An Alarm System in Your Brain: Resolving the Stress Response (Part 2)
KAYLE SANDBERG-LEWIS BCN-FELLOW, M.A., LMT
This is part 2 of a 6 part series, from Kayle Sandberg-Lewis, on how our brains have evolved to deal with threats, both real and perceived and how we may feel safer, sleep better, and digest our food more easily.
In last month’s newsletter, we discussed the brainstem and how it sets off alarms when it perceives something to be life threatening – no matter whether that perception is accurate. Over the next few posts, we will talk about ways to turn off the alarms and, even better, ways to keep them from setting off in the first place.
Let’s start at the end of our stress response.
Future posts will discuss ways to change behaviors to keep from having an overreaction to stressors.
In my last post, I asked you to pretend with me that we were prehistoric mammals, trying to get a meal out on the veld when our pursuit was interrupted by the sudden snapping of a twig – something that could easily indicate a predator was approaching. We held our breath, jerked our heads back & swivelled our ears around to ascertain more information. If we figured out there was no immediate danger, we probably shuddered, sighed and got back to eating.
What is that about?
The stress response sets in motion a huge cascade of physiological/biochemical responses, preparing the body to run for its life or to fight.* All systems are affected. Cardiovascular, hormonal, neurological, emotional, metabolic, pulmonary, gastrointestinal systems are shifted from low arousal to high arousal and put on red alert. Even our skin changes! Energy is mobilized. What happens to all that energy if it is unnecessary or disproportionate to the situation? How do all those reactions get “undone”?
Keep in mind the brainstem
has not caught up with the modern world. It may interpret something like the phone ringing or a snarky comment on Facebook as a mortal threat. (This happens not because of the words in the post but because of your emotional reaction. The brainstem eavesdrops on your affect and takes its cues accordingly.)
has no language skills – you can’t simply say, “Dear Brainstem, it was a false alarm. We are safe” and expect it to respond properly. You must SHOW it you are safe. But how?
Robert Sapolsky’s Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, (1994), is a detailed account of what unprocessed stress does to the human body and mind. The title gives a hint that zebras have a better coping mechanism than many humans. In 1997, Peter Levine published his revolutionary book, Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. Both men looked to the natural world for insight on how to deal with the stress response. It turns out the shuddering/sighing behavior is therapeutic. It is a universal response among animals when they “get away” from their predators. Through this physical response, the body shifts out of red alert and communicates to the brainstem all is safe.
What if there isn’t a “major” event that has a clear end but instead a chronic stressor like an irritating coworker or recurring problem with transportation? Maybe the landlord hasn’t addressed a leaky faucet. Your brainstem may still send signals through your system that there is constant danger because it just doesn’t “get” nuance. Even more onerous are the day-to-day grinding indignities due to systemic racial and/or sexual discrimination. Unlike after a confrontation with a clear end, you are not apt to go through the shudder/sigh release automatically because the stressor is ongoing.
In my last post, I spoke of the subterfuge of fooling your brainstem into thinking the world is a safe place. We can do that by behaving as though we are safe, even though the more evolved parts of our brains are aware of the existence of hazards in the world. We just need to keep that information from affecting our brainstems. There are many cues the brainstem is “reading” to figure out how to respond. If your behavior is convincing, the brainstem will turn off the alarm. “Things must be OK if she’s doing THAT.”
To be effective, you must retrain yourself to release the pent-up energy as soon as you are able. In Walking Your Blues Away, (2006), Thom Hartmann makes an excellent case for processing emotions through swinging the arms in alternate rhythm to the legs (also called “cross crawl”) while walking. Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski, Burnout (2020), stress the need to “complete the stress cycle” through running, dancing, or other vigorous physical activities.
By releasing the stress response, you can save yourself from accumulating the effects chronic stress has on your body. Stress and trauma are experienced physiologically and must be released physically. No matter what your physical abilities, there are exercises that help this process. Whatever exercise you choose, doing it long enough to sweat is generally even more helpful.
In future newsletters we will work our way back through the stress response, discussing ways to prevent overreaction. It is possible you are unaware of the power you possess to function more comfortably in the world. I am happy to help you discover it.
*Humans are in what can be a confusing situation because we evolved from prey to being able to be predators, although not all of us experience our lives that way. Much of how we respond has to do with perceived power and size differential. When we feel powerless and we see no escape, we are more apt to freeze than to fight.
Kayle Sandberg-Lewis holds a M.A. in Behavioral Medicine, the study of how what we do affects our well-being. She has over three decades experience in stress management and is board certified in neurofeedback, which she introduced to her practice in 1996. Kayle co-founded Hive Mind Medicine in 2019, where she currently offers neurofeedback to her clients. Telehealth consults are available.
Hive Mind Medicine blog posts are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. Please consult with your health care practitioner for personalized guidance. Click on the contact button below if you would like to schedule with one of our Hive Mind practitioners.