How to Improve Your Stress Tolerance

Most of us deal with stress to varying degrees every day. Yet we all seem to have different levels of tolerance for handling it.

For some, stress is easier to take (or they even enjoy it!) but others have a lower tolerance so they will feel the physical effects of stress more quickly, and more harshly, throughout their life.

Mismanaged stress wreaks havoc on the mind and body. The Canadian Men's Health Foundation refers to it as a "silent killer" that can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, chest pain and an irregular heartbeat. The American Institute of Stress believes it's the cause of 60 percent of all human illnesses(1) and three-quarters of all visits to the doctor.

Fortunately, the reverse is also true: When properly managed, stress can be highly beneficial.

The key is learning how much stress you can handle and then develop effective strategies to recover from it.

If you feel like you get easily thrown off by stress, the good news is that you can do something about it! You can take steps to improve your stress tolerance

How can stress affect the brain?

When we are stressed, our bodies produce stress hormones that keep our brains from performing at their peak. Research by neurobiologist Amy Arnsten at Yale Medical School(2) has shown that too much of the stress hormone dopamine, for instance, inhibits the prefrontal cortex.

Too much stress can result in a poor decision-making, memory problems and an inability to control impulses and regulate behavior, not to mention the physical effects on the body.

At the same time, stress hormones activate the area of the amygdala which is connected to our quick, fight-or-flight reactions that help us respond to threats and keep us safe. These include quick, reflexive thinking and action – it is not a place of nuanced thinking – as well as increased heart rate and breathing. In a dangerous situation, this is what we need.

But most of the time, we’d like to connect to the prefrontal cortex for a more reasoned response.

In fact, research has shown that when stress remains over longer periods, it actually causes nerve damage in the prefrontal cortex. Arnsten’s study showed that this damage can begin after only a week of stress.

And, not surprisingly, chronic stress (3) has been linked to greater risk of health problems such as heart disease, weight gain, digestive problems, sleep disorders, anxiety and depression.

In fact, believing that we have some control over our stress is actually one of the ways to increase stress tolerance.

Even when we can’t control external circumstances, which is often, there are things we can do. Her In fact, believing that we have some control over our stress is actually one of the ways to increase stress tolerance.

Even when we can’t control external circumstances, which are often, there are things we can do. Here are 8 of them

Spend Time With Yourself:

Ask yourself: “Am I giving too much to others and not enough for myself? Do I need to take time to pamper myself?” If the answers are “yes,” refuse to feel guilty about it and do it!

If you feel guilty when you do something enjoyable for yourself, chances are you will stop doing it. Ultimately, you lose. You may be living your life through other people’s standards and expectations. Take control of your guilt-producing thoughts. Focus on the benefits to you and your family that will occur when you are a more relaxed and energized person.

Find opportunity in the challenge:

Stress makes us single-minded, so negatives loom large and positives fly under the radar. "Stress is designed to focus our attention or energy so we can overcome the threat," Ballard says.

That intensity works for time-sensitive, high-stakes issues, but most stressors are less immediate. In those cases, focusing on the problem exclusively is overwhelming and unproductive. Instead, look for new opportunities that this stressor creates, such as ways to make your company more efficient or improve communication.

"People who have trouble bouncing back often see that challenge as completely insurmountable," Ballard says. An optimistic attitude will help you tolerate a lot more stress with ease

Spend Your Time with Your Family Friends:

Building stronger family boundaries will help decrease your level of stress and increase the level of empathy, love and support around you. Establish “Family Dinner Fridays” when everyone will prepare and eat a healthy meal. Sit at a table and share a meaningful conversation with your loved ones. No TV or cell phones allowed!

Build in recovery time:      

Our bodies evolved to tolerate stress in short bursts; to put all our energy toward a threat, then relax again when it's gone. Breaks between stressors allow us to recover, but few people take them today. "Many workplaces function in a state of chronic stress," Ballard says, leaving us depleted and short-fused.

Stress-induced smoking, drinking, overeating, or Internet surfing only compound the problem. Those activities feel stress-relieving, but they don’t reset your system. To unwind effectively, try active hobbies such as sports or volunteer work, tech-free relaxation like meditation, yoga, or reading, 

and sleep at least six hours a night. The more you choose those activities, the better you'll cope with stress.

Walk every day:

Walk by yourself or with a friend (4) Talk about possibilities, not problems.

Taking a walk in the part could actually shift your brain into a calmer state, according to recent research. A UK study found that walking through green spaces can put the brain into a meditative state. The act is found to trigger “involuntary attention (5)

A number of studies have found time outdoors to relieve stress, and also improve memory and attention: Even when it’s cold, taking a walk outside can improve memory and attention span by up to 20 percent. Walking outdoors has also been shown to improve energy levels. Try walking outside for 20-30 minutes several times per week to alleviate stress and give your mind a boost.

Daily Exercise:

For most people, Daily exercise elevates mood. Repeated studies with humans have shown that regular workouts can increase stress resistance, decrease anxiety, lessen symptoms of depression and generally leave people cheerful (6)

Exercise will do more to reduce stress hormones and chemicals (7) in our body than any other activity.

Keep Focus On Impportant Goals:

One cause of internal stress is not paying attention to what you want or what really matters to you. If you don’t feel good about what you’re doing, you can be stressed even in a low-pressure situation. Conversely, if you value what you’re doing, then you feel good about it and are better able to handle any difficulty that comes with that. Also, checking in with what matters to you helps activates that CEO of your brain, the prefrontal cortex. So it’s worth figuring out what you value (8) if you want to better manage your stress.

See Also:

1. How can be stress effects on Health
2. Prevention is Batter than Cure
3. Stress can weaken Your Immune System
4. How to Make the world a better place
5. How to improve your self esteem

Allow yourself 8 Hours of interrupted Sleep:      

If you can’t find time sleep for 8 hours(9) take a power-nap during a day. This strategy is vital for reducing stress. When you go to bed, leave your cell phone outside of the bedroom or at least turn it off. Listen to some relaxing music. Light some candles. Think about something pleasant. If you live in a city, use earplugs to avoid being disturbed by loud noise. If you don’t have the ability to sleep for 8 hours a night, take 1-2 power-naps throughout the day. It will help you recharge your batteries and allow for new, fresh energy, creativity and positive mood..

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