What is the Stress Cycle? (& 3 Ways to Complete Your Stress Cycle)
You have a stressful meeting with your boss, and your heart rate starts to spike.
You feel your throat getting tighter and your palms start sweating.
You rush out of the meeting, relieved that it’s over - but feeling completely overwhelmed by all the work they just assigned you.
Even after you somehow manage to complete all of the tasks ahead of your deadline, you don’t feel as relieved as you thought you would. Something’s still bothering you in the back of your mind.
If this situation sounds familiar, you might be stuck in a stress cycle.
Here at KMA Therapy, we know how hard it can be to navigate stress when you can’t get rid of the stressors in your life. For over 15 years, we’ve helped our clients learn new ways to manage their stress and live a more fulfilling life.
After reading this article, you’ll know what the stress cycle is, ways to identify when you’re stuck in a stress response, and how to complete your stress cycle.
What is the Stress Cycle?
The stress cycle is the way your body responds to physical and emotional stressors. Your body enters a stress cycle when you’re faced with a perceived threat. A perceived threat is anything that makes you feel threatened - from someone yelling at you to an overwhelming deadline at work.
In the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagowski explain how even though we as humans have evolved, our stress cycle hasn’t.
Back in prehistoric times, we were faced with tangible threats, like being attacked by wild animals. While being attacked by a lion is obviously more dangerous than, say, a stressful project at work, if we eventually escaped the lion, our body could recognize that the threat was gone.
Nowadays, our threats are more complicated - instead of being hunted by predators, we’re stressed out by finances, work, and complicated relationships. We have a similar stress response, but now we don’t have a way to know we’re safe.
This can lead you to become stuck in a stress cycle if you don’t know how to complete it.
Signs you’re stuck in a stress cycle include:
- Fatigue
- Racing thoughts
- Troubles with digestion
- Feeling lonely or isolated
- Feeling irritable or impatient
- Muscle aches and headaches
Now that you know what the stress cycle is, it’s important to explore the steps it involves.
The Stages of the Stress Cycle
Your body responds to stress in three stages:
Alarm
During the alarm stage, your body experiences an immediate reaction to the stressor.
This might feel like an adrenaline rush - you’ll take notice of the stressor and start to feel anxious and shaky.
This can result in a fight or flight response where you get ready to fight the stressor or run away. In the modern day, this may look like deciding between starting an argument with someone who’s stressing you out, or starting to avoid them altogether.
Resistance
During the resistance stage, your body will start to lessen your stress response - the immediate threat has passed, and even though the situation may still be stressing you out, you aren’t dealing with it at the moment.
Still, you’ll probably continue to feel uneasy.
Exhaustion
When you get stuck in the stress cycle, you typically get stuck in the exhaustion stage.
In the exhaustion stage, your body will continue to repeat the stress cycle over and over again.
Why is it Important to Complete the Stress Cycle?
It’s important to complete the stress cycle because prolonged stress can have negative impacts on your physical and mental health.
Staying stuck in the exhaustion phase can lead to:
- Issues with focus and memory
- High blood pressure
- High cortisol levels
- Sleep problems
- Anxiety
3 Ways to Complete Your Stress Cycle
It can feel impossible to complete your stress cycle when you can’t always eliminate the stressor itself.
These three tips, however, can help you move through the stress cycle and reduce the negative impacts of long-term stress.
1. Physical activity
Physical activity is the best way to complete your stress cycle.
Whether you’re someone who loves to go for runs, or you’d rather just take a walk around the block, getting your heart rate up is important for completing the stress cycle.
2. Deep breathing
Another way to reduce your stress is through mindful breathing.
Try these four tips from the NHS:
- Breathe deeply, letting the air fill your lungs
- Breathe in for 5, hold for 5, then release for 5
- Do breathing exercises for 5 minutes at a time
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth
3. Squeeze and release
If exercising and deep breathing aren’t your cup of tea, try this squeeze and release exercise from Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagowski.
When you’re lying in bed before you go to sleep, squeeze every muscle in your body as tight as you can.
Hold this tension for a few moments, then slowly release it until your body is completely relaxed.
Repeat this as many times as you want.
This is a great one to do if you ran out of time during the day to do anything else, or you want an extra moment of stress relief before bed.
Next Steps for Managing Your Stress
After reading this article, you know what the stress cycle is, signs you’re stuck in a stress response, and how to complete it.
Here at KMA Therapy, we know you’re under a lot of pressure. Our stress management therapists are here to help you understand your unique stressors and come up with a customized plan to address your needs.
Book an appointment today or read our Therapy 101 Guide to learn more about how therapy can help you.
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