A word on stress and when the balance gets lost
We often talk about stress as something negative. But stress itself isn’t the enemy.
Stress is a natural response of the body to pressure, challenge, or perceived threat. It’s part of our built-in survival system, designed to help us react, focus, and mobilise energy when we need it. Our heart rate may increase, our attention becomes sharper, and hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released. In short bursts, this response can actually be useful. It can help us perform, react quickly, or rise to a challenge. The problem isn’t stress itself.
The problem begins when we don’t get enough opportunity to recover.
When stress doesn’t switch off
Our bodies are designed to move between activation and recovery. A demanding conversation. A deadline. A difficult day. Even an exciting new challenge can activate our stress response. Ideally, once the moment has passed, our system begins to settle again.
But modern life doesn’t always work that way. Work, constant availability, worries, lack of sleep, endless information and everyday responsibilities can keep us in a state of low-level stress for much longer than we realise. Over time, chronic stress can affect our sleep, mood, concentration, energy and overall wellbeing. That’s why managing stress isn’t about creating a perfectly stress-free life.
It’s about learning how to come back down.
Find what works for you
Here’s the thing: there isn’t one perfect way to reduce stress. A long run might completely reset one person and exhaust another. Meditation can be wonderful for some and frustrating for others. Maybe your reset is walking outside. Cooking. Movement. Music. Being alone. Calling someone you love. Working in the garden. Or simply putting your phone away for a while.
What works for someone else doesn’t necessarily have to work for you.
Finding your own way back to calm takes a little curiosity and sometimes a little trial and error.
Listen to yourself. Notice what actually makes you feel different afterwards, not what you think should make you feel better.
A MALOCLO thought
Health isn’t about eliminating stress. Stress is part of being alive. It’s about creating enough moments of recovery between the things that demand something from us. And those moments don’t always have to be big.
A small practice
At the end of today, ask yourself two simple questions:
Where did I experience stress today? And where did I experience recovery?
Maybe it was ten minutes outside, a good conversation, movement, cooking dinner, or simply doing nothing for a moment.
Start noticing your own patterns. Your way back to calm may already be there.
If you’d like to explore further
For an accessible and practical perspective on stress and everyday health, I recommend The Stress Solution by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee.
Until next time.
Stef 🌿
