Psychologist on one thing to do every day to help with stress and burnout: 'Releases serotonin'

Psychologist Shannon Webb tells Yahoo Lifestyle how doing this one small thing can significantly reduce stress.

Emma Levett
·Contributor
Updated ·5-min read
There are simple, free things you can do to reduce your stress levels. Credit: Getty Images
There are simple, free things you can do to reduce your stress levels. Credit: Getty Images

Australians are traditionally portrayed as a pretty laid-back bunch with a “she’ll be right” attitude. But while that might be the stereotype, the reality is a little more serious. It turns out we’re actually a pretty stressed-out nation with worries like how the hell am I going to afford my mortgage? And, why is everything so expensive? at the top of that list.

Alongside the cost of living crisis, we’re also dealing with the usual suspects of relationship, work and family strains and the odd potential cyclone thrown into the mix so perhaps it’s hardly surprising that new research highlights nearly half of all Aussies (48 per cent) report high stress levels daily.

While most of us are likely to feel stressed out at one point in our lives or another, it's important to know when those stress levels have crossed over from being manageable to problematic.

61 per cent of Aussies report experiencing burnout in comparison to the global average of 48 per cent. Credit: Getty Images
61 per cent of Aussies report experiencing burnout in comparison to the global average of 48 per cent. Credit: Getty Images

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Psychologist, Shannon Webb from The Banyans Healthcare identified work, relationship issues, illness and financial worries as triggers for stress and said while some stress is normal and can boost productivity there’s a fine line between this and chronic stress.

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“It’s so important to be able to recognise when stress is becoming a problem but often people don’t understand the symptoms or don’t notice the signs,” she told Yahoo Lifestyle.

In line with Stress Awareness Month this April, she explained some of the things to look out for.

“You might have difficulty concentrating, it could be memory related, there could be anxiety symptoms like a racing heart or feeling shaky and there could be digestive issues,” she said, adding that one of the biggest red flags is sleep.

“Insomnia symptoms can look different. Some people find it difficult to fall asleep, others have problems staying asleep and wake multiple times in the night, others wake up too early. The main sign is still feeling really tired after you’ve got up which translates into irritability and an anxious start which lingers on into the day,” Webb said.

With 59 per cent of people surveyed reporting at least one common sleep disturbance Webb said that the problem with stress and sleep is that it becomes a vicious cycle.

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“Elevated stress hormones, like cortisol, are linked to the body’s fight or fight response, keeping individuals in a heightened state of anticipation,” she said. “Cortisol interferes with the production of melatonin, a hormone essential for sleep. This imbalance can prevent the body from entering the restorative stages of sleep, leaving people feeling exhausted.”

Lack of sleep then means our bodies produce more stress hormones and the vicious cycle continues.

Psychologist Shannen Webb says that often people don’t understand the symptoms of stress. Credit: Supplied
Psychologist Shannon Webb says that often people don’t understand the symptoms of stress. Credit: Supplied

It might seem all doom and gloom but Webb pointed out that our bodies are designed to experience stress and also to be able to de-stress.

And while we are all operating on time and financial budgets there are easy, free things we can all do to reduce stress every day.

It sounds simple but the act of writing down what you are feeling happy about in life or one thing you are enjoying every day plays an active part in de-stressing.

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“In this mindful check-in there will be happiness and that releases the hormone serotonin,” Webb said. “It provides internal contentment and encourages the nervous system to stop and settle and enjoy the moment.”

She said social connection is another simple way to relieve stress symptoms quite quickly. “Seeing a friend or family member can release serotonin and there’s the added benefit they might be reassuring or guiding of you,” Webb said. “Humans like being social and being social has a significant effect in the relief of stress.”

It sounds simple but writing down things you feel thankful for can go a long way in reducing stress levels. Credit: Getty Images
It sounds simple but writing down things you feel thankful for can go a long way in reducing stress levels. Credit: Getty Images

Drinking alcohol and taking sleeping tablets are often the crutches people take to provide some short-term relief but Webb warns against papering over the problem.

“Stress impairs our inhibitory controls and we suddenly start overvaluing how alcohol or cigarettes are calming us down or helping us rest,” she said.

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Instead, we need to understand the problems causing the stress in the first place and to do this she suggested writing your worries down.

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“It allows you to sort them into things you need to address and those which aren’t as big as you thought,” she said.

It might be that the big worries cannot be eliminated but the amount of stress around them can be relieved.

“Physical activity, practising sleep hygiene, mindfulness and yoga are all good ways to manage stress,” Webb said. “When you understand the reasons for stress you can encourage more appropriate moments to relieve it.”

Anyone struggling with chronic stress or burnout is encouraged to seek professional support and advice from a GP or registered psychologist or counsellor.

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