least for an hour or two before sleep.
Set alarms for water intake: Dehydration affects the level of cortisol in your body. Cortisol is a stress hormone that not only affects your mind but your body as well. Maintaining water levels in your body can help you reduce stress.
Walk whenever possible: If your workplace is at a walking distance, then walk or cycle rather than using a vehicle. You can even walk while taking calls, after lunch or take a few short walks in between work. Walking releases endorphins which elevate your mood, it also improves your heart rate. Remember to choose stairs as opposed to escalators or elevators as it is the best and easiest form of exercise!
Take a break: Spend some time with family, relatives and friends. Having a healthy social life is important to form deeper connections and make life more meaningful.
Plan a trip or a vacation with your close ones. In fact, you can even go solo! A change in environment and meeting new people will help you exchange thoughts and ideas, boost your creativity and help you be more positive.
Eat fruits everyday: Different fruits provide different nutrients that help reduce stress. For instance, Bananas have Tryptophan, Avocados have Vitamin B, Sweet Potatoes have Potassium and Magnesium, all of which help in bringing stress levels down.
Indulge in hobbies irrespective of how busy you are. Hobbies help you relax. Whether it is a sport, listening to or practicing music, traveling or painting, set some time aside to do the things you love and your life will be enriched!

Remember the old saying, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”? It’s true! Take some time out for yourself. If you’re only working and aren’t playing then are you really living? Your work targets can be achieved, your relationships with your friends and family can be sustained but only if you are healthy. Make physical and mental health a priority!

Want to know more about managing stress? Check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by our experts on GOQii Play.

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February 1, 2021 By Shagufta Raza 3 Comments

This Is How Stress Affects Your Waistline

Have you been regular with your daily exercises and have maintained a healthy diet but you’re still not able to get rid of those extra inches on your waistline? Much to your surprise, the major reason for this may be stress! Yes! Stress! This can be the criminal putting those extra notches on your belt. Well you would say who doesn’t have stress these days? And you are right! Feeling stressed is an increasingly common problem. As long as the graph is small in height, it is fine. But how is it that stress affects your waistline? Let’s find out!

What happens when we feel Stressed?

When we are stressed, our body goes into “fight or flight mode”. Stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, are released to help us respond to the ‘danger’, our heart pumps faster, muscles contract and our senses become sharper. Too much stress can constantly have our body in flight or flight mode and that can be a problem.

In limited doses, stress helps us stay focused, energetic and alert. But high levels of stress can lead to feeling anxious, depressed and result in many medical concerns like cardiovascular issues, damage to the immune system, Type 2 Diabetes and cause weight issues as well, to name a few.

How Stress Affects Your Waistline

Glycogen is the energy stored in our liver, primarily sourced from carbohydrates. When cortisol is released, glycogen is released to give us extra energy to ‘get away from stressful situations’.

We have glycogen receptors in our body and they are increased when we face high levels of stress, especially the ones located around our abdomen to protect our vital organs. Glycogen is being released to provide energy, but if not utilized, it is stored around our waistline, causing the inches to rise.

When stress levels increase, so does the production of the stress hormone, cortisol.

And you unknowingly start facing the following:

Making bad food choices and increasing the fat cells in the body.
The stress hormone cortisol can lead to sugar levels dropping down and nakes you less sensitive to insulin.
Increases the appetite which gives you those hunger pangs. Which means you are more likely to reach out to burgers or pizzas which are calorie dense junk foods that quickly satisfy your hunger and you feel good. Hence, stress can cause you to eat more than required.
Constant high levels of stress can cause increased levels of fat cells and the rate at which the body stores fat also goes up which leads to weight gain.

How Can You Control It?

Indulge in Exercise: It’s the best way to relax your body and mind
Take a few deep breaths: It can take the pressure off you right away
Balanced meal: Consult your GOQii Coach to help you make right food choices. Never skip a meal as it can actually worsen the situation
Say no to caffeine: since it increases the production of the stress hormone.
Drink plenty of water: Dehydration can cause increased production of cortisol
Avoid processed foods: They can affect your gut microbiome, stress response and energy levels
Sleep well: Sleep deprivation and chronic stress can play havoc with the production of the stress hormone.

We hope this article on how stress affects your waistline helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on stress management, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

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November 6, 2020 By Divya Thampi Leave a Comment

Three Powerful Relaxation Techniques For Immediate Relief From Stress

“The school just expects the parents to engage children all day, my son is hardly occupied for 2 hours with online classes!”

“Don’t step out of home for the next few days, the neighbors just arrived from their home town. They could be infected.”

“I have been sitting at my home study desk, attending calls all day, my brain’s fried!”

Those seem to be some common themes of many a conversation happening around us today. Is it any surprise that people are more stressed than usual? These are unprecedented times and if you find yourself feeling sad, anxious, angry, confused or scared without explanation, you are not alone. The specific reasons for the stress experienced during these times are as varied as the people themselves but there’s hardly anyone who can escape the clutches of stress. How does one remain grounded and feel a sense of equanimity in the midst of all that’s going on during these Covid times? Here’s help!

Following are three go-to relaxation techniques that therapists use to help their clients relax. Not all techniques may work for everyone but at least one of these should work for you:

1. Progressive Muscle relaxation

This exercise is very effective in lowering stress levels and can also reduce physical problems like headaches or stomachaches that accompany feelings of stress. This practice also improves sleep. When you are stressed your muscles tighten without your conscious awareness. Regular practice of PMR helps you to become aware of the difference between a tensed muscle and a completely relaxed muscle, thus improving your ability to recognize your bodily response to anxiety and mitigate it.

Sit down on a chair with a backrest such that you are sitting erect but not tensed.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Once you breath slows down, progressively tighten one muscle group (neck and shoulders or upper arm and lower arm) at a time for about 10-15 seconds.
Once the time is up, release the tension in the muscles completely with a long exhalation and observe the sensation in the relaxed muscles.
Continue this with each muscle group from head to feet.
You could do this 2-3 times a day and even before going to bed.
Avoid doing this with any part where there is a sprain or other injury.

2. Diaphragmatic Breathing –

Also known as belly breathing, it is the optimal way of breathing as it actively engages your diaphragm. Belly breathing leads to improved oxygen flow to the rest of the body. This kind of breathing triggers a relaxation response by stimulating the vagus nerve, the longest nerve emanating from the brain. This nerve has a significant role to play in reducing blood pressure, heart rate, improving calmness, relaxation, and digestion. When engaging in breath based meditations most people practice belly breathing. Chest breathing is something we learned to do as a reaction to stress. For belly breathing, follow these steps:

Sit comfortably or lie flat on your bed or any other comfortable surface and relax your shoulders.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Breathe in through your nose for 2-10 seconds (according to your capacity).
Feel the cool air moving through your nostrils into your abdomen, making your stomach inflate. During this type of breathing, make sure your stomach is moving outward while your chest remains relatively still.
Press gently on your stomach, and exhale slowly for about 2-10 seconds.
With every exhalation you will notice the stomach deflate under your palm
Repeat these steps several times and observe your body relax.

3. Guided Imagery

This is a focused practice that involves all or most of the 5 senses, to kindle calming responses in the mind and the body. Guided imagery uses imagination to take one to a calm, peaceful place, internally. This is a powerful tool that has a positive impact on blood pressure, breathing, oxygenation and heart rate. It can reduce pain and also improve the healing process of the body and mind. Our body reacts the same whether we experience something in reality or imagine it. So when you imagine yourself sitting in a beautiful green meadow and watching a clear stream of water flow over smoothened rocks, your body responds as if you were actually in the meadow.

Sit down or lie down comfortably and close your eyes.
Take a few deep breaths to help you relax.
Imagine a scene that is calm and peaceful. This could be a beach, a meadow, a valley, the mountains or a riverside, according to your preference.
Visualise the scene and slowly add some details, like a gentle breeze, fragrance of the grass, gurgling sound of water or the chirping of birds. Is the sky a clear blue or do you see fluffy white clouds?
It helps to visualise you walking through the scene and experiencing the beauty and serenity using all your senses.
And as you walk through the scene and go deeper you feel more and more relaxed.
Continue to breathe slowly and experience the sense of peace that envelops your body and mind. Think of a word or sound that you can use in the future to help you mentally return to this place.
When you feel ready, gently bring yourself back to the present. Tell yourself that you will feel relaxed and refreshed when this is done and slowly open your eyes. Notice how you feel right now.
You could also use a recorded guided imagery audio, which is generally available on many of the free versions of meditation apps.

We hope these powerful relaxation techniques help you find relief from stress. Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on stress and stress management, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on stress management, yoga and meditation on GOQii Play.

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