Live Whole Health #178: Imagining Danger

One of my favorite books about stress was written by Robert Sapolsky and is called “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers.” Sapolsky makes the point that when a zebra’s stressor has passed—for example, once the lion that was chasing it has been left behind—it stops thinking about that stressor. People, on the other hand, worry about upcoming bills, relationship struggles, aches and pains, and maybe there really are lions out there! We can always find something potentially dangerous to worry about and our body responds as though we are being threatened even when we’re perfectly safe.

In fact, we can start a stress response in our body by picturing something that didn’t actually hurt us, like a close call on a recent drive or a medical test that showed nothing was wrong. Noticing our tendency to anticipate the worst, Mark Twain remarked, “I’ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”

When you find yourself experiencing stress, consider what’s causing it. Is it something that requires an immediate response? Is it thinking about something that happened years ago or a possible event that hasn’t happened yet (and may never happen)? If so, what if you closed your eyes, took some deep breaths, and noticed you were safe?

Looking for ways to lower your stress response and perhaps relieve unnecessary tension? Consider taking a few minutes with Licensed Acupuncturist Stephanie Gregory from the VA Portland Health Care System in this acupressure self-care for headaches video.

For other ways to manage stress, check out how adjusting our surroundings can affect our health and well-being or the many health benefits of relaxed breathing.