Stress is a normal part of our lives. We wake up with it (as a short burst of cortisol awakens the senses); we live with it during our working hours, and we try to bring it down before night falls. Our bodies are designed to recuperate from any form of stress; the science behind it has affirmed that stress recovery systems are embedded in our DNA.
What is the solution of managing stress? The association between stress and the workplace is one of the most common denominators and has, unfortunately, elicited several negative consequences when consistently going through these motions of unease. Called distress, we are living in a world where stressors are growing in abundance, and we battle to negate the often harmful effects it brings forward. The rise of our cortisol levels also taps into one of our autonomic nervous systems – the sympathetic nervous system – connected to our fight or flight behaviours. We either battle on or run away from it, yet none of these methods mitigates the issue at large.
Controlling our cortisol levels during bouts of distress is one of the main tasks to intercept once the stress is rising. Checking in with ourselves, and identifying the situation or trigger that spikes your cortisol, are part of a stress-releasing procedure we have included in our personal training programmes since our inception. Through breathwork, assessing the situation and taking a step back, Aspire has helped countless clients across the world battle stress by using simple, yet effective methods.
While the above depicts and dissects the distress factor, good stress is achieved in numerous ways. By reframing the stressor into something our body ‘enjoys’ and becoming more resilient, it comes as no surprise that exercise regularly raises the levels of eustress (good stress). By challenging our body, cortisol also can fuel our body with the extra energy needed to lift up that dumbbell for one final rep or hit those final few strokes on our rowers.
If you know how to handle stress, you are on the path to better performance on so many levels. If stress dominates your life, reach out to one of our personal trainers and performance coaches in Bangkok on how we can re-energise your productivity.
