CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND WELLNESS Unlocking the Stress Cycle Imagine you are settling in for another “day in the life” of a lawyer. You grab your coffee and settle in for what you hope will be a productive day. Then, you glance at your email, your heart rate picks up, and you tense up. A client emergency, perhaps? A panicked client, co-worker, or partner? A filing deadline thrown at you? These are all scenarios that lawyers know all too well. And although it may not be heart-pounding, being-chasedby-a-saber-tooth-tiger-level stress, it often exists in at least low doses far too much of the time, which can lead to chronic stress. Chronic stress has been linked to many adverse health effects, including weight gain, cardiovascular disease, a compromised immune system, and impaired cognitive function. Stress is also linked to mental health and professional issues, like depression, anxiety, and burnout. Stress’s effect on the brain is particularly problematic for lawyers, one of the most critical tools we rely on. A 2021 article published by Harvard Medical School titled “Protect Your Brain from Stress” cited evidence that chronic stress may rewire your brain. Research has shown that animals experiencing chronic stress have less activity in their prefrontal cortex, the brain area associated with higher-level thinking and planning. See https://tinyurl.com/ kn3xp7pw. This article will explore practical strategies and creative tools for unlocking the stress cycle to help combat Contributing Authors: Megan M. Moore, Megan Moore, Inc., megan@ meganmooreinc.com, and Heather C. Johnston, Sapphire Law Group, 111 Woodmere Road, Suite 240, Folsom, CA 95630, hjohnston.ca@gmail.com.
chronic stress and keep our bodies and brains healthy. The Physiology of Stress Stress is a natural response to challenging situations. Although stress can be motivating in small doses and helpful in urgent situations, chronic stress can lead to numerous health issues. The “fight, flight, or freeze” response is our body’s ancient survival mechanism, preparing us to confront threats, flee from danger, or sometimes freeze like a deer in headlights. In today’s legal world, however, these responses are often activated inappropriately and at sustained levels. How do we typically deal with stressful emails, client emergencies, or deadlines? Many of us push through the day’s stressors with an activated stress response. Short bursts of stress are expected, and the body is designed to respond to these stressors. The brain triggers a series of events, releasing epinephrine (more commonly known as adrenaline) and glucocorticoids (including cortisol). The body’s muscles tense up, breathing intensifies, and blood vessels rush blood through the body while the heart pounds and the gastrointestinal system reacts, causing butterflies in the stomach. But if that stress continues,
it can lead to over- or under-eating, asthma attacks, high blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack or stroke, inflammation, a suppressed immune system, chronic fatigue, metabolic disorders, and reproductive dysfunction. The response that is helpful in the short term becomes extremely damaging if left unchecked. Not all stress is bad, and interesting research concludes that how you view stress contributes to whether stress is detrimental to your health. The important takeaway is to understand the physiology of stress better, decide how you want to manage stress, and take action to avoid the harmful health effects of chronic stress. Completing the Cycle It’s well known that exercise generally helps reduce stress. We would probably be less stressed if we all had time for the activity we know we need. But many lawyers do not have “time” for exercise, and even those who regularly make time for it may be caught off guard by a more than occasional professional stressor. The good news is that there are other tools you can use. Some don’t take much time and can have a significant impact. The key to unlocking stress is to complete the stress cycle. If you remember nothing else from this article, remember this: Stress is a biological process that needs to run its course—you don’t want to get stuck in idle. Stress is not the enemy; remaining stressed is. Imagine what would happen to a car if it got stuck in idle rather than turning off and resting when it parked in the garage. How quickly would that wear down the engine and all other parts when a car is left running? The same concept applies to our bodies. Our
Published in Probate & Property, Volume 38, No 1 © 2024 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. This information or any portion thereof may not be copied or disseminated in any form or by any means or stored in an electronic database or retrieval system without the express written consent of the American Bar Association.
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