Life + Habits

What Is Stress? Understanding Stress to Cultivate Your Calm

5 min read
Woman with her eyes closed looking calm and relaxed.
Woman with her eyes closed looking calm and relaxed.

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Stress is a natural part of life, no matter who you are. It’s the heartbeat in your ears when you think you’ve said the wrong thing, the rapid breathing when you realize how little time you have to get everything done, the sudden laser focus when you see that ex at the grocery store.

We all know it when we feel it. But what is stress, exactly? And what’s going on in the body when it happens? Better understanding the science of stress can help you take steps to manage it, whether that’s through lifestyle changes, mental health support, or a combination of the two.

What Is Stress, Scientifically Speaking?

Stress, according to the National Institutes of Health, is “a physical and emotional reaction that people experience as they encounter challenges in life.” (1) It’s a human response that everyone goes through, to varying degrees.

When the body experiences a stressor, it triggers a stress response aimed to avoid the threat through a series of adaptive physiological and behavioral changes. The thing is, our bodies are wired to respond to the threats of yesterday, like bears chasing us. They’re not great at distinguishing between life-threatening like bears and daily stressors like remembering to file taxes. So, those same changes that help you escape death-by-bear bubble up even when you’re physically safe.

Despite our physical safety, the effects of stress are far-reaching. More than a third of people may find their stress levels overwhelming most of the time, and more than two-thirds of people may experience health effects because of stress, like headaches, fatigue, or feeling sad. (2,3)

What Causes Stress?

Things that cause stress are called stressors. Stressors can be physiological or physical, negative or positive—but any kind of stressor can trigger the body’s stress response. (4)

Common stressors include:
• Taking an exam
• Going on a job interview
• Giving a presentation at work
• Going to a meeting without knowing what it’s for
• Going on a first date
• Fighting with a loved one
• Slamming on the brakes to avoid an accident
• Getting an alarming text
• Having to ask the local bodega guy for help reaching the tampons
• Wait — that last one might just be me

Think about the last time you were in one of these situations. Did your heart rate speed up? Did you suddenly feel a burst of energy? That was your stress response kicking in.

What Is the Stress Response?

You’ve heard of fight or flight, right? In response to stressors, the amygdala, a part of the brain, sends a signal to the hypothalamus, another part of the brain. That signal triggers activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which is the part of the body’s autonomic nervous system (the control center of involuntary functions, like breathing and heart rate).

The hormonal and physiological changes that follow—including a surge of adrenaline—ready the body to respond to the perceived stressor. These changes include increased focus and reaction speed, higher blood pressure and heart rate, faster breathing, and decreased blood flow to nonessential organs. Essentially, everything you’d want to help you outrun a bear.

If the stressor persists even after these changes, the hypothalamus kicks the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) into high gear. HPA activation leads to the release of the hormone cortisol, which keeps you alert and makes glucose more available to the brain for energy.

When the body’s out of fight or flight mode, the parasympathetic nervous system (also part of the autonomic nervous system) cools down the stress response and returns to pre-stressor hormone levels. (4,5)

The Good, the Bad, and the Stress

Stress can be good or bad. What’s the difference? And how much does it matter?

Scientists refer to “good” stress as “eustress,” and “bad” stress as “distress.” Eustress can be constructive and lead to increased engagement, while distress can be… well, distressing. Sometimes stress can be a combination of eustress and distress.

Interpretation is important here. How you interpret the stressor depends on who you are, what you’ve been through, how much control you have, and whether you feel threatened or challenged by the stressor. (6-9)

How to Deal With Stress and Find Your Calm

It’s not all hopeless. While stress is often out of our control, we can impact how we manage and respond to it. Here are 5 ways to relieve stress that can help:

1. Having a regular exercise routine (e.g., going for a walk, going to the gym, doing yoga). Exercise helps you decrease levels of stress hormones and increase levels of endorphins, nature’s painkiller. (11)

2. Sticking with a consistent sleep schedule. Poor sleep can have a negative impact on our stress and hormone levels. (12)

3. Using relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation. Techniques like these can relax the body and lower both heart rate and blood pressure. (13)

4. Staying connected and socializing with your support system. Social connectedness is a powerful tool for both physical and mental health. (14) Seeking out professional help. Stress can impact your health. There’s no shame in finding a pro to help.

5. Take Ritual’s Stress Relief Bioseries™ to support the body’s natural cortisol response– with an instant and extended release formulation for all-day support.*†

†8 hour release

Even though stress is a perfectly human response we all experience, we can take steps to help support it in the moment and dampen its impact long term.

Find solid ground with Ritual's Stress Relief Supplement. Our science-backed formulation includes Shoden® ashwagandha to support normal cortisol levels, Suntheanine® L-Theanine for quick stress relief and affron® Saffron to promote a positive mood and reduce stress. It’s the sigh of relief that keeps going.*

References:

  1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Stress. National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services. April 2022.

  2. American Psychological Association. Stress in America 2022 - Concerned for the future, beset by inflation. October 2022.

  3. American Psychological Association. Stress in America October 2022 Topline Data. October 2022.

  4. Chu B, Marwaha K, Sanvictores T, et al. Physiology, Stress Reaction. [Updated 2022 Sep 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan.

  5. Thau L, Gandhi J, Sharma S. Physiology, Cortisol. [Updated 2022 Aug 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan.

  6. Pluut H, Curșeu PL, Fodor OC. Development and Validation of a Short Measure of Emotional, Physical, and Behavioral Markers of Eustress and Distress (MEDS). Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Feb 10;10(2):339. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10020339.

  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Agency for …. Community Stress Resource Center: Glossary. March 2021.

  8. American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology: Eustress. n.d.

  9. American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology: Distress. n.d.

  10. MedlinePlusStress. Stress and Your Health. n.d.

  11. Anxiety & Depression Association of America. Physical Activity…. n.d.

  12. Choi, D. W., Chun, S. Y., Lee, S. A., Han, K. T., & Park, E. C. (2018). Association between Sleep Duration and Perceived Stress: Salaried Worker in Circumstances of High Workload. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(4), 796.

  13. Medline Plus. Relaxation Techniques for Stress. n.d.

  14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Emotional Well-Being: How Does Social Connectedness Affect Health? n.d.

Meet the Author

This article was written by our content specialist.

Sarah duRivage-Jacobs

Sarah duRivage-Jacobs, Copywriter and Editor

Sarah duRivage-Jacobs is a New York-based writer and editor of words dealing with reproductive and mental health. She is in the process of getting a master's in community health from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy.

Sarah duRivage-Jacobs

Sarah duRivage-Jacobs, Copywriter and Editor

Sarah duRivage-Jacobs is a New York-based writer and editor of words dealing with reproductive and mental health. She is in the process of getting a master's in community health from the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy.

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