You can be stressed without overloading the body
Our body is built to handle short-term everyday stressors. Day-to-day stress responses are coordinated by the ANS (Autonomic Nervous System). First, the ‘fight-flight’ mode (the SNS) is activated to help us face the challenge. When the challenge is passed, the ‘rest and repair’ mode (the PNS) kicks in.
For example, before a job interview, our heart might race, or we might suddenly need to use the toilet. These are signs that the (SNS) is activated. This doesn’t need to be avoided.
In fact, everytime we move between the SNS and PNS flexibly (SNS<->PNS), we are training the body to automatically deal with future stressors.
Stress can build up in the body.
The effects of bodily stress can build up in the body when the SNS and PNS are not balanced over time. If we don’t enter physiological rest regularly this is like always being in emergency mode without breaks for repairs to be done and resources to be replenished. The body gradually becomes depleted and exhausted.
Our body reacts to stress in similar ways, whether it comes from our body, mind, or things happening around us.