Understanding Stress: Its Impact, Benefits, and Ways to Manage It

November 5 is Stress Awareness Day. Carole Spiers, chair of the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), created the day to help us recognize and manage stress in both our professional and personal lives. Stress is often associated with negative feelings, but not all stress is inherently negative. Let’s take a look at what stress is, examine the role of stress in the body, and explore how you can harness and reduce stress to help improve your sense of well-being.

Whether it’s the ongoing challenges you face in veterinary practice, social commitments you might be dreading, or that never-ending to-do list weighing on you, stress creeps in to almost every aspect of our lives. Stress can influence our physical, mental, and emotional health.

Stress is essentially the body’s response to external or internal stressors disrupting homeostasis. Stress can be acute, chronic, episodic acute, traumatic, environmental, physiologic, or psychological. However, any type of stress results in the same stress response, which involves activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic-adreno-medullary (SAM) axis, along with the immune system.

As you likely know, acute stress has a purpose: to warn us of a perceived threat or actual impending danger so we can react appropriately. When we face a challenging or dangerous situation, this “fight-or-flight” response (also called the “fight, flight, freeze, or fawn” response) of the sympathetic nervous system triggers the release of stress hormones like adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol. These hormones prepare your body to react fast: Your heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, and energy levels spike, equipping you to confront or escape the challenge.

Stress is a biological response that has been vital for human survival, enabling quick reactions in dangerous situations. Once the danger has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system (or “rest-and-digest” system) calms the body by slowing heart rate and reducing blood pressure.

Not all stressors are inherently negative. When we refer to physiologic stress, good stress or “eustress” can promote action and achievement. Eustress is what we feel when we’re excited. It can be a motivating force: sharpening focus, increasing productivity and performance, and promoting growth. Unlike bad stress, eustress is not overwhelming; it feels manageable. Learning a new skill, preparing for a presentation, and working toward a fitness goal can all generate eustress.

The positive effects of good stress include:

• Enhanced motivation. Eustress can push you to perform your best.

• Improved focus. It enhances concentration, making tasks seem more manageable.

• Creativity boost. Moderate stress can stimulate innovative thinking as your brain adapts to new challenges.

• Personal growth. Overcoming challenging but manageable situations fosters resilience and builds confidence.

For example, diagnosing and treating a tough case or managing a complex medical condition can be stressful but also cultivates a sense of accomplishment. Other examples of eustress are taking continuing education courses or pursuing a veterinary specialty, both of which will enhance your knowledge and can lead to increased job satisfaction and career advancement.

In moderation, stress can be beneficial. But there is a dark side to stress. Chronic, intense, or episodic acute stress can wreak havoc on your health. Commonly referred to as distress, persistent acute stress or prolonged stress can affect all body systems and lead to a wide range of physical and mental health problems, including:

• Cardiovascular issues. Long-term stress can cause inflammation and oxidative stress, promoting atherosclerosis and raising the risk of heart disease.

• A weakened immune system. Chronically elevated cortisol levels impair immune function, making people more susceptible to infections.

• Respiratory issues. Compromised immune function can exacerbate existing respiratory conditions like asthma.

• Digestive problems. Stress can affect digestion and may even disrupt the balance of the gut microbiota, leading to indigestion, heartburn, and gastrointestinal discomfort and dysfunction.

• Musculoskeletal conditions. Chronic stress can contribute to conditions like tension headaches, temporomandibular joint disorders, and low back pain.

• Sleep disturbances. Ongoing stress can interfere with sleep, leading to fatigue and decreased cognitive function.

• Mental health conditions. Chronic stress has been linked to anxiety disorders, depression, and burnout.

• Weight fluctuations. Stress can lead to overeating or loss of appetite, as well as lack of exercise, which can affect body weight and overall health.

You may have experienced distress from working too many hours, carrying educational debt, or losing a patient. Administrative challenges like paperwork and regulatory compliance can also cause distress.

Although we may not have much (or any) control over these types of stressors at work, we can take steps to help build long-term resilience against stress. Start by:

• Not ignoring signs of stress. As always, first visit your healthcare provider if you’re having health symptoms.

• Taking breaks. Short, regular breaks during work hours can improve focus and reduce tension.

• Setting boundaries. Set clear, realistic limits on working hours, and consider saying no when your workload exceeds your capacity.

• Growing your skills. Build confidence and reduce some job-related stress through training.

• Finding a mentor. A veterinarian who has been through similar challenges could help you handle them with less stress.

• Seeking support. Joining a support group can be a great way to connect with others. The groups we offer at the Veterinary Hope Foundation reflect the concerns and needs of veterinary practitioners and provide a safe space and community of respect and acceptance.

In your personal life, try these strategies:

• Exercise regularly. A daily walk or yoga session can reduce stress levels.

• Practice mindfulness or meditation. These states can help calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and improve emotional resilience.

• Get adequate sleep. Create a relaxing bedtime routine, and try to avoid screens at least an hour before sleep.

• Prioritize good nutrition. Eating a balanced diet supports overall health and can help prevent the digestive issues that can accompany stress.

• Try a new hobby or keep up with one you enjoy. Engage in leisure activities you love to help you recover from stress and stay more resilient.

• Lean into your social network. Having coffee or tea or sharing a meal with friends or family members who you enjoy spending time with can help change the way we respond to stress and protect against depression and anxiety.

In today’s veterinary industry, avoiding stress is next to impossible. But by finding healthy ways to manage and counteract bad stress and promoting eustress, we can start to take back control and breathe easier (both literally and figuratively).