Caroline Douglas lives in Hertfordshire and works for healthcare organisations and with individuals to improve all areas of their well-being ranging from stress to happiness and failure to success.
Have you noticed when you’re stressed that you can’t seem to think clearly? Why is that?
Well, when you experience stress, a cascade of 1,400 different biochemicals are released by your body as soon as it senses stress. These hormones and neurotransmitters affect how you perceive and feel. The two main hormones released when you’re stressed are adrenaline and cortisol. Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone”.
Stress also releases other catecholamines (neurotransmitters) that deactivate the prefrontal cortex of the brain, a higher cognitive centre critical for effective concentration, planning and decision making. This explains why we have trouble thinking clearly when we’re stressed. So stress affects our thoughts and thinking patterns.
How does stress affect how you see things?
When you’re stressed and focused on the same thought, you’re locked in your head, which not only affects the way you think, but also your vision and how you see things. Have you ever lost something like a purse, wallet, keys etc and noticed how sometimes you start to panic and frantically start looking for it and can’t find it. Your whole body and mind goes into stress mode, which then affects your thinking and your vision, so your mind is blocked and only focused on stress and worrying about finding this item. The more you try to look for something, the more stressed and rushed you become and this affects your thinking and vision. Then when you’re so fed and finally let go, you find it. Why is that?
I remember when I lost a large sum of money and immediately felt very stressed and worried in my mind and body. I looked everywhere and couldn’t find it. The strange thing though was when I stopped looking for it, relaxed and let go, I then found it in the place I’d already searched many times. So, this is proof that being stressed somehow affects your vision. When your mind is relaxed and calm and you’ve let go of trying to find something, you’re more likely to think and see more clearly and find what you’ve been looking for, which is usually right under your nose!
How does stress affect your hearing?
Again, when we’re stressed, our thinking is blocked and unclear. It feels like there is a thick mist over our mind and all we’re thinking about is what we’re stressed out about. So, when someone is trying to help you, you just don’t hear them, or if you do, you misinterpret what they’ve said. I have noticed that when I’m really stressed, I just can hear what anyone else is saying, because I’m locked up in my head and thoughts.
How does stress affect your thoughts & thinking patterns?
Stress can affect our thoughts and thinking patterns in the following ways:
• Block our thinking
• Distort our thinking patterns
• Can stop any fresh thoughts, ideas and solutions coming through
• Muddle our thinking
• Keep us focused on the stressful thought or problem
As you keep thinking the same thought, it starts flashing up in your mind like an irritating advert. Then as you put more energy and time into that thought, the bigger and more real it becomes, until it feels like you’re in a horrible movie that you’ve unconsciously created. Have you experienced this before and do you understand what I mean?
I would like to share with you a time when I was really worried and stressed, which was when my mum was in intensive care this year. I felt naturally very stressed, sad and worried and found myself thinking about her over and over again. One day, I started to observe how I kept doing this and found that it began by thinking about my mum and as I did that, a little picture would appear in my mind. I then found myself playing this same picture in my mind over and over again, as if I had the play button on constantly, which then caused me to feel more and more down and worried. Once I became aware of this, I started to initially play the same scene, but briefly and then started to focus on something completely different, like watching a funny movie listening to some music or talking to someone, which really helped. So, it’s really important to either focus on something completely different, and preferably something more positive and to do some kind of relaxation, which would help you to relax and calm your mind.
My top three tips for thinking more clearly and effectively
• When you start to feel stressed, start to slow and calm your breathing down by gently focusing on your breath. As you start to do this, you will notice your thoughts starting to calm and slow down
• Become gently aware of what you’re thinking and where your thoughts are taking you and notice what meaning you are giving to them, which will help you understand them more.
• Focus on something completely different and either go for a walk, or if at work walk into another room, or failing that go into the toilets and focus on your breathing
It’s far too stressful trying to control our thoughts and forcing ourselves to think more positively, it’s much, kinder, simpler and more powerful to become gently aware of the quality of your thinking, including your breathing.
The only way to know if any of the above stuff is true for you and works is to try it out and experiment with it.
