Helping Your Body Flush the Chemicals of Stress

Stress is not simply difficult on your emotions; it is hard on your physical self as well. Whether stress is low-grade and ongoing, or spikes from an intense or critical situation, your body mounts a response.

In stressful moments, the brain floods the body with hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. In a truly dire situation, these hormones keep you alive! They trigger your flight-or-fight response, enabling you to do things you could not manage under normal situations.

However, once the situation has passed or settled, it is not beneficial to keep these hormones circulating. Extended periods of exposure can cause an elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Concerns of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) could arise. If you have been through a stressful situation there are a few activities that you can do to flush the stress chemicals out of your body and bring “happy” hormones back.

Also consider reaching out to a counselor if you feel exceptionally overwhelmed or anxious feelings persist.

4 Strategies for Overcoming Stress

Combating stress chemicals with water.

Drinking a lot of water is a terrific way to clear the body of stress hormones. Water will most quickly flush the stress hormones out of your body.

Likewise, you should minimize caffeine and alcohol intake so as not to thwart efforts. Caffeine is a stimulant. If you have been through a stressful situation, your body is already flooded with stimulant. Alcohol, though not a stimulant, is falsely soothing and addictive. In the long term, if overused, it can actually raise cortisol levels.

While taking a bath or shower may not rid your body of stress chemicals, it can have a calming effect. Hot water and Epsom salts can relax muscle tension brought on by stressful situations.

Using exercise to flush the chemicals of stress.

Sweat it out! The more vigorous the exercise, the more quickly you will be able to flush those hormones out of your system. You do not have to go for a run if you don’t want to. A long walk, yardwork, or even yoga can help your body clear those stress chemicals. If you are feeling antsy with nervous energy, finding a way to move your body can be helpful.

Crying helps clear stress chemicals.

Crying is healing. It is yet another way that your body can remove the hormones of stress. Specifically, psychogenic tears have a higher concentration of stress chemicals, such as adrenocorticotropic hormone and leucine enkephalin (a natural painkiller).

Psychogenic tears are sparked by emotion. They possess a higher protein level than basal and reflex tears, which makes them thicker, causing them to stream more slowly. This suggests that emotional tears play a significant role in balancing stress hormone levels.

Having a good cry can do wonders for your stress levels.

Talking also helps.

While talking may not flush chemicals out of your body, it can help your mind make sense of the overwhelming situation. Verbalizing your stress can expose negative thought patterns. You can do this by writing in a journal or having a conversation with another trusted person. It could be a friend or a partner, or it may help to talk to someone outside of your situation.

When you do talk to someone, be clear about what you need from them. Is it a hug and a chance to cry? Is it an occasion to vent? Do you want them to give you any solutions or just a listening ear? By managing your expectations for self and others, you can have a conversation that relieves your stress without adding to theirs.

If you are in need of an objective listener, contact us to set up an appointment with one of the counselors at Newbury Park Christian Counseling today.