Chased by a Dinosaur!

When asked "What is stress?" many of my students say things like: "stress is when my shoulders get tight," or "stress is what happens when my life feels out of control."
Those are good answers. But there is a way of answering "what is stress" that goes even deeper into the core issues so that we have more effective options for handling stress.

Stress is a body survival mechanism.
If human beings were not capable of having stress reactions, our species would have died out a long time ago.

For a simple example, we can think about deer.
When a deer is in the wild, it runs away from any threat. Sometimes the deer thinks that the threat is a predator that can run faster than the deer itself. In those cases, the deer freezes.

The deer tenses to the point where it stops moving at all. The instinct to freeze creates a situation where a predator is less likely to see the deer.

The deer also holds its breath. The instinct to hold the breath creates a situation where a predator is less likely to smell the movement of air coming from the deer.

Tensing and holding the breath.
Sound familiar?
Those are the two most basic stress reactions in humans as well. They are stress reactions that served humanity well when we lived in natural settings where predators were the primary danger.
But times have changed. Humans have changed the environment for our safety and convenience. And one unfortunate consequence is that cars accidentally hit deer that stop in the headlights. Deer perceive cars as fast moving predator. It is clear to the deer that a car is faster and can overtake the deer. Therefore the deer's animal instincts tell it to freeze.

Being unable to counteract this instinct has disastrous consequences for the deer.

Luckily for humans, we have the ability to use techniques to work with our instincts and overcome non-natural phenomena like speeding cars. We have the ability to acknowledge our instincts for what they are, and work with them in order to live more fully in modern life.

Tensing and holding the breath are deeply ingrained instincts. So it's a smart idea to regularly and intentionally practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques. Yoga classes are an excellent way to support yourself in these practices.