I Experience Stress
Get up, get ready, rush through breakfast, get in the car, arrive at the office, work at least 8 hours, go grocery shopping, hit the gym, or, why not, do some yoga, come home, cook, plan your holidays, sleep if you can.
I don't know about you, but I felt stressed just writing down that string of activities.
And yet... and yet stress isn't always negative.
What is "Stress"?
The first to use the term stress were engineers, to describe the deformation of a material under the effect of an external force.
It entered the medical field only in the 1930s when it was used to define "the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change."
In light of this definition, it can be said that our body is subjected to stress every single moment of our lives. Temperature changes? Stress. Maintaining balance? Stress. Lifting an object? Stress,
And What is "Homeostasis"?
Our body has, in fact, evolved to self-regulate and maintain a stable internal environment, despite variations in the external environment. This capacity is called homeostasis.
When homeostasis is disturbed, the body activates a series of physiological and behavioral responses, mediated by the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, to restore balance.
Thank You, Stress; or Rather, Thank You, Eustress
In short, stress can provide us with the energy and drive needed to face a situation. Without it, there could be no growth. This type of beneficial stress is called "eustress".
During physical activity, for example, the body is subjected to stress, which manifests with symptoms such as increased heart rate and respiration, muscle tension, and the production of hormones like cortisol.
Even when we practice asanas, our body is subjected to stress. Stretching, for example, is one of the many ways we use to deform a material (our body) under the effect of an external force (often gravity). Thanks to this stress, our body can transform and become more flexible.
But Let's Not Make it a Habit
In short, our body is not made to always stay still (even if the brain often thinks differently!).
But neither is it made to live in continuous alert.
Too much stress, too often, becomes distress: it wears down the body and mind, like the frantic daily grind.
The goal is not to eliminate it, but to learn to recognize and use it.
Yoga also serves this purpose: it helps us, through awareness, to recognize the stress we face and to respond in the healthiest way.
Further Reading
