The Zen of Zebras

I LOVE ANIMALS! I took this zebra photo, blew it up, and hung it in my home, to remind myself to BREATHE...

Feeling stressed about your jaw issues? It's not just in your head. The rest of your body feels it, too. My  step-mom is a physician and she sent me the great article below. Dealing with TMJ and other jaw problems is really hard. And while you may think you're handling it fine, your body might have other ideas... 

Believe it or not, the same physiological mechanisms that made the zebra run away after being attacked by a lion are at play when you have psychological stress. Lance Luria, MD, vice president and medical director of Mercy Health and Wellness, noted,“When you're under stress, it causes real biochemical changes to take place in your body. Stress is a survival response that was geared to get us out of harm's way. We weren't designed to live with it for years on end."

Because our bodies are a network of interconnecting systems, stress can have an effect on all of them. Over time, it can cause, or aggravate, all kinds of physical and mental issues – including heart disease, depression, sleep disturbances, weight and metabolic disorders, and stomach issues, to name a few. While we may consider ourselves superior to animals in some ways, they have a definite health advantage over us when it comes to their response to stress. 

“Humans have the ability to imagine, react and relive stress. Because we're able to think abstractly (anticipating a problem at work or health issue), we're susceptible to a chronic stress response – which may have serious health consequences,” Dr. Luria stated. “The zebra doesn‟t do that. When the zebra is being attacked by a lion, its stress response is activated. If it survives, the stress response resolves.”

Dr. Luria's reference to the zebra is a nod to the work of Robert M. Sapolsky, professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and a research associate with the Institute of Primate Research at the National Museum of Kenya. In his book, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, Sapolsky explained: 

“For the vast majority of beasts on this planet, stress is about a short-term crisis, after which it's either over with or you're over with. When we sit around and worry about stressful things, we turn on the same physiological responses – but they are potentially a disaster when provoked chronically. A large body of evidence suggests that stress-related disease emerges, predominately, out of the fact that we so often activate a physiological system that has evolved for responding to acute physical emergencies, but we turn it on for months on end, worrying about mortgages, relationships, and promotions.”

In Constant Fight/Flight Mode
So what turns on a stress response? Your brain. If it perceives danger, whether real or imagined,it sends out signals releasing chemical messengers and hormones (including glucocorticoids). These signals instantly activate our body's fight, flight or freeze response. But if the stress doesn't end (the lion isn't vanquished or you still have to face family or financial issues), your body doesn‟t return to normal. Can't we just tell our brains to turn it off? Not exactly. Our conscious brain isn't in complete control. The unconscious and primitive part of our brain runs the stress response and we may not be able to control it.

Here's why: Our nervous system is divided into a voluntary (conscious) system, and an autonomic (unconscious) system. The autonomic system kicks into high gear when there's a perceived danger – whether physical or emotional in nature.

This autonomic system also has two parts. When we're under stress, one part (the sympathetic nervous system) is activated, and the other (the parasympathetic nervous system) slows down. The sympathetic system releases chemicals like epinephrine (adrenaline) as part of the emergency stress response. It increases heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar, for example, maximizing resources that can save your life.

At the same time, the parasympathetic system (the alter ego of the sympathetic system), which normally promotes digestion, energy storage and relaxation, slows or shuts down completely so your body can use all available resources to survive the emergency. In the modern-day world, this may simply be a traffic jam.

“For instance, if you're being chased by a wild beast, your stomach automatically says, "I don't have to process food; I'm more worried about becoming food." So your stomach stops digesting,” Dr. Luria explained. “Your brain directs blood away from some regions, sending it to other areas needed to help you stay alive.”

Warning: Danger Ahead
Although a stress response may be lifesaving in the short term, it can be very detrimental if it becomes chronic. Although stress impacts each of us differently, it's important to know how to recognize signs of stress in ourselves and those around us. In addition to more serious medical issues, stress can also cause:

Cognitive: Memory problems, poor concentration and judgment, increased negative thinking.

Emotional: Moodiness, short temper, irritability, agitation, complaints of feeling overwhelmed, general unhappiness and isolative behavior.
Physical: Frequent colds, increased physical complaints such as feeling worn out and headaches.
Behavioral: Procrastination, neglecting responsibilities and taking unscheduled days off.

Go to Your Happy Place
While we can't all be like zebras, letting go of our stress response as soon as the predator disappears, there are lots of simple things you can do to reclaim your cool when you're feeling frazzled. Here are a few:

Exercise. It helps reduce stress, improves your health and even promotes the growth of new neurons in your brain. 

Try a Relaxation Technique like yoga, meditation, visualization or tai chi – and practice it often. 

Eat a Healthy Diet high in antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables. These may help neutralize toxic free radicals that form in the brain under stress.

Get Enough Rest.

Work at Being an Optimist. People who handle stress well tend to have an optimistic attitude. Try exchanging negative thought patterns and self-talk for a more positive outlook.

Spend Time with People You Enjoy.

Embrace Challenges, have a good sense of humor and believe in a higher purpose. 

Nurture Others: helping those in need can make you feel better about life.

Strive for Control in Your Life: set goals for the things you have control over and follow through with them.

Don't Over-Schedule Yourself. You need unstructured time, too. 

With everything I've been through with my jaw issues, I know I've earned my stripes. Each morning I remind myself to channel my inner zebra ;).