PHOENIX — Record-high inflation, the cost of the holidays, and fear of a recession are all factors leading to compound stress in patients Dr. Patrick Porter works with.
Dr. Porter, a neurotech expert and the inventor of BrainTap, an app that guides users through “brain exercises”, explained compound stress as stress that continues to build.
“A lot of times [when] we take a stress test, they're gonna ask about your relationships, about your job, about your retirement, about all these different things we were supposed to be working on,” Dr. Porter said. “But then they bring light to it. And then we start realizing, ‘Hey, we didn't take care of those things.’”
The buildup of stress, known as compound stress, is often amplified by the holiday season. With more time off during the holidays, Dr. Porter says, people feel overwhelmed by their to-do lists at home.
“Now they've got a lot of idle time. Now they start thinking about things that they weren't thinking about before. And if they turn to a dark side of those things, then it can get pretty bad,” Dr. Porter said.
When feelings of overwhelm set in, Dr. Porter suggested a list of small but effective ways to combat anxiety and come back to the present.
“Uncertainty in the brain causes a lot of anxiety and stress,” Dr. Porter said. “What we tell people is just kind of take a few deep breaths, change those things about your situation right now. Don't be concerned about things you can't change.”
To jumpstart the day on the right foot, Dr. Porter suggested drinking a full glass of water.
“Weird as that sounds, but our brain dehydrates at night while we sleep,” Dr. Porter said. “This is what we need more than anything else when we wake up.”
Schedule permitting, Dr. Porter also recommended finding time to move around in the morning with light exercise.
“Your body has been lying all night, you know, it needs to be moved, because the toxins are like settled in,” he said. “Some kind of stretching, breathing, walking, getting outside and just moving.”
Before heading to bed at night, Dr. Porter says to make a list of what you’re thankful for.
“There's a payoff in psychological terms, when you become grateful for something,” Dr. Porter said. “So, you go to bed with that grateful feeling, you're going to have a better night's sleep.”
If possible, Dr. Porter says to reflect on uncertain times and uncomfortable situations without reacting immediately.
“You just have to realize that it's all about adopting an attitude that, ‘Hey, I'm in the best place I can be right now,” he said. “I'm going to do whatever I'm doing right now to its fullest.”
