By Penny Finnegan – Stress and Anxiety Therapist
Stress has become an almost unavoidable part of modern life. Whether it’s work deadlines, financial pressures, health concerns, or juggling family responsibilities, stress can creep into our daily routines, often without us even realising its full impact. While some stress can be motivating in the short term, chronic stress (long-term activation of the stress response) can have significant consequences for both the body and mind.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
- What stress and the Stress Response is
- How chronic stress affects your body and mind
- Simple, evidence-based techniques rooted in mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Self Compassion to help manage stress.
What Is Stress? Understanding the Stress Response
Stress is the body’s natural reaction to a perceived threat or challenge. When we experience stress, our brain activates the sympathetic nervous system, triggering the fight-flight-freeze response. This response is designed to protect us – to help us survive immediate danger – by releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
So how does the Stress Response work?
- The amygdala, the brain’s emotional centre, detects a threat (real or perceived).
- The hypothalamus signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol.
- These hormones increase heart rate, blood pressure, and energy levels, preparing the body for action.
- Once the threat is gone, the parasympathetic nervous system helps the body return to a state of balance.
While the stress response is helpful in emergencies, chronic stress keeps the body in a heightened state of alert, which can lead to burnout, anxiety, depression, and physical health issues.
The hidden toll of chronic stress on the body and mind
When stress becomes a daily occurrence, it can take a serious toll on your well-being. Some of the most common effects include:
Mental & emotional impact:
- Increased anxiety and worry
- Difficulty concentrating, or forgetfulness (brain fog)
- Increased irritability or emotional outbursts
- Higher risk of depression
- Disrupted sleep patterns
Physical impact:
- Weakened immune system – high cortisol levels over time suppress the function of white blood cells, making it harder for the body to fight off infections and illnesses.
- Increased muscle tension (leading to headaches, neck & back pain).
- Digestive issues – the gut and brain are closely connected through what’s known as the gut-brain axis. Stress can disrupt this communication, leading to symptoms like bloating, cramping, diarrhoea, or constipation, commonly associated with IBS. In fact, stress is a well-documented trigger for IBS flare-ups.
- Increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure – adrenaline and cortisol, activated by the stress response, lead to a faster heart rate, constricted blood vessels, and elevated blood pressure; when experienced chronically, this can contribute to plaque buildup in arteries and further increase the risk of cardiovascular issues. Stress can also lead to unhealthy coping behaviours like overeating, smoking, or lack of exercise, which can further increase the risk of heart disease.
- Chronic fatigue and exhaustion
Finding relief: Evidence-based techniques to manage stress
As you can see, if left unmanaged, chronic stress can take a significant toll on your overall wellbeing. Fortunately, stress isn’t something you have to live with and the good news is, there are effective, research-backed ways to manage stress symptoms and regain control: Mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Self Compassion offer powerful tools to help retrain your brain, regulate your nervous system, and create a sense of calm.
Let’s take a look at each one here…
1. Mindfulness: training your brain to stay present
Mindfulness helps bring your awareness to the present moment, reducing overthinking and preventing stress from spiralling.
Technique
Try This: 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
This technique is great for moments of overwhelm and anchors you in the present moment, helping to interrupt racing thoughts.
Evidence:
Grounding exercises activate the prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate emotions and reduce anxiety (Siegel, 2010)
2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Reframing stressful thoughts
CBT is a science-backed therapy that helps people recognise and change unhelpful thinking patterns that contribute to stress.
Technique
Try This: Thought reframing exercise
- Write down a stressful thought (e.g., “I’ll never get everything done.”)
- Challenge it: Is this 100% true? What evidence do I have?
- Replace it with a more balanced thought: “I can break this task into smaller steps and tackle it one step at a time.”
By changing the way you interpret stress, you can shift from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered.
Evidence:
Research shows that CBT reduces stress by helping individuals develop healthier coping mechanisms. A 2018 study published in Cognitive Therapy and Research found that CBT significantly lowered cortisol levels and improved emotional resilience (Dugas et al., 2018).
3. Self-Compassion: Reducing self-criticism and cultivating kindness
Stress is often made worse by self-judgment and internal pressure. Self-compassion involves treating yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend, rather than engaging in self-criticism.
Technique
Try This: Self-compassion break
- When stressed, pause and acknowledge your feelings: “This is a difficult moment.”
- Remind yourself: “I’m not alone—many people feel this way.”
- Offer kindness: “I choose to be gentle with myself right now.”
By shifting from self-judgment to self-kindness, it’s possible to reduce stress and create a sense of inner safety and calm.
Evidence:
A study by Neff & Germer (2013) found that practicing self-compassion leads to lower cortisol levels, reduced stress, and greater emotional resilience.
In summary
While stress is an inevitable part of life, it doesn’t have to control you. Why don’t you give the above exercises a try and practice some of these new mental skills? In doing so you can transform your thinking patterns, develop improved emotional regulation skills, experience a reduction in stress and anxiety and approach challenges with a more solution-oriented mindset.
Next Steps:
- Try one of the techniques above and see how it impacts your stress levels.
- Commit to daily relaxation – even 5 minutes can make a difference.
- Consider working with a mindset coach if stress is affecting your well-being.
If you’re ready to learn new skills to manage stress more effectively, join Penny, for our 4-week online programme: “Stress-Free You: Mastering Calm and Control,” starting 4th March, where she’ll dive into practical strategies so that you can feel more calm and in control of your life.
For more information and to book your place, CLICK HERE!. Information is in the drop down menu and to book, click ’Select’ then go to March 4th / 7.30pm on the calendar to register.