Stress · Sam Self Mastery

Sam Bomjan

Jan 25 in Guides

Stress

Most of you are stressed and you don't know it.

Classical symptoms:

apathy, lethargy, feeling unproductive, not motivated.

But recent studies show a new list of symptoms

Atypical symptoms: can’t shut off from work or brain. Addiction to work. It is interfering with your day-to-day life.

What is stress?

Stress is of two types

Acute stress vs Chronic stress

before that a quick science lesson.

Most of the time we use our "Prefrontal cortex"

Associated with strategic and logical thinking, memory, planning and organization.

But when we are stressed we use our amygdala, the emotional centre, which has not evolved the way other parts of our brain have. Flight or fight (FoF)response or stress response

Think about your ancestors.

When they saw a threat like a tiger, they'd react in FoF, they'd have increased their heart rate and intake of oxygen and blood shunts away from the vital organs and into the body so they could either fight or run away.

Then after that acute stress is over you have a moment to recalibrate.

But in this era all of our stress is chronic, financial, relationships, jobs, studies, etc

when it is chronic the FoF is constant often low but always constant and it leads to burnout, as your brain does not get time to rest or recharge.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, coal miners would bring caged canaries into the coal mines with them.

Canaries are more sensitive to toxic gases than humans.

They’d sing and If canaries would stop singing, it signalled the presence of dangerous gases, and the miners would evacuate the area.

Our bodies also send out warning signs when we are under chronic stress.

These warning signs can be physical, such as headaches, fatigue, or difficulty sleeping.

Or emotional, such as anxiety, irritability, or depression.

How to know if you're lazy or you're stressed?

If you procrastinate you become stressed but if you are stressed then you procrastinate. That same cycle is seen with emotional states like anxiety, and depression.

It's a very confusing cycle.

Stress can be distinguished by physical symptoms like loss of appetite or wanting to eat more depending on the individual.

And especially with the atypical symptom, If your life is all work and hustle and you don't have time for other activities like relationships, health, or recovery.

It's not about perfect balance every day.

David Goggins, he does spend a good time with his family, of course, workouts but also his diet, recovery, and sleep.

Yes, he has days where he doesn't get enough sleep but is back to his routine.

ARE YOU STRESSED?

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