Not much, you might say until you read this story I have come across on Facebook.

A psychologist is teaching his students how to handle stress. He takes a glass of water and shows it to the class in silence. Everyone is expecting questions like “Is it half full or half empty?” Then, he raises the glass and asks: “How much does this glass of water weigh?” Answers range between 250 and 500 ml (that’s about 8 to 17 oz).

The psychologist responds: “Weight doesn’t matter. What matters is how long you are holding the glass. One minute, no problem. One hour, your arm will be sore. One day, your arm will be paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change. Only the length of time changes. The longer you hold the glass, the heavier it feels.”

Stress and worries are similar to a glass of water. The less you think about them, the less effect they will have on you. The more you think about them, the more your heart will hurt. And if you are constantly thinking about them, they will paralyze your mind.

When you come home, leave your stress and worries behind. Let them go before you go to bed. Put down the glass.

I took some liberties with the translation but you get the idea. Carrying stress with you long term can damage your body and mind. Check out 10 possible health issues that may arise from holding onto stress.

Why is that?

Ask your gut

Dr. John Douillard, a well-known alternative medicine expert, explains in his blog the effects of stress on the gut. “80% of the body’s immunity is located in the Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissue (GALT)”. For the lymphatic system to function properly, it needs an alkaline environment. When you’re stressed, your body produces stress fighting hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, both of which are very acidic and create waste products, known as free radicals. Free radicals are “the leading cause of aging, disease, cancer and death”. In this highly acidic environment, the lymphatic system is unable to drain and nourish your body and tissues properly.

Want to melt away your stress? Read my blog on FierceCMO on “5 Stress Busting Techniques”.

Story credit: CAFFEINA Facebook page. The original story is in Italian.
Image by Olha Ruskykh, Pexels