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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Fourth, she learned how to meditate. This was a true game-changer, allowing thought-patterns to reset, emotional patterns to reset, to provide space between events and her reactions, and to otherwise feel much more free and at ease in everyday life.

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Fifth, she incorporated more “bodywork” into her exercise routine. She already was an avid exerciser, but allowing her body to stretch out and improve blood and energy circulation allowed to feel much more calm. Incorporating the sauna and cold plunging also improved her HRV and resilience to stress.

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Now, she is much more stress-resilient and happy, and feels knows what to do if and when chronic stress were to come again. So, now on to what stress is and protocols on how to help with stress! **

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What causes stress?

‍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. It can be triggered by various lifestyle factors, such as work pressures, relationship difficulties, financial worries, or micro-trauma. Chronic physical imbalances also contribute to ongoing stress, such as spine deformations, toxin load, unresolved childhood reflexes (check out INPP and neuro athletics for more input). **

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What happens when we are stressed?

‍When we experience stress, our body initiates a 'fight-or-flight' response, releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This downregulates all functions related to regeneration, such as digestion, recovery, memory, and reproduction. While this response is helpful in situations with acute danger, prolonged or chronic stress can have detrimental effects on our health. (add references and some key figures about detrimental consequences, e.g. see on our stress jounrey landingpage or find other sources): https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/stress/stress-statistics/#:~:text=American Institute of Stress Statistics&text=About 33 percent of people,trouble sleeping because of stress

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What are the consequences of stress?

‍In regards to physical health, chronic stress can impact multiple systems within our bodies, leading to various physical health issues. This is mainly mediated by changes in neuro-endocrine systems (e.g. serotonin vs. dopamin balance, HPA axis, glucose metabolism), the immune system and mitochondria function. (add references for each below or one good review)

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• Immune System: Chronic stress weakens the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to infections, colds, or chronic infections (candida, sinusitis, etc).
• Cardiometabolic System: Prolonged stress can contribute to high insulin resistance, blood pressure, heart disease, and increased risk of heart attacks or strokes.
• Digestive System: Stress hormones disrupt the natural balance of your gut microbiome and the integrity of your gut epithelium, leading to issues such as stomach aches, indigestion, or even “leaky gut” and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
• Inflammation: leaky-gut syndrome is one of the reasons why we see increased inflammation markers in the chronicly stressed. add some input here,
• Musculoskeletal System: Tension and muscle tightness are common manifestations of stress, which can lead to headaches, back pain, and muscle stiffness.
• Liver: add some input here, as liver is particularly challenged
• Mitochondria: add some input here. Also check out the p-factor research for a link to mental disorders: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8007172/
• Hormonal dysbalance: add some input here
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Stress can also have a significant impact on our mental and emotional health:

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• 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.

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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

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Stress Management Protocols:

‍First, how we think about stress also affects how stress affects us. If you feel stressed, try not to overthink that this stress is “terrible,” for you - stress is useful and necessary for surviving, so we want to make friends with stress and see it as an overall healthy response when it matters. We don't want to think stress is always really bad for us, as that will also make it even worse for us! How we think about things affects does have a proven neurological affect, so let's use it to our advantage and not over-stress about stress.

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That being said, we also don't want to over-tolerate stress, particularly chronic stress. What we seek is harmony - some kind of balance between the stress and the relaxation periods in our day and our life. By incorporating powerful stress-reducing practices into your day and week, you will be in a better mood, be able to make better decisions and have a higher quality of life all-around.

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The next section contains are our top protocols for you to best manage stress. If you’re looking for a quick stress hack now, this section will give you some quick tricks you can implement immediately.

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Protocols to help manage stress:

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Breathwork:

‍Use a breathwork practice to manage stress and feel more calm in just a few minutes. When you take control of your breath, you are using a mechanical method to adjust how you are feeling. The breath regulates the nervous system which also regulates your mood and even your immune system. Using breathwork is like using a “button” on your nervous system to reset and relax. To take you out of “flight or fight,” and tell your body that you're not literally being chased by a lion, but are in fact relatively safe. As well, when you do a regular breathwork practice, you are training your body to breath properly (e.g. breathing fully from the belly and expansion of the diaphragm) and oxygenate your body properly, which will help regulate your stress response in the long-term.

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There are many different breathwork styles you can use, in this article we will focus on a few you can use right now.

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BREATHWORK TO BE BOTH FOCUSED AND CALM - THE “10-20-30”

Next time you feel stressed, try this breathwork. It’s called the 10-20-30, and will take about 2 minutes to complete. It is 3 rounds of breathing that are identical but just a bit longer with each progressive round.

What to expect - you may feel tingling sensations in your body, you may also feel a bit “dizzy,” but you are very safe. Just be sure to not be driving or handling any machinery. Make sure you are sitting down in a safe place when doing this practice.

1. Find a quiet spot to sit where you won’t be disturbed.
2. For this breathwork, you will mainly breath in and out through your mouth.
3. Round 1: breath in and out of your mouth 10 times, focusing on really breathing into your belly and your whole diaphragm with each breath. You don’t need to go fast, just really focus on expanding your lungs full of air on each breath.
4. Breath hold: On your 10th breath, exhale about 85% of the air, and then hold your breath for 10 seconds.
5. Recovery breath: After 10 seconds of holding your breath, take a big inhale in through your NOSE and hold for 15 seconds.
6. Round 2: breath in and out of your mouth 20 times, again focusing on fully expanding your lungs.
7. Breath hold: On your 20th breath, exhale about 85% of the air, and then hold your breath for 20 seconds.
8. Recovery breath: After 20 seconds of holding your breath, take a big inhale in through your NOSE and hold for 15 seconds.
9. Round 3: breath in and out of your mouth 20 times, again focusing on fully expanding your lungs.
10. Breath hold: On your 30th breath, exhale about 85% of the air, and then hold your breath for 30 seconds.
11. Recovery breath: After 30 seconds of holding your breath, take a big inhale in through your NOSE and hold for 15 seconds.
12. Done!
13. Take note of how you feel. Although it was a relatively short breathwork (some can go 10 minutes, to 60 minutes to even 3 hours!), it likely gave you a little kick of adrenaline, a little kick of dopamine and also allowed you to feel more calm at the same time.
14. Ideal time to use this breathwork is at the beginning of the day before work, or at any point in the day when it fits.

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BREATHWORK TO RELAX - THE “4-2-6”

Use this breathwork when you want to relax. You can do this anytime and anywhere, you’ll just alter how you are breathing for a short period of time until you start to feel more relaxed.

1. This breathwork is done by breathing in and out through the nose.
2. You will inhale for 4 seconds.
3. You will hold your breath for 2 seconds.
4. You will exhale for 6 seconds.
5. 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.

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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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Sighing, Humming and Singing

‍Next time you feel stressed, or just anytime you feel like it, 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. This allows you to immediately feel more relaxed! So try out these vocal-release strategies on a regular basis to balance your mood.

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Meditation

‍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. In so many ways, our own minds are often creating more chaos and stress than necessary. Picture a bottle of water for a second - if you shake it, the water stirs. Then, once you let the bottle settle for awhile, the water eventually goes back to being still. That’s a metaphor that really applies to our minds - we are constantly moving and doing things and our thoughts are going everywhere - but once we find stillness for awhile, our minds also find stillness and peace.

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

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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.

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How to start a meditation practice:

‍Find a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed.

1. Sit on the ground or on a cushion so your hips are raised up. If that is uncomfortable, you can also sit in a chair. You want your spine to be relatively straight and in good posture (so no slouching into a couch), as this will enhance the meditation experience.
2. The idea here is to bring awareness to the sensations of your body, and train your attention to focus. This is how we reduce the “monkey mind” (e.g. thoughts all over the place) and allow them to focus on one specific thing at a time. There are many different techniques for this, but in this article we are going to go through a “Vipassana-inspired” meditation technique.
3. Begin by bringing awareness the sensations at your nostrils. Pay attention to the air touching your nostrils every time you breath, and any other sensations that may be present at that specific point. Simply focus on this area of your face. Every time your mind seems to wander, just tug it back to this area of your nose and focus here.
4. After 5 or 10 (or even more!) time focusing on the sensations of air coming into your nostrils, you can begin to move up to your forehead, to the top of your head, down the back of your head, down your neck, down the arms and hands, back up to your neck, down the back, down the legs to the toes, back up the legs, up the torso and chest, and back up to your nose. The idea is not to go fast, just to go deep and spend time sensing the sensations in each area of your body.
5. We recommend sitting and doing this practice for 20-30 minutes most days. Ideally in the morning, but anytime you can is good. Even if you can only do 5 minutes, that is still something! Some practitioners sit in this practice for hours a day!
6. This is also the technique the Buddha used to reach enlightenment. While true enlightenment is a supremely high goal and unlikely for most of us, the benefits of a regular meditation practice include a) better response to stress b) resetting of emotional patterns c) improved mental clarity d) improved sense of presence and wellbeing e) better sleep f) improved creativity and decision making g) potential deep experiences related to the “mysteries” of the world, and so on.
7. If you would like a full deep dive on this specific practice, you can check out Vipassana Meditation Retreats, there are many around the world and often work on a donation model.
8. Other resources for meditation include apps such as Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, Waking Up, Joe Dispenza, and many others. We do recommend exploring different sources to learn, but also emphasize the benefits of mediation without an app in the long-run for added benefits.
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Thought Patterns

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

1. 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.
2. Leave little notes to yourself, especially in environments that may be “triggering,” on thoughts that you really want to have instead.
3. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: commonly found in fish oil supplements, are associated with improved mood and cognitive function.
4. 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.

Tips for good sleep:

1. Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Consistency helps regulate your body's internal clock.
2. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Develop a calming pre-sleep routine to signal to your body that it's time to wind down. This could include activities like reading, gentle stretching, meditation, or taking a warm bath.
3. Limit Exposure to Screens Before Bed: The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, computers, and TVs can interfere with the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Aim to avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime.
4. Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment: Your bedroom should be conducive to sleep. This means a comfortable mattress and pillows, a cool room temperature, and minimal noise and light.
5. Be Mindful of Your Diet: Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and large amounts of liquids close to bedtime. These can interfere with your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. Ideally no caffeine within at least 10-12 hours of sleep-time. Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bed.
6. Limit Alcohol and Nicotine: While alcohol may initially make you feel sleepy, it can disrupt the later stages of sleep. Nicotine is a stimulant that can interfere with falling asleep.
7. Expose Yourself to Natural Light: Exposure to natural daylight during the day helps regulate your body's internal clock. Spend time outside or open your curtains during the day.
8. Limit Bedroom Activities: Reserve your bedroom for sleep and intimacy. Avoid working or watching TV in bed, as this can make it harder for your brain to associate your bed with sleep.
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Save your Dopamine

‍You only have so much dopamine in your system. Constant stimulation over a long period of time can actually cause a dopamine crash, making you feel burnt-out and down, so being in balance with stimulation will help regulate your mood.

Tips for improving dopamine balance:

1. Avoid using your phone for the first 2 hours of the day.
2. Avoid caffeine within the first 1.5-2 hours of the day. Wait until your body has woken up naturally and then add caffeine, it's better for your heart and your mood.
3. Take at lease 1/2 a day a week to not use your phone or computer, ideally be in nature.
4. Reduce notifications on your phone and computer.
5. Take regular breaks in the day from work to get up and walk, stretch, and otherwise relax your attention for a minute and come back stronger. You can try this: 25 minutes focus and then 5 minutes break, or 90 minutes focus and 15-30 minutes break.
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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.
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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, do more relaxing activities and otherwise reduce overall stress. As well, menopausal women should take extra care as they experience changes in their hormones, as it can be a confusing time. We recommend learning more about your natural hormone cycles and to take extra care of yourself when you are generally less stress resilient (usually the week before the beginning of your cycle). Overall, the modern world has many stressors and toxins that we need to be aware of, and it is especially important in this day and age to take care of yourself and listen to your body when you need to save energy and de-stress. This can look like reducing meetings that week, reducing overall workload, choosing yoga over high intensity training, and so on.
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Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this article on stress and have come away with new ideas on how to mitigate your own stress.

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