Stress: Balancing Improvement with Preventing Harm

Stress is a funny thing. On the one hand, it is the mechanism by which life adapts. In more relevant terms, stress is the means by which we improve as individuals.

• Want to learn a new skill or study for a test? Stress your brain.
• Want to run a half marathon? Stress yourself by running.
• Want to bench 100 pounds? Stress yourself by lifting the weight.

We all understand this concept. The interesting thing to think about is the opposite side of the coin.

Stress can also be the means by which we deteriorate or sustain a serious injury. Put on that load for too long or bring on too much all at once, and this is how we break down.

Living life becomes an interesting dance between stressing ourselves enough that we improve in the direction we want to, while also taking care not to burn out or break down.

To me, the interesting question is how do we live this dance? How do we make it through life balancing between putting ourselves through too much vs. not doing enough?

The answer isn’t simple. Heck, I don’t think it’s fair to say there is an answer.

And yet, if you pay attention, you can find that there are answers that can lead to extraordinary results. Let’s see if we can find some of those now.

Stress – Understand the theory

Before we jump into understanding stress balance, it’s useful to first understand a basic design principle of the human body as a biological system: the system that is the human body exists as a complex network of factors maintaining a dynamic state of equilibrium.

That’s a mouthful, so let’s unpack this statement.

Dynamic: no one factor is usually kept at a constant level in a biological system. Each factor is generally fluctuating around an average value (the mean).  This occurs because biological systems are networks of dynamic processes – something is always happening that causes any particular factor to elevate or decline.

Complex: multiple factors are at play interacting as a network whose output is greater than the sum of its parts.

Dynamic and complex biological system: The system exists as multiple factors that are constantly interacting with themselves (internal) and with the environment (external) such that over time equilibrium of the system (and each individual factor) is achieved. This dynamic state of equilibrium is termed homeostasis.

Now that you understand the general idea of a complex, dynamic, biological system, let’s look at some of the details that are relevant to today’s topic.

First, note that as long as each factor stays within a set of limits (what I will call sustainable limits), the system is able to continue operating indefinitely.

Often times, though, an external force comes into play to significantly impact this equilibrium. We can label this significant force that causes this change as a stress.

Let’s now see what happens when our homeostatic state is perturbed – that is, when external factors enter in and impact the system.

When external factors impact the system, any particular variable may be forced out of the sustainable operating window.

If the stress is moderate, then the particular factor may rise above or drop below the sustainable operating window. If this is the case, then the system isn’t in immediate danger; chances are it will return back down to “normal” once the stress is removed and the system will return to existing within a healthy window of operation.

However – and this is a key point so pay attention – if something doesn’t happen to change the workings of the system, then the system is at risk of the same type of stress coming back again, maybe even stronger. And, if it does, then there may be an immediate and catastrophic threat to the system.

What this means is, if any system wants to continue functioning, it needs to be able to change itself so that when it encounters a similar challenge in the future, it is better equipped to survive.

Fortunately, biological systems have this particular ability to change – to adapt – so that they are better able to face similar challenges in the future. That is, an inherent property of biological systems is that they can improve to be more capable of surviving among their environments.

That was a lot of technical tidbits, so before moving on, let’s recap what we learned:

1. A stress is simply a force that causes a change
2. In a biological system, any particular factor is always changing and yet remains at a fairly constant level over time. A significant stress is one that will shift the factor away from this stable value.
3. When this occurs, the system will respond – will adapt – such that it is better able to manage that stress in the future
4. Or, if a stress is too strong, that factor will be changed beyond a certain threshold at which point, true damage to the system will occur.

Stress Balance

Any time a particular stress impacts your body, a number of factors are going to be temporarily impacted.

• if the stress is low, then any particular factor will increase or decrease slightly, only to return to normal once the stress is removed.
  • the human body has been designed to operate at this level. It will ride out low stresses without issue, and any moderate stresses may actually lead to improvement.
• if the stress is too strong, then any particular factor is at risk for rising too high or dropping too low, resulting in serious damage to the system. Note two pieces to this “too strong” situation:
  1. An acute stress may immediately overburden the system and lead to damage
  2. A chronic stress may overburden the system over time, also leading to damage

If we want to be able to make healthy decisions that tend to lead towards improvement and away from damage, what we are most interested in is the balance of all of these stresses such that:

1. At a minimum, our intention would be to remain at a healthy level. This means that, at a minimum, the systems supporting our bodies are not declining. To accomplish this, there is a need to constantly apply low-level stresses. The bottom line: use it or lose it.
2. To achieve a lifetime of good health, we would want to occasionally apply stronger stresses so that we are improving the health of our bodies
3. All the while, we would want to ensure that our stress load is never too much for any one system because that would lead to the damage or burn out of that system

A goal of ours, then, could be to strategically interact with stress such that the stress we receive leads to improvement of the sub-systems that we care most about.

The Dance

The problem, of course, is that the stress load within a system must be balanced or else the system is destined for breakdown, not improvement.

This leaves us in a tricky situation, yet one we must be prepared to handle if we want to make it through this life supported by a healthy body and reaching our goals.

So, how might we want to take this on?

I have an idea for you. This is one that has supported me throughout my life as I take on challenges, including the ones I take on to strategically improve myself, along with the ones that life throws in my face without asking first.

Most importantly, it enables me to maintain an overall balance of all of life’s stresses, helping me gauge when I should be pushing harder and when I should be backing off.

At least, I should say – it enables me to maintain this balance, to the extent that I follow through with the entire process.

Ready for it? Here’s the secret sauce:

1. Pause.
2. Listen.
3. Respond with aligned action.

That is, when life’s stresses are piling up, the first step is to pause. Stop pushing. Stop trying to keep moving forward.

Pause.

Then listen. Tune into your body. What is it trying to tell you? Remember, your body knows what it’s doing – after all, the human body has been able to maintain functioning as it evolved over millions of years.

The human body knows what it’s doing. Give it the time and space to tell you what it needs.

Finally, and crucially, you then have to act in alignment with this understanding. When your body tells you it is taking on too much, it is time to listen.

Because your choices are to listen now, or to deal with damage and dysfunction down the road.

That, at least, is the general idea. Want some more direction? You can find it here.