The Stress Bucket Explained

STRESS BUCKET MODEL

The Stress Bucket Model gives us the easiest-to-understand explanation. Stress exists in various forms. It could be psychological, physiological or even environmental. For example, lack of sleep, skipping breakfast, missing the train, an over-demanding boss, going over the top at the gym, bad weather, a nagging wife/husband, alcohol, cigarettes, staying up late watching TV, being late the next day for work… You get the picture.

These are all stress factors. Now imagine you have a bucket, and all this stress’ falls into this bucket in the form of water. How big the bucket is and how heavy it can get depends on the person carrying it. His physique, strength, lifestyle and mood play a role in defining his stress tolerance level. But no matter who is holding the bucket, one thing for sure is that the bucket will overflow at some point. This is the breaking point of the person. But that is only half the story.

The other half of the stress bucket model concerns stress release mechanisms such as – sleep, listening to soothing music, a healthy diet or maybe just sharing a laugh with friends! These stress-relieving activities are the holes in the bucket through which the accumulated stress is discarded. It is of the utmost importance that the stress input does not exceed the output.

“High-stress output is the key here, and we must choose our activities and lifestyle accordingly.”

Professional athletes, bodybuilders, martial artists etc., do not begin their career with 8 hours at the gym right from day 1. They build this tolerance over time. But more importantly, they have figured out effective coping mechanisms that aid in releasing the accumulated stress and fastening the recovery process.

HOW MUCH STRESS CAN YOUR BODY TAKE?

As a Thai boxing champ for 3 consecutive years before retirement, I often train professional boxers at the gym. Now, these guys are on another level, training and conditioning their bodies for 6 to 7 hours daily. So how come they do it for years without “Overtraining” while others burn out after just a week of ‘hard’ training?

To put it simply, I would say stress management. The secret lies in maintaining a high-stress tolerance level and systematically releasing excess stress. But how much is too much?

6 Effective ways to empty that stress bucket

STRETCHING

After a solid workout or sitting for long hours in front of the computer at your  9-5 job, muscles tend to get tense, and the body begins to feel rigid. Left unattended, these could also cause chronic pain, especially around the neck, shoulders, and back. Stretching improves blood circulation, relaxing the muscles and releasing stress. The improved blood circulation, in turn, improves cardiovascular health. It also helps to shift the body from a catabolic state (during a workout) to an anabolic state (recovery).

Stretching slows down the heart rate and signals the nervous system to decrease the production of stress hormones. While improving circulation, stretching also sends new blood to the brain, which enhances our mood. And the mood is a major psychological stress factor. Fitness professionals have long known the importance and benefits of stretching. I always advise my students to perform a stretching activity, such as a yoga class, to counter stress.

ICE BATHS

Ice baths are one of my favourite stress bucket release methods. Many elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts also use it for its effectiveness. It works because when you sit in an ice bath, the body is exposed to freezing temperatures. This constricts the blood vessels, contrary to the warming up caused by the workout. This alteration helps to discard the waste and toxins from the blood vessels, namely the lactic acid formed during the exercise, from the exercise. Too much lactic acid in the body can cause fatigue and a ‘delayed onset of muscle soreness’ (DOMS).

The cold temperature also slows the body’s metabolism and prevents muscle swelling. When you leave the ice bath, the body begins to warm up again, aborting fresh oxygen into the blood vessels and delivering it to the muscles for recovery. Besides relieving stress, ice baths improve alertness and immunity due to enhanced blood circulation. They are also known to fight depression by activating the sympathetic nervous system. No wonder ice baths are a favourite post-workout stress release for many!

MEDITATION

Meditation can work wonders with mental stress, and there are a lot of physical benefits to meditation. It puts you in a positive mood and tends to calm you down. This has a significant impact on lowering anxiety levels and depression, two very emotionally taxing ailments.

But the real benefit of meditation is in the long-term use of it. It helps to shift our perspective positively, thus changing how we perceive and react to stress. The breathing techniques usually associated with meditation help improve the oxygen supply to the major organs. Along with its extraordinary impact in easing mental stress, meditation also lowers the heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol level, significant factors contributing to physical stress.

FRIENDS

We are social creatures, and our friends are one of our most treasured assets. One way you might not have thought would empty that stress bucket would be to hang out with your friends. They are treasured mainly for the way they make us feel, which is, of course, a positive feeling. When we feel loved and accepted. We are relaxed and stress-free!

Studies even show that friends tend to increase longevity. On the other hand, the lack of friends may cause depression, anxiety, and weight gain. Being with good friends releases oxytocin which in turn boosts serotonin levels. These two, or rather, our friends, literally keep our stress at bay!

EMPTY THAT STRESS BUCKET!

When the stress bucket overflows, your system goes into a critical state, and side effects of too much stress, such as overtraining syndrome, set in. Maintaining low-stress levels is very important to avoid such chronic consequences and improve the quality of life in general.

I have shared with you here some of the most effective stress-release methods. However, one must also give equal importance to a good diet and a healthy lifestyle. Maybe you have devised some practical ways to tackle stress yourself. In this case, you should consider sharing it in the comments and then share this article with your friends since helping others is a proven way to decrease stress levels.