Not all stress is bad. In fact, some stress is good – like the kind we feel when we start a new job, fall in love, or take on an exciting challenge. This “positive stress” helps us take action and stay alert, thanks to our body’s built-in survivial mechanism: the fight or flight response.
The trouble is, whether we’re running from danger or racing to catch a flight, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) reacts the same way – by flooding our bodies with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These chemicals cause predictable changes: increased heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose, respiration and perspiration, as well as dilated pupils and the release of fats into the bloodstream. But living in this heightened state long-term takes a toll.
Chronic Stress and the Body
The body wants balance – the five-dollar word for this is homeostasis. In order to achieve homeostasis, the body adapts to the constant exposure to stress hormones, almost like building up tolerance. Over time, circulating stress hormones can:
- Disrupt sleep
- Alter hunger cues
- Lower sex drive
- Weaken the immune system
- Impair recovery from illness
- Increase blood pressure and heart disease risk
- Decrease bone density
- Affect mood, increasing anger and depression
Stress can be triggered by many things, typically falling into four main categories:
- Major life events (e.g., divorce, death)
- Ambient strains (e.g., feeling unsafe in your neighborhood)
- Role strains (e.g., job demands, workplace hierarchy)
- Quotidian stress (activities of a repeated nature like commuting)
Much of the research on stress relies on self-reported data. Interestingly, individuals who report poor oral health also report higher received stress levels.
What Stress Does to the Mouth
The impact of stress isn’t limited to the body, it affects the mouth too. Populations with lower socioeconomic status tend to have poorer oral health outcomes, even when access to care is factored in. one study of Japanese businessmen, for example, found that long work hours, sleep deprivation, and high emotional stress were associated with increased cavities and gum disease.
That’s because oral health shares risk factors with many chronic diseases: poor diet, hygiene habits, smoking, alcohol use, trauma – and yes, stress. Stress can increase harmful behaviors like tobacco use, alcohol abuse, sedentary behavior, or overeating and decrease motivation for preventive care.
There’s also a physiological impact: chronic stress raises allostatic load, the wear and tear on the body from sustained stress. This can affect immune function, slow healing, and even alter gene expression through epigenetics – meaning stress can actually turn on or off genes involved in inflammation and disease.
How to Cope: Simple, Research-Backed Strategies
Move your Body
This value of moving our bodies is so universally known that I considered keeping it off this list but decided to include it anyway because one of the biggest obstacles is getting started. Physical movement helps regulate stress hormones, boosts mood, and improves sleep.
Movement doesn’t have to be about going to the gym or having the right equipment, if you’re new to exercise start small. Try getting up from your desk every 30 to 60 minutes – set a timer if you have to. Take the stairs, walk rather than drive when possible, or find a parking spot farther away. It’s important to find something you enjoy and variety keeps things interesting. We can all benefit from a change of routine, it makes me think about my dog. When I take her on a walk around the neighborhood, she’s happy, when I take her for a walk at the beach, she’s beside herself!
Practice Meditation
The benefits of meditation are perhaps most associated with reduced stress and anxiety. Mindfulness promotes positive emotions by shifting our focus to a more calming mental state and reduces cortisol levels. Meditation is also linked with improved emotional regulation and sleep patterns. Meditation doesn’t just reduce stress – it changes your brain and body. Did you know that the healing powers of meditation have been linked to reduced inflammation – a known underlying cause for most of our chronic diseases today. In fact, meditation can promote anti-inflammatory genes through epigenetics and turn down proinflammatory genes. Meditation and mindfulness influences gene expression!
Meditation may also slow down the aging process by preserving telomeres (the protective caps on chromosomes).
A multi-year study at the University of Wisconsin found that persons who practiced meditation had an improved response to the flu vaccine and got sick less often. Meditation can also improve immune function!
If you have time do some research on your own, the benefits go beyond the list here.
Lean on Your People
Humans are social creatures and nearly all of us benefit from social and emotional support. When we feel connected, we experience improved self-esteem and confidence in our ability to handle problems. Text, leave a voice note, or call a friend, sister, or someone who supports you. Connection calms the nervous system, and healthy relationships are an important part of physical and mental wellbeing.
Don’t expect people to reach out to you, you have to make an effort. That may sound harsh as making friends and connections does not come naturally to all of us. Keep in mind that most friends are not one-size-fits-all and that different relationships offer different types of support. You may not get a deep connection from a co-worker, but they can offer humor and companionship that make the workday easier while a fellow parent might offer shared experience you can relate to. Know that people need you as much as you need them.
Reframe Negative Thoughts
Reframing can be a powerful tool. Start by flipping the script:
- Worried about an upcoming party? “What if no one likes me?” –> “What if they do?”
- Nervous about going for a promotion? “I don’t have enough experience.” –> “I’ve learned a lot and I’m ready to grow.”
It’s not always that easy, and it may be important to explore the underlying fear. Take a pencil to paper and make a table to help you explore the limiting belief. For instance, say you’re applying for a promotion and find yourself with negative thoughts like, “I don’t have enough experience to be a manager.” Try to get to the root of the fear – is it because you feel ill-equipped? Inadequate? An imposter? Then make a list of the facts in the third column. In this example perhaps the facts are 1) you finished the company managerial training 2) when coworkers seek answers, you’re the person they go to and/or 3) you don’t have any managerial experience but you’re ready to try.
Remember: thoughts are not facts. You’re not inadequate, you’re learning.
Practice controlling your thoughts
Negative thoughts are inevitable. It can be helpful to practice controlling your thoughts. This goes back to mindfulness – the practice of resisting negative thoughts improves neuroplasticity. You can change the way your brain is wired by reigning in your thoughts. Practicing mindfulness is like a brain gym!
Plan and Organize
Arguably not my strong suit, but that aside, I know a clean workspace and simple systems can hep reduce stress. I’m a big fan of the Big A## Calendar. It’s exactly what it sounds like, a big wall calendar that allows you to see the month and year at a glance. It’s a great way for the whole family to know what’s coming up. I also share my phone calendar with my husband so we both know what’s going on day-to-day. Life is busy and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when we are disorganized but small tweaks can bring big relief from chaos.
Final Thought
Stress is a normal part of life. But suffering doesn’t have to bee. With the right tools and support, we can shift form fight-or-flight to rest-and-recover, and protect both our smiles and our well being.