November 18, 2024 • 24 mins
Could understanding the body's reaction to stress be key to unlocking better health? This week we unpack the nuanced relationship between stress, movement, and health. You'll learn how stress, in measured doses, can actually bolster strength and resilience, yet when unchecked, it can detrimentally impact our well-being.
Stress and movement are more intertwined than you might think, particularly when it comes to chronic stress and physical activity. This episode shines a light on how stress can disrupt our motor control and stability in unexpected ways. Discover how mindful movement, breath work, and other stress management techniques can counteract these effects and lead to improved stability and coordination.
Embracing a holistic approach to stress management, we'll explore a comprehensive roadmap to building resilience against stress. Movement is a powerful ally in this journey, and by listening to your body and acting with compassion, you can effectively navigate stress's challenges.
********************
References:
“Sympathetic-induced changes in discharge rate and spike-triggered average twitch torque of low-threshold motor units in humans.” The Journal of Physiology, 586.22, pp 5561-5574, 2008(2) Silvestro Roatta, Dept. of Neuroscience, Physiology Section, University of Torino, Torino, Italy(3) Lars Arendt-Nielsen and Dario Farina, Centre for Sensory-Motor Interaction, Dept. of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
Not referenced specifically here, but interesting and relevant research:
A 2015 review by Macefield and Henderson in the Journal of Applied Physiology reinforced the idea that sympathetic activation can influence muscle function. They noted that sympathetic activation can affect both blood flow to muscles and the contractile properties of muscle fibers.
A 2018 study by Hellyer et al. in the Journal of Neurophysiology found that sympathetic activation can modulate motor unit behavior, supporting Roatta, Arendt-Nielsen & Farina's findings about sympathetic effects on muscle activation.
Research by Passatore and Roatta (2019) in the European Journal of Applied Physiology further explored how stress-related sympathetic activation affects skeletal muscle function, largely supporting the 2008 findings.
A 2020 review by Boulton and Grubb in Experimental Physiology discussed how sympathetic activation can influence muscle afferent feedback, which indirectly supports the referenced study's conclusions about sympathetic effects on motor control.
Heart of Motion Podcast host Susannah Steers is a Pilates & Integrated Movement Specialist and owner of Moving Spirit Pilates in North Vancouver, BC. She is passionate about movement, about connections and about life.
Through movement teaching, speaking, and facilitating workshops, she supports people in creating movement practices that promote fitness from the inside out. She loves building community, and participating in multi-disciplinary collaborations.
Along with her friend and colleague Gillian McCormick, Susannah also co-hosts The Small Conversations for a Better World podcast – an interview based podcast dedicated to promoting the kind of conversations about health that can spark positive change in individuals, families, communities and across the globe.
Social Media Links:
Moving Spirit Pilates Instagram
Moving Spirit Pilates Facebook
Susannah Steers Instagram
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Susannah Steers (00:00):
Welcome to the Heart of Motion podcast.
I'm Susannah Steers and I'll beyour host as we explore the
heart, soul and science ofmovement as a pathway to more
active, vibrant and connectedliving.
Nothing happens until somethingmoves, so let's get started.
Hey everybody, welcome to thepodcast.
(00:21):
This week we're talking allabout stress.
I am continually awed by thehuman body, especially its
capacity to adapt to whateverthe heck it is you throw at it.
Despite whatever misuse orneglect you subject it to.
Year after year, somehow itfinds a way to keep you moving.
You likely experience differentkinds of aches and pains along
(00:45):
the way when the compensationsyou construct don't quite work
out the way you'd planned.
But for the most part, nomatter what crazy things you do,
the body finds a way to keep ontrucking.
That is until the adaptivemechanisms inside you simply
can't adapt any further to thedemands on your system and your
(01:05):
body begins to talk to you aboutit.
Conversations and complaintsmight show up as injury or
illness or simply as difficultyrecovering from your various
activities, and typically wedon't pay attention until that
shutting down reaches criticallevels.
Stress has a dramatic influenceon the function of the human
(01:25):
body, which consequently has aneffect on the movement of the
human body.
But, other than breathe deeplyand relax, we don't often talk
about it in terms of ourphysical conditioning.
Today, we're going to explorestress, what it does to our
bodies and how we can work withit so it serves to promote
health rather than just drive ustoward illness.
(01:48):
First, let's talk about whatstress actually is and what it
does to the body.
Broken down to its simplestdictionary definition, stress is
basically just any force ortension exerted or applied to an
object, in this case the humanbody.
In appropriate doses, stress isactually good for the body.
(02:08):
It takes you outside yourcomfort zone and requires you to
tax yourself in ways that makeyou stronger.
You learn new skills, youdevelop new strength, new
resilience, you let go of stuffyou no longer need.
The whole fitness industry isbased on the idea of increasing
stress on the body in measuredincrements to increase capacity,
but in really large doses or ina long, uninterrupted run,
(02:34):
stress can dramatically erodeyour health and well-being.
To understand what that means,we need to understand what
happens in your body when you'restressed.
We're going to talk a lot aboutthe autonomic nervous system
here, which is the part of thebody that regulates involuntary
actions like breathing,heartbeat, circulation and
digestion, among other things,and this system is typically
(02:57):
divided up into two parts thesympathetic nervous system,
which we often hear about as thefight, flight or freeze part,
and the parasympathetic nervoussystem, which is commonly
referred to as the rest anddigest part.
Now, there's more to that, butI think we can work with that
definition.
I think the best way that I canillustrate the sympathetic and
(03:17):
parasympathetic nervous systemsin action is to tell you a
little story.
Imagine for a moment that youare a lion on the savannah.
There you are laid out on thegrass, strong, powerful, relaxed
(03:39):
, ready for anything.
It's hot and you've beenenjoying the shade of a big tree
.
You haven't eaten in a whileand you're kind of hungry.
You look off to the horizon,surveying your domain, and then
in the corner of your eye, yousee movement.
You're not sure what it is, butit's enough that you're paying
attention.
Your heart beats a littlefaster, your breath speeds up,
(03:59):
your focus narrows.
What is it?
You're still.
As you figure it out, the bloodis already coursing through
your veins.
The movement gets a littlecloser and you realize it's a
gazelle.
If you play your cards right,this could be dinner.
The gazelle, unaware of yourpresence, bounds closer.
(04:20):
Your eyes are trained on itsevery move.
Your tail and your musclestwitch, ready to make your move.
You explode into the savannah,running toward the gazelle as it
registers its own danger andzigs and zags to try to escape
this.
For each of you, a dance oflife and death.
After an intense few minutes,you catch your prey as you bring
(04:42):
it back to the pride.
Few minutes, you catch yourprey as you bring it back to the
pride.
Your breathing slows down, yourheart rate recovers and your
muscles relax.
The fire hose of hormones inyour body has been largely
expended in the chase.
You have food to stay alive.
For a while longer.
Your attention begins to widento include everything around you
(05:04):
.
After eating your fill, yourelax, you nap a while and play
with your cubs, resting up.
For the next time you need tofeed yourself and your family.
Now maybe we haven't experiencedthe intensity of a hunt in the
way that a lion has, but I'llbet most of us have had some
(05:27):
kind of immediate, elevatedaction survival experience, the
kind of thing where you have toact and act fast.
No thinking, just survival.
I can think of a couple ofexperiences in my life like this
, but not too many.
We humans only have this kindof physical experience in
response to a threat Fight thetiger or flee the tiger kind of
thing.
When you experience what yourbody perceives to be a threat,
(05:50):
your autonomic nervous systemresponds by firing up the
sympathetic or the fight-flightresponse.
This is a critical part of thebody's survival mechanism.
When the brain detects aserious threat, it floods the
body with adrenaline, a powerfulhormone which accelerates your
heart rate, increasingcirculation to the muscles.
Your respiration speeds up,making oxygen quickly available
(06:12):
to your tissues, so you have thepower to face your threat
head-on or run away from it asfast as you can.
The pupils in your eyes dilateto improve your vision.
Fats and sugars in the body aremade quickly available to
supply your muscles with theenergy to do whatever you have
to do to survive.
The parasympathetic, rest anddigest branch of the autonomic
(06:32):
nervous system is inhibited tothe point where digestive,
reproductive and immunefunctions slow right down.
Now I think that's pretty coolright.
Sometimes I picture this wholeprocess like mild-mannered
fictional character BruceBanner's dramatic transformation
into the Incredible Hulk,except it's accessible to each
(06:54):
and every one of us in our ownway.
Here's the thing, though thebody's fight-or-flight mechanism
doesn't only turn on inresponse to real and present
physical danger.
It can be activated in responseto mental and emotional stress
as well, the kind of stress thatthe experts call psychosocial
stress.
This kind of stress is prettymuch the currency of Western
(07:15):
society.
We're subjected to it everysingle day.
We work in environments whereefficiency and productivity are
paramount.
People work hard to get moredone in less time for work, for
family, for the variousorganizations to which we give
our time.
Even in terms of physicalfitness, the trendy workouts
these days are often more Moreintensity, more power, more
(07:38):
endurance, better results,better fat burning and more
general badassery in less time.
People want to get in and getit done so they can move on to
the next thing.
There's stress at work.
People jockeying for positionfor the next promotion are just
trying to hold on to the job.
There's the daily maze oftraffic.
We have endless communicationby phone, email and text and
(08:00):
whatever other technologies aremaking us available 24 hours a
day.
There's financial stress.
There are kids and families,marriages and divorce.
There are societal andpolitical worries, and and and
and, unlike facing the tiger offight-or-flight fame.
This is the kind of stress thatwe face most often.
(08:23):
Surviving the relentlesscomplexities of life in the
modern world is a daily event.
The problem is that the bodydoesn't recognize the difference
in the types of threat itresponds to.
It just perceives a threat orsomething it has to do to
survive and it creates apowerful physiological response
to survive.
And it creates a powerfulphysiological response.
Hormones flood, circulationchanges, the body's high action
(08:43):
functions are turned on and therestorative sustaining functions
are dim.
And if we are not in factreacting to a physical threat,
our bodies are not moving in theways we need them to move to
release or metabolize theeffects of that stress on our
bodies properly, and that upsetsthe balance of things.
(09:05):
So what do we do?
Focusing on breathing,meditation, yoga and similar
restorative practices is a greatway to begin to change the
brain and its response to stress.
Changing the brain is the firststep to changing some of those
physiological responses, but thebody still needs to move to
(09:26):
allow all those physiologicalchanges to move through us and
allow us to shift to a morebalanced state once again, where
our restorative functions cancome back online and integrate.
Well for our best health,changing our mental and
emotional habits, taking time tobreathe and reflect.
All of those are powerful toolsthat everyone can benefit from,
(09:46):
but they're not the whole story.
Some folks go whole hog intotheir type 2 fun as a way to get
their yayas out and processsome of that stress.
Intense physical activity canbe an amazing way to blow off
steam and metabolize some ofthose very things we've been
talking about.
But if you're constantly goinghard and that's your one
(10:09):
strategy, pushing the limit andnot allowing yourself to rest
you may push yourself into achronic state of what we call
sympathetic drive, where allthat activity begins to have a
cost to the health of your wholesystem.
Now don't get me wrong.
I am not saying that intensephysical activity is bad for you
.
Not at all.
(10:30):
What I am saying is that it'sprobably a good idea to look at
your life, evaluate the level ofintensity at which you
typically operate and figure outwhether or not that feels
sustainable in the long term.
From a physiologicalperspective, stress creates an
action-packed, sympatheticenvironment in your body.
It helps you to focus and gettons done, and from experience I
(10:55):
can tell you that feeling isaddictive.
But if your sympathetic nervoussystem is like your primary
operating system, the long-termphysiological and health costs
can be significant.
Are you sleeping well?
Do you get sick a lot?
Do you get injured frequently?
Do your joints feel reallystiff all the time?
(11:17):
Are you irritable and patientand generally grumpy?
Do you have large mood swings?
Are you experiencinginflammatory health issues like
high blood pressure or highcortisol levels, elevated blood
sugars, weakened immune response?
Well, there may be all kinds ofreasons.
These things are present inyour life that have nothing to
(11:37):
do with stress.
These are all things that couldindicate that you're simply
going too hard for too long,that your stress is not as well
managed as it might be.
Many years ago, I ran across afascinating study that got me
thinking a lot more about stressand movement.
In a study published in theJournal of Physiology in 2008,
(12:02):
authors Silvestro Roata, larsArendt Nielsen and Dario Farina
researched the effects ofsympathetic-induced changes in
the activation of slow twitchmuscles in the human body.
As a Pilates teacher who dealsa lot with posture and stability
, all day their research caughtmy attention.
Posture and stability all daytheir research caught my
(12:23):
attention.
Slow twitch muscles, or type one, are typically those that
provide a measure of stabilityfor the body and are important
in sustaining posture, stabilityand endurance.
Fast twitch muscles, or typetwo, are powerful muscles that
provide quick bursts of energy.
They contract quickly andpowerfully, but they tire out
faster than their type 1counterparts.
In simple terms, slow twitchmuscles help you go the distance
(12:46):
, while fast twitch muscles helpyou go fast and strong for
short periods.
Most people have a mix of bothtypes in their bodies, with the
ratio varying based on geneticsand the kind of training that
you do.
What this study illustrated isthat sympathetic activity, that
fight-or-flight responseactivity, can inhibit the
(13:08):
activation of the slow twitchmuscles in your body, so it
slows it down or dims theactivation of those stability
endurance muscles.
In the presence of a realthreat, this might be super
useful, but in the environmentof psychosocial stress, the
study's authors came to thefollowing conclusion the faster
(13:29):
relaxation of slow twitchmuscles could allow for more
rapid switching between theagonist-antagonist activations
in flexion-extension movementsin a fight-or-flight reaction.
So let me just do a littlesidebar here.
Muscles work around a joint inpairs one side contracting while
the other side extends Kind ofmakes sense, right?
(13:49):
Being able to rapidly switchfrom flexion to extension in
fight or flight situations wouldlikely make you more agile and
able to react more quickly tochanging circumstances.
So definitely a good thing whenyour back's against the wall.
However, the effect of thistwitch shortening, this sort of
turning off of the type 1 fibers, is not beneficial when
(14:12):
sympathetic activation occursindependently of prominent motor
activity, so like the prominentmotor activity being the big
run around the fight or flightthing.
When we don't have that in thepresence of psychosocial stress,
then this is not such an idealscenario.
In this case, sympatheticallymediated muscle weakening would
increase the neural drive to themuscle and energetic cost of
(14:35):
the contraction.
So this change in musclecontractility would interfere
with motor control and requirethe adoption of suboptimal motor
control strategies.
Now you know I'm all aboutmovement patterning, so this
piqued my attention.
The researchers concluded thatboth the increased metabolic
(14:56):
activity and the altered motorcontrol could be cofactors in
the development of chronicmuscle pain syndromes.
My brain exploded.
What did this mean?
Too much sympathetic drivecould actually influence motor
control and a body's ability tostabilize itself and contribute
to pain syndromes.
I work with a lot of peoplewho have varying degrees of
(15:18):
function and varying degrees ofcomfort in their bodies, and one
of the many things we work onis learning to stabilize their
bodies so they can move better.
Part of that learning is aboutthe body's core and the deep
system stabilizers.
These muscles are often type 1muscles muscles.
So chronic stress, which manypeople experience as a status
(15:40):
quo in their lives, can createunexpected challenges for the
activation and the integrationof core musculature and for
balance, for coordination andthe sustainability of efficient
motor control strategies andpostural strategies too.
Suddenly, I had a completelydifferent element to consider
for people who are experiencingchallenges accessing their deep
(16:03):
support.
If I could help them becomeaware of their stress and the
way it affects them and offersome strategies for balancing it
differently, maybe we couldcreate the conditions to shift
into a state where we couldimprove access to those deep
system structures.
Beyond just exercise, we couldstart to affect the physiology
(16:25):
of the body for more optimalfunction.
And, by the way, if you're atthis point thinking "2008 study
Kind of old, don't you think?
I'm happy to note here thatthere are multiple more recent
studies which largely supportand expand on the findings of
this research.
So I'll include some of thereferences in the show notes if
you're interested.
If you've ever been to my studio, you'll notice that there's a
(16:46):
lot of focus on breath, onreleasing tensions, even the
ones we're not consciously awareof, and on bringing awareness
to our movement patterns as wemove through various exercises.
It's all part of the planBreath, mindful movement,
intentional choices around motorcontrol, consistent practice.
I've seen some pretty powerfulresults over the years.
(17:07):
And if you're finding that yourworkout is more effortful than
you think it should be, if youkeep hitting a wall that you
can't seem to get beyond, ifyour sleep patterns are
continually interrupted, ifyou're having trouble with
balance, if your movementdoesn't feel interrupted, if
you're having trouble withbalance, if your movement
doesn't feel fluid, if you havebeautiful core muscles but no
stability, you may be someonewho could use some strategies
(17:29):
for calming the sympatheticnervous system and then playing
with that in your overallmovement patterning.
We've talked about thephysiological effects of stress
and how it impacts our bodies,particularly our muscles and our
movement.
Let's talk about how we can usephysical activity and a whole
body health approach to makeconscious choices about
(17:52):
balancing stress in our lives.
First, it's really important torecognize that not all stress
is bad.
In fact, some stress isnecessary for growth and
adaptation.
The key is finding the rightbalance.
We need that sweet spot, andyou know what?
I'll be honest, a lot of thetime you're not going to find
perfect balance.
(18:12):
Sometimes the stress is goingto be too high.
Sometimes you'll have periodswhere you can be a slug, and
it's fine.
But let's look for a way thatwe can put all those pieces
together and get sort of a nicewave.
Here are some strategies tohelp you do just that:
Diversify your movement.
If you're someone who loveshigh intensity workouts, mix it
(18:35):
up with activities that promoterelaxation and body awareness,
like yoga, pilates or tai chi.
These practices can helpactivate your parasympathetic
nervous system, promoting restand recovery.
If you're somebody who onlydoes yoga, pilates, tai chi,
meditation, then maybe it's timeto kick it up a notch and get
outside and push yourself alittle bit.
(18:57):
Try something that taxes yourbody, that moves your muscles in
a big way.
Now, I'm not saying Pilatescan't be hard, but I'm just
saying it's not the same thingas a high-intensity bike ride or
, you know, lifting heavyweights.
Let's find a balance in all ofthe things that we're doing.
Practice mindful movement.
Whatever activity you choose,bring your full attention to it,
(19:19):
notice how your body feels, howyou're breathing and the
sensations in your muscles.
This mindfulness can help youshift your nervous system out of
a fight or flight mode.
I find it's like a presencepractice you know you're here in
the moment in your body, and itchanges a lot of things.
Explore nature this is one ofmy favorites.
(19:41):
Take your workouts outdoorswhen possible or just be outside
.
Studies show that being innature can reduce stress
hormones and promote a sense ofwell-being.
Try hiking, trail running oreven just walking in a local
park.
Prioritize recovery.
Remember it's not just abouthow hard you work out, but how
(20:02):
well you recover.
In fact, when you look at thescience, the strength gains
actually happen in the recoveryafter you've done a hard workout
.
So if you don't get the rest,you're not getting the strength
gains that you could be.
Incorporate activities likegentle stretching, foam rolling
or even professional massage tobump up your routine and help
(20:24):
your body bounce back.
Listen to your body.
Let's not wait until oursystems are screaming.
Learn to recognize the signsthat you might be overtraining
or overstressed.
Fatigue, irritability,persistent soreness are all
signs that you might need todial things back and focus on
recovery.
Recovery doesn't mean sitting infront of the television and
(20:46):
doing nothing.
It might be a gentle walkinstead of a hardcore workout.
It might mean just takingthings a little more slowly.
It might mean fewer repetitions, lighter weight.
There are all kinds of ways toplay with it.
Use breath work, incorporatebreathing exercises into your
day, not just during workouts.
(21:07):
Techniques like box breathingor diaphragmatic breathing can
be powerful tools for managingstress on the spot, and you can
find a million and one differentvideos on YouTube and Instagram
and meditation techniques toplay with that kind of breath
practice.
Play with it.
It's powerful stuff.
Stay hydrated and nourished.
(21:27):
Proper nutrition and hydrationplay a crucial role in how our
bodies handle stress.
Make sure you're fueling yourbody appropriately for your
activity level.
Prioritize sleep Right now.
This is my golden nugget.
Quality sleep is crucial forstress management and recovery.
Do everything you can to createa consistent sleep routine and
(21:50):
aim for seven to nine hours anight.
Now, that's different foreverybody, and if you're a
menopausal woman, this might bea little more challenging, but I
I'm going to just say do whatyou can to create the conditions
where you can possibly get thebest sleep possible, because it
is a magic bullet for stress.
(22:10):
Connect with others.
Don't underestimate the powerof social connection in managing
stress.
You know if you've got a groupof friends or one friend,
whoever you have around you.
Connect with them.
Consider joining a sports teamor a fitness class or a walking
group to combine some physicalactivity with social interaction
(22:30):
so you get some positive socialthings going on conversations,
laughter, joy.
Remember, the goal is not toeliminate stress entirely, way.
Remember, the goal is not toeliminate stress entirely.
That's neither possible ordesirable.
Instead, we're aiming to createa lifestyle that allows us to
respond to stress in healthyways, using physical activity
(22:56):
and whole body health practicesas our tools.
When we make conscious choicesabout how we move and we can
cover and care for our bodies,we can build resilience to
stress and improve our overallwell-being.
It's about creating asustainable approach to fitness
and health that supports us inall aspects of life.
So the next time you're feelingoverwhelmed by stress, remember
that you have the power to shiftyour state through movement and
(23:18):
mindful choices.
Now you might not shift it allin one go.
This is a case of a little bit.
Very often, it's not all goingto happen in one big swoop.
Your body is an incredible toolfor managing stress.
All you need to do is learn tolisten to it and respond with
kindness, compassion andintention.
(23:41):
That's all for today's episode.
Until next time, keep moving,stay mindful and remember your
health is in your hands.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
Subscribe and, if you love whatyou heard, leave a five-star
review and tell people what youenjoyed most.
(24:01):
Join me here again in a coupleof weeks.
For now, let's get moving.
Welcome to the Heart of Motion podcast.
I'm Susannah Steers and I'll beyour host as we explore the
heart, soul and science ofmovement as a pathway to more
active, vibrant and connectedliving.
Nothing happens until somethingmoves, so let's get started.
Hey everybody, welcome to thepodcast.
(00:21):
This week we're talking allabout stress.
I am continually awed by thehuman body, especially its
capacity to adapt to whateverthe heck it is you throw at it.
Despite whatever misuse orneglect you subject it to.
Year after year, somehow itfinds a way to keep you moving.
You likely experience differentkinds of aches and pains along
(00:45):
the way when the compensationsyou construct don't quite work
out the way you'd planned.
But for the most part, nomatter what crazy things you do,
the body finds a way to keep ontrucking.
That is until the adaptivemechanisms inside you simply
can't adapt any further to thedemands on your system and your
(01:05):
body begins to talk to you aboutit.
Conversations and complaintsmight show up as injury or
illness or simply as difficultyrecovering from your various
activities, and typically wedon't pay attention until that
shutting down reaches criticallevels.
Stress has a dramatic influenceon the function of the human
(01:25):
body, which consequently has aneffect on the movement of the
human body.
But, other than breathe deeplyand relax, we don't often talk
about it in terms of ourphysical conditioning.
Today, we're going to explorestress, what it does to our
bodies and how we can work withit so it serves to promote
health rather than just drive ustoward illness.
(01:48):
First, let's talk about whatstress actually is and what it
does to the body.
Broken down to its simplestdictionary definition, stress is
basically just any force ortension exerted or applied to an
object, in this case the humanbody.
In appropriate doses, stress isactually good for the body.
(02:08):
It takes you outside yourcomfort zone and requires you to
tax yourself in ways that makeyou stronger.
You learn new skills, youdevelop new strength, new
resilience, you let go of stuffyou no longer need.
The whole fitness industry isbased on the idea of increasing
stress on the body in measuredincrements to increase capacity,
but in really large doses or ina long, uninterrupted run,
(02:34):
stress can dramatically erodeyour health and well-being.
To understand what that means,we need to understand what
happens in your body when you'restressed.
We're going to talk a lot aboutthe autonomic nervous system
here, which is the part of thebody that regulates involuntary
actions like breathing,heartbeat, circulation and
digestion, among other things,and this system is typically
(02:57):
divided up into two parts thesympathetic nervous system,
which we often hear about as thefight, flight or freeze part,
and the parasympathetic nervoussystem, which is commonly
referred to as the rest anddigest part.
Now, there's more to that, butI think we can work with that
definition.
I think the best way that I canillustrate the sympathetic and
(03:17):
parasympathetic nervous systemsin action is to tell you a
little story.
Imagine for a moment that youare a lion on the savannah.
There you are laid out on thegrass, strong, powerful, relaxed
(03:39):
, ready for anything.
It's hot and you've beenenjoying the shade of a big tree
.
You haven't eaten in a whileand you're kind of hungry.
You look off to the horizon,surveying your domain, and then
in the corner of your eye, yousee movement.
You're not sure what it is, butit's enough that you're paying
attention.
Your heart beats a littlefaster, your breath speeds up,
(03:59):
your focus narrows.
What is it?
You're still.
As you figure it out, the bloodis already coursing through
your veins.
The movement gets a littlecloser and you realize it's a
gazelle.
If you play your cards right,this could be dinner.
The gazelle, unaware of yourpresence, bounds closer.
(04:20):
Your eyes are trained on itsevery move.
Your tail and your musclestwitch, ready to make your move.
You explode into the savannah,running toward the gazelle as it
registers its own danger andzigs and zags to try to escape
this.
For each of you, a dance oflife and death.
After an intense few minutes,you catch your prey as you bring
(04:42):
it back to the pride.
Few minutes, you catch yourprey as you bring it back to the
pride.
Your breathing slows down, yourheart rate recovers and your
muscles relax.
The fire hose of hormones inyour body has been largely
expended in the chase.
You have food to stay alive.
For a while longer.
Your attention begins to widento include everything around you
(05:04):
.
After eating your fill, yourelax, you nap a while and play
with your cubs, resting up.
For the next time you need tofeed yourself and your family.
Now maybe we haven't experiencedthe intensity of a hunt in the
way that a lion has, but I'llbet most of us have had some
(05:27):
kind of immediate, elevatedaction survival experience, the
kind of thing where you have toact and act fast.
No thinking, just survival.
I can think of a couple ofexperiences in my life like this
, but not too many.
We humans only have this kindof physical experience in
response to a threat Fight thetiger or flee the tiger kind of
thing.
When you experience what yourbody perceives to be a threat,
(05:50):
your autonomic nervous systemresponds by firing up the
sympathetic or the fight-flightresponse.
This is a critical part of thebody's survival mechanism.
When the brain detects aserious threat, it floods the
body with adrenaline, a powerfulhormone which accelerates your
heart rate, increasingcirculation to the muscles.
Your respiration speeds up,making oxygen quickly available
(06:12):
to your tissues, so you have thepower to face your threat
head-on or run away from it asfast as you can.
The pupils in your eyes dilateto improve your vision.
Fats and sugars in the body aremade quickly available to
supply your muscles with theenergy to do whatever you have
to do to survive.
The parasympathetic, rest anddigest branch of the autonomic
(06:32):
nervous system is inhibited tothe point where digestive,
reproductive and immunefunctions slow right down.
Now I think that's pretty coolright.
Sometimes I picture this wholeprocess like mild-mannered
fictional character BruceBanner's dramatic transformation
into the Incredible Hulk,except it's accessible to each
(06:54):
and every one of us in our ownway.
Here's the thing, though thebody's fight-or-flight mechanism
doesn't only turn on inresponse to real and present
physical danger.
It can be activated in responseto mental and emotional stress
as well, the kind of stress thatthe experts call psychosocial
stress.
This kind of stress is prettymuch the currency of Western
(07:15):
society.
We're subjected to it everysingle day.
We work in environments whereefficiency and productivity are
paramount.
People work hard to get moredone in less time for work, for
family, for the variousorganizations to which we give
our time.
Even in terms of physicalfitness, the trendy workouts
these days are often more Moreintensity, more power, more
(07:38):
endurance, better results,better fat burning and more
general badassery in less time.
People want to get in and getit done so they can move on to
the next thing.
There's stress at work.
People jockeying for positionfor the next promotion are just
trying to hold on to the job.
There's the daily maze oftraffic.
We have endless communicationby phone, email and text and
(08:00):
whatever other technologies aremaking us available 24 hours a
day.
There's financial stress.
There are kids and families,marriages and divorce.
There are societal andpolitical worries, and and and
and, unlike facing the tiger offight-or-flight fame.
This is the kind of stress thatwe face most often.
(08:23):
Surviving the relentlesscomplexities of life in the
modern world is a daily event.
The problem is that the bodydoesn't recognize the difference
in the types of threat itresponds to.
It just perceives a threat orsomething it has to do to
survive and it creates apowerful physiological response
to survive.
And it creates a powerfulphysiological response.
Hormones flood, circulationchanges, the body's high action
(08:43):
functions are turned on and therestorative sustaining functions
are dim.
And if we are not in factreacting to a physical threat,
our bodies are not moving in theways we need them to move to
release or metabolize theeffects of that stress on our
bodies properly, and that upsetsthe balance of things.
(09:05):
So what do we do?
Focusing on breathing,meditation, yoga and similar
restorative practices is a greatway to begin to change the
brain and its response to stress.
Changing the brain is the firststep to changing some of those
physiological responses, but thebody still needs to move to
(09:26):
allow all those physiologicalchanges to move through us and
allow us to shift to a morebalanced state once again, where
our restorative functions cancome back online and integrate.
Well for our best health,changing our mental and
emotional habits, taking time tobreathe and reflect.
All of those are powerful toolsthat everyone can benefit from,
(09:46):
but they're not the whole story.
Some folks go whole hog intotheir type 2 fun as a way to get
their yayas out and processsome of that stress.
Intense physical activity canbe an amazing way to blow off
steam and metabolize some ofthose very things we've been
talking about.
But if you're constantly goinghard and that's your one
(10:09):
strategy, pushing the limit andnot allowing yourself to rest
you may push yourself into achronic state of what we call
sympathetic drive, where allthat activity begins to have a
cost to the health of your wholesystem.
Now don't get me wrong.
I am not saying that intensephysical activity is bad for you
.
Not at all.
(10:30):
What I am saying is that it'sprobably a good idea to look at
your life, evaluate the level ofintensity at which you
typically operate and figure outwhether or not that feels
sustainable in the long term.
From a physiologicalperspective, stress creates an
action-packed, sympatheticenvironment in your body.
It helps you to focus and gettons done, and from experience I
(10:55):
can tell you that feeling isaddictive.
But if your sympathetic nervoussystem is like your primary
operating system, the long-termphysiological and health costs
can be significant.
Are you sleeping well?
Do you get sick a lot?
Do you get injured frequently?
Do your joints feel reallystiff all the time?
(11:17):
Are you irritable and patientand generally grumpy?
Do you have large mood swings?
Are you experiencinginflammatory health issues like
high blood pressure or highcortisol levels, elevated blood
sugars, weakened immune response?
Well, there may be all kinds ofreasons.
These things are present inyour life that have nothing to
(11:37):
do with stress.
These are all things that couldindicate that you're simply
going too hard for too long,that your stress is not as well
managed as it might be.
Many years ago, I ran across afascinating study that got me
thinking a lot more about stressand movement.
In a study published in theJournal of Physiology in 2008,
(12:02):
authors Silvestro Roata, larsArendt Nielsen and Dario Farina
researched the effects ofsympathetic-induced changes in
the activation of slow twitchmuscles in the human body.
As a Pilates teacher who dealsa lot with posture and stability
, all day their research caughtmy attention.
Posture and stability all daytheir research caught my
(12:23):
attention.
Slow twitch muscles, or type one, are typically those that
provide a measure of stabilityfor the body and are important
in sustaining posture, stabilityand endurance.
Fast twitch muscles, or typetwo, are powerful muscles that
provide quick bursts of energy.
They contract quickly andpowerfully, but they tire out
faster than their type 1counterparts.
In simple terms, slow twitchmuscles help you go the distance
(12:46):
, while fast twitch muscles helpyou go fast and strong for
short periods.
Most people have a mix of bothtypes in their bodies, with the
ratio varying based on geneticsand the kind of training that
you do.
What this study illustrated isthat sympathetic activity, that
fight-or-flight responseactivity, can inhibit the
(13:08):
activation of the slow twitchmuscles in your body, so it
slows it down or dims theactivation of those stability
endurance muscles.
In the presence of a realthreat, this might be super
useful, but in the environmentof psychosocial stress, the
study's authors came to thefollowing conclusion the faster
(13:29):
relaxation of slow twitchmuscles could allow for more
rapid switching between theagonist-antagonist activations
in flexion-extension movementsin a fight-or-flight reaction.
So let me just do a littlesidebar here.
Muscles work around a joint inpairs one side contracting while
the other side extends Kind ofmakes sense, right?
(13:49):
Being able to rapidly switchfrom flexion to extension in
fight or flight situations wouldlikely make you more agile and
able to react more quickly tochanging circumstances.
So definitely a good thing whenyour back's against the wall.
However, the effect of thistwitch shortening, this sort of
turning off of the type 1 fibers, is not beneficial when
(14:12):
sympathetic activation occursindependently of prominent motor
activity, so like the prominentmotor activity being the big
run around the fight or flightthing.
When we don't have that in thepresence of psychosocial stress,
then this is not such an idealscenario.
In this case, sympatheticallymediated muscle weakening would
increase the neural drive to themuscle and energetic cost of
(14:35):
the contraction.
So this change in musclecontractility would interfere
with motor control and requirethe adoption of suboptimal motor
control strategies.
Now you know I'm all aboutmovement patterning, so this
piqued my attention.
The researchers concluded thatboth the increased metabolic
(14:56):
activity and the altered motorcontrol could be cofactors in
the development of chronicmuscle pain syndromes.
My brain exploded.
What did this mean?
Too much sympathetic drivecould actually influence motor
control and a body's ability tostabilize itself and contribute
to pain syndromes.
I work with a lot of peoplewho have varying degrees of
(15:18):
function and varying degrees ofcomfort in their bodies, and one
of the many things we work onis learning to stabilize their
bodies so they can move better.
Part of that learning is aboutthe body's core and the deep
system stabilizers.
These muscles are often type 1muscles muscles.
So chronic stress, which manypeople experience as a status
(15:40):
quo in their lives, can createunexpected challenges for the
activation and the integrationof core musculature and for
balance, for coordination andthe sustainability of efficient
motor control strategies andpostural strategies too.
Suddenly, I had a completelydifferent element to consider
for people who are experiencingchallenges accessing their deep
(16:03):
support.
If I could help them becomeaware of their stress and the
way it affects them and offersome strategies for balancing it
differently, maybe we couldcreate the conditions to shift
into a state where we couldimprove access to those deep
system structures.
Beyond just exercise, we couldstart to affect the physiology
(16:25):
of the body for more optimalfunction.
And, by the way, if you're atthis point thinking "2008 study
Kind of old, don't you think?
I'm happy to note here thatthere are multiple more recent
studies which largely supportand expand on the findings of
this research.
So I'll include some of thereferences in the show notes if
you're interested.
If you've ever been to my studio, you'll notice that there's a
(16:46):
lot of focus on breath, onreleasing tensions, even the
ones we're not consciously awareof, and on bringing awareness
to our movement patterns as wemove through various exercises.
It's all part of the planBreath, mindful movement,
intentional choices around motorcontrol, consistent practice.
I've seen some pretty powerfulresults over the years.
(17:07):
And if you're finding that yourworkout is more effortful than
you think it should be, if youkeep hitting a wall that you
can't seem to get beyond, ifyour sleep patterns are
continually interrupted, ifyou're having trouble with
balance, if your movementdoesn't feel interrupted, if
you're having trouble withbalance, if your movement
doesn't feel fluid, if you havebeautiful core muscles but no
stability, you may be someonewho could use some strategies
(17:29):
for calming the sympatheticnervous system and then playing
with that in your overallmovement patterning.
We've talked about thephysiological effects of stress
and how it impacts our bodies,particularly our muscles and our
movement.
Let's talk about how we can usephysical activity and a whole
body health approach to makeconscious choices about
(17:52):
balancing stress in our lives.
First, it's really important torecognize that not all stress
is bad.
In fact, some stress isnecessary for growth and
adaptation.
The key is finding the rightbalance.
We need that sweet spot, andyou know what?
I'll be honest, a lot of thetime you're not going to find
perfect balance.
(18:12):
Sometimes the stress is goingto be too high.
Sometimes you'll have periodswhere you can be a slug, and
it's fine.
But let's look for a way thatwe can put all those pieces
together and get sort of a nicewave.
Here are some strategies tohelp you do just that:
Diversify your movement.
If you're someone who loveshigh intensity workouts, mix it
(18:35):
up with activities that promoterelaxation and body awareness,
like yoga, pilates or tai chi.
These practices can helpactivate your parasympathetic
nervous system, promoting restand recovery.
If you're somebody who onlydoes yoga, pilates, tai chi,
meditation, then maybe it's timeto kick it up a notch and get
outside and push yourself alittle bit.
(18:57):
Try something that taxes yourbody, that moves your muscles in
a big way.
Now, I'm not saying Pilatescan't be hard, but I'm just
saying it's not the same thingas a high-intensity bike ride or
, you know, lifting heavyweights.
Let's find a balance in all ofthe things that we're doing.
Practice mindful movement.
Whatever activity you choose,bring your full attention to it,
(19:19):
notice how your body feels, howyou're breathing and the
sensations in your muscles.
This mindfulness can help youshift your nervous system out of
a fight or flight mode.
I find it's like a presencepractice you know you're here in
the moment in your body, and itchanges a lot of things.
Explore nature this is one ofmy favorites.
(19:41):
Take your workouts outdoorswhen possible or just be outside
.
Studies show that being innature can reduce stress
hormones and promote a sense ofwell-being.
Try hiking, trail running oreven just walking in a local
park.
Prioritize recovery.
Remember it's not just abouthow hard you work out, but how
(20:02):
well you recover.
In fact, when you look at thescience, the strength gains
actually happen in the recoveryafter you've done a hard workout
.
So if you don't get the rest,you're not getting the strength
gains that you could be.
Incorporate activities likegentle stretching, foam rolling
or even professional massage tobump up your routine and help
(20:24):
your body bounce back.
Listen to your body.
Let's not wait until oursystems are screaming.
Learn to recognize the signsthat you might be overtraining
or overstressed.
Fatigue, irritability,persistent soreness are all
signs that you might need todial things back and focus on
recovery.
Recovery doesn't mean sitting infront of the television and
(20:46):
doing nothing.
It might be a gentle walkinstead of a hardcore workout.
It might mean just takingthings a little more slowly.
It might mean fewer repetitions, lighter weight.
There are all kinds of ways toplay with it.
Use breath work, incorporatebreathing exercises into your
day, not just during workouts.
(21:07):
Techniques like box breathingor diaphragmatic breathing can
be powerful tools for managingstress on the spot, and you can
find a million and one differentvideos on YouTube and Instagram
and meditation techniques toplay with that kind of breath
practice.
Play with it.
It's powerful stuff.
Stay hydrated and nourished.
(21:27):
Proper nutrition and hydrationplay a crucial role in how our
bodies handle stress.
Make sure you're fueling yourbody appropriately for your
activity level.
Prioritize sleep Right now.
This is my golden nugget.
Quality sleep is crucial forstress management and recovery.
Do everything you can to createa consistent sleep routine and
(21:50):
aim for seven to nine hours anight.
Now, that's different foreverybody, and if you're a
menopausal woman, this might bea little more challenging, but I
I'm going to just say do whatyou can to create the conditions
where you can possibly get thebest sleep possible, because it
is a magic bullet for stress.
(22:10):
Connect with others.
Don't underestimate the powerof social connection in managing
stress.
You know if you've got a groupof friends or one friend,
whoever you have around you.
Connect with them.
Consider joining a sports teamor a fitness class or a walking
group to combine some physicalactivity with social interaction
(22:30):
so you get some positive socialthings going on conversations,
laughter, joy.
Remember, the goal is not toeliminate stress entirely, way.
Remember, the goal is not toeliminate stress entirely.
That's neither possible ordesirable.
Instead, we're aiming to createa lifestyle that allows us to
respond to stress in healthyways, using physical activity
(22:56):
and whole body health practicesas our tools.
When we make conscious choicesabout how we move and we can
cover and care for our bodies,we can build resilience to
stress and improve our overallwell-being.
It's about creating asustainable approach to fitness
and health that supports us inall aspects of life.
So the next time you're feelingoverwhelmed by stress, remember
that you have the power to shiftyour state through movement and
(23:18):
mindful choices.
Now you might not shift it allin one go.
This is a case of a little bit.
Very often, it's not all goingto happen in one big swoop.
Your body is an incredible toolfor managing stress.
All you need to do is learn tolisten to it and respond with
kindness, compassion andintention.
(23:41):
That's all for today's episode.
Until next time, keep moving,stay mindful and remember your
health is in your hands.
I hope you enjoyed today'sepisode.
Subscribe and, if you love whatyou heard, leave a five-star
review and tell people what youenjoyed most.
(24:01):
Join me here again in a coupleof weeks.
For now, let's get moving.
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