Stress is a natural reaction of the brain in the process of learning. "Normal" stress is therefore entirely desirable from the point of view of further development. This article explains when it becomes unhealthy, what happens in the brain and body, what the signs of too much stress can look like, and what you can do about it.
In order to understand how and why stress arises in the first place, we need a brief introduction to the human brain and how stimulus processing works in it.
According to the latest research, there are about 86 billion nerve cells - also called neurons - in the human brain, which are connected to each other via nerve tracts. The length of these nerve tracts is about 3.6 million miles. For comparison: That is almost as many nerve cells as there are stars in our galaxy and about 15 times the distance from the earth to the moon. Insane, right?
Together, they form a network that spreads across the entire brain. Similar to a street network in a big city. For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that nerve cells are present throughout the entire body. For example, in the intestine. However, most of them are located in the brain. This network enables us to function at all in everyday life. This is because every experience we have made, everything we have learned, the various stages of our lives, all impressions, etc. are stored in our brain like in a data memory.
We permanently scan our environment with our 5 senses (see, hear, feel, smell and taste). The perceptions (stimuli) are compared (interpreted) with our data memory and then trigger an emotion and a body reaction. This process - from stimulus to interpretation and finally to reaction - happens millions of times per second and in most cases is neither perceptible nor noticeable to us. These are these so-called subconscious reactions and that is also necessary. Because if we had to think about every step, every hand movement, every breath, every time we swallow or blink, we would not be able to survive.
A very simple, everyday example: You perceive that you have a dry mouth. From this experience you interpret that you are thirsty. Your reaction is to drink a glass of water. (It could also be a glass of orange juice because you feel like it (emotion). Or a glass of wine. Which you then replace with a glass of water, because it's only 2 p.m. and it's not possible (social norm) to drink a glass of wine at this time during work).
The more often the same stimulus, the same interpretation and subsequent reaction takes place, i.e. the same process is trained, the more automated it becomes. This is how learning works and how habits, routines and patterns develop.
If we encounter situations in which we have no experience and therefore cannot use a stored process, we must first form it anew. For the brain this means work and since it is designed to save energy this means stress.
The same happens when we encounter situations in which the old experience values are no longer applicable because something has changed in the meantime or the old process no longer leads to the desired goal. Also in this case a new sequence has to be installed, which means even more work and therefore stress for the brain, because not only a new sequence has to be installed but above all an old sequence has to be reprogrammed. This is one of the reasons why it is so difficult and requires both energy and training to break habits, routines and patterns and really change something.
During intense learning phases, it is therefore important to support the body as much as possible. Sufficient sleep, regular, healthy meals and exercise, preferably in the fresh air, help to recharge the stores. And intensive learning phases are by no means limited to classic training courses. A difficult phase in life - such as a loss, a breakup, a layoff - as well as all major life changes - such as a new relationship, a new job, a professional reorientation or the birth of a child - require additional energy.
So in today's society of constant change, you can assume that you always need some extra energy somehow. So why not make a habit of providing enough strength and energy.
Let's put one more on top. What if our brain classifies a certain stimulus as potentially dangerous?
We humans still function, from our biological structure, as in primeval times. In case of danger, and at that time the dangers were threats to human life, that is to say, the body had to be made ready to react quickly, i.e. to attack, flee or defend. The trigger for this is usually a situation or an experience in the past, which our brain has stored as a dangerous situation, although objectively there is no danger. This trigger sets off a chain reaction that the person affected can no longer voluntarily stop or control. The following then happens in the body:
The brain gives the adrenal gland the command to immediately release adrenaline and noradrenaline. This provides:
Externally, red spots, damp hands or red ears are then visible at most.
This is followed by the release of the stress hormone cortisol and ensures that the "revs" remain high for about 15 minutes. In addition, the happiness hormones serotonin and dopamine as well as the sleep hormone melatonin are suppressed.
All of this serves to increase physical performance, a "from zero to hundred" activation, so to speak. However, clear, calm or even creative thinking is no longer possible. This is also the reason why one lacks arguments or quick-witted answers in stressful situations and cannot find new solutions.
All of this is basically easy for the body to handle. Sufficient exercise quickly reduces the stress hormones and regulates the entire hormone balance. It becomes problematic when you are repeatedly or even constantly triggered and you are "charged up" too often. The mental and physical consequences are manifold and can lead from first signs like neck tension or irritability to serious illnesses like stomach ulcers or burn-out. Here is a non-exhaustive list of possible signs of excessive stress.
If you are already caught in the stress spiral, all measures that lead to the fact that you bring the stress out of your body and more energy into your body will help in the short term. So enough sleep, regular breaks, healthy food, avoid alcohol and tobacco, exercise, preferably in the fresh air, meditation, yoga. The more you are stressed, the more of it you will need. In the medium and long term, however, you won't get around reducing triggers and thus stress. One tactic, of course, is to avoid the triggers. However, if this isn't the first article you've read in this magazine, you know that this is never the tactic we would choose. We prefer the tactic of looking closely and asking ourselves why a situation is causing us stress. To then learn from it and do everything we can to activate a different mindset, a different way of dealing with it, a different reaction pattern within us.
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