Strategies for Managing Stress

Stress is a corrosive influence on your well-being and largely within your own control

Stress is a charge on the expense account of long-term health. In our fear-inducing world, this stress-debt has become a devastating health issue.pathdoc/Shutterstock

Allostatic load—the sum total of all sources of stress in our lives and their impact on the brain and body—takes a profound toll on our overall health and well-being. Stress sets off a biochemical shift in the body that gears it to fight or flight at the expense of rest, digestion, and restoration. Fortunately, there are practical strategies for reducing stress and the overall allostatic burden on our bodies.

Remember, stress isn’t just in your head. It changes your entire physiology in a fundamental way. For that reason, don’t take what follows as simple advice on living a healthier lifestyle, take it as a medical prerogative not unlike taking a medicine essential to staving off the debilitating effects of a disease.

Prioritize Quality Sleep

Sleep is the most important nutrient for the body. This is the time your body needs to rest and repair. In fact, not getting consistent quality sleep is associated with impaired immune function, cognitive decline, obesity, trouble managing weight, systemic inflammation, decreased mental health, and increased overall disease risk.