Human beings are unique. We can make ourselves incredibly stressed and unwell in response to something that happened, something that never happened or something that may never happen.

Before we start taking measures or medications, we need to understand what is stress and what type of stress are we tackling.

So, what is stress?

Stress is a word that we tend to throw around in a uniform way; “I’m stressed…”, “It was a stressful event…”, “this is a stressful job…” as if stress is one thing that happens to us equally and we have to respond in the same way.

Defining stress from a scientific (biological & psychological) perspective; it is a highly orchestrated response to a “perceived threat” which includes response on a Biological, Behavioral, Cognitive and Emotional levels. Neuroscience terms stress as “STRESSOR” which could be a real or an imagined threat – our Brains can’t tell the difference – that triggers this whole “Fight, Freeze, Flight” response process.

Here are the four types of Stressors:

1)     Acute Stressor: for example, you see a child in the middle of the road and a fast car approaching and you jump & run to save the child. This sudden event causes a rush of Neurotransmitters and activation in your stress response system. When you manage to grab the child, after a while the stress chemical levels in your system reasonably return to base-line levels (of course depending on previous experiences and current state).

2)     Chronic stress: Is the kind of stress that typically lasts for weeks, months or even years which provokes long and sustained long term changes in our physiology.

3)     Physical Stress: could be the result of a sudden accident, trauma, or excessive heat, cold… that our bodies get exposed to. It could be long or short term.

4)     Psychological Stress: This is “the special one” that is caused by thoughts in the head which could be very much a perceived threat, ie; exams, work deadlines, perceived failure anticipation of negative events... but this type of Stressor is what most people are struggling with today.

Is Meditation or Mindfulness the answer?

We know from scientific research in the fields of Psychology and Neuroscience the benefits that Meditation or Mindfulness have on our Brains and ultimately our overall health. Do they work? Yes. Do they work for everyone? Nope.

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of those practices and might have given meditation a try only to end up accidentally taking a nap, or getting bored, or being irritated by the avalanche of ideas and tasks that your Mind starts to bring to your awareness while you’re trying to focus on your breath. Or you’ve probably been taught to be present in the moment, be engaged in what you are doing, get in the flow, breathe deeply but you often end up on the “Autopilot” Mode – Autopilot is not always a negative thing, but often times what happens when we are on default mode we get caught up in self-judgement and criticism – or anger and stress kick in with an annoying coworker or by an email. I must admit, it is not easy to adopt such practices while we live in a world that is full of distractions, cultures that value long working hours and perceives it as the new “Productive” and praises “Multitasking” which is another myth.

So what can we do to reduce our stress levels?

I’m not suggesting that you give up on these Mindfulness practices, because the benefits of them on calming the Mind through Attention (this thing we are losing) Training are undeniable. Start with small time slots of Mindfulness/Meditation and increase them over time.

What I want you to know is that there is no single formula that works for everyone, since each and every one of us operates from a unique Mindset and experiences that shape our lives, we must first understand our own unique state of being and mind to start adopting the methods that work for us. How you perceive and react to stressful events is more important to your health than how frequently you encounter stress, according to health researchers from Penn State and Columbia University.*** So I just want to direct you into the concept of;

-          Recognizing your stress triggers that tip you into over or under stimulation

-         Be aware of the natural fluctuations that occur in terms of your stress response & your coping response

-         Be curious about your emotions and the physical sensations involved

-         Try understanding the situations, the people, the events that can tip you off your optimal state. Stand as an observer and don't take things personal.

-         Have a Positive Outlook not just Positive thoughts.  There’s a huge difference between the two. 

These are all important ways to help you "start" developing practices that work for you to reduce your stress levels and build your Mental and Emotional Resilience muscles.

I'm a firm believer and an advocate of "when we understand, then we can change..."