One-Two Punch: Is it Cold and Flu Season or Constant Stress That's Making You Sick?

In this episode, Laurie talks about how a hectic lifestyle and the chronic stress that it produces can make you more susceptible to cold and flu viruses. By using her own out-of-control schedule as an example, she discusses -- in a very non-scientific way -- what happens to the body's immune system when we're constantly operating in fight-or-flight more. This episode will make you rethink how your own busy-ness is impacting your health, and give you some tips to manage chronic stress to protect your health and mental wellbeing.

LINKS AND MENTIONS:
✨✨✨SHOP Oura Ring

📒📒📒 BEST LIFE Daily Planner + Habit Tracker

💛💛💛 BEST LIFE Retreat

📩 JOIN MY MAILING LIST
https://www.schoolofmidlife.com/newsletter

👉 CONNECT WITH LAURIE:
📩 Email Laurie

💻 Website

On Instagram

On LinkedIn

Work with Laurie

Transcript

0:02

Welcome to the School of Midlife podcast. I'm your host, Laurie Reynoldson. this is the podcast for the woman who has everything. She always thought she ever wanted career family, home cars, designer handbags, but now it's midlife and she can't quite shake the feeling that something is missing in her perfect life, that she was made for something more. She's wide awake at 2:00 AM asking herself big questions like: what do I want? Is it too late for me? And what's my legacy beyond my family and my work? Each week we're answering these questions and more. Let's make midlife your best life. Well, Hey there friends. Welcome back to another episode of the School of Midlife podcast. I am so glad that you were here today. Today, I'm talking about the importance of self care, particularly as it relates to how chronic daily stress and the hectic pace of life can wear us down. And with that in mind, what we can do to keep ourselves healthy, even during periods of high stress. I'll start by saying this was not the episode I had planned to drop today. We'll we'll push that episode about, what's keeping you awake at night. We're going to push that one to next week. Because as you might be able to hear my voice, I have a chest cold. It's so it's not your speakers. Don't worry about. Adjusting those or turning up the volume. It's just my raspy voice. In fact, When it came time to record this week's episode, I waited as long as I could hoping that it would clear itself up. It didn't. So then of course, I'm in my head going, you know, I went back and forth on whether I should even drop a new episode Or maybe just do a recast of a prior episode. But because I believe in full transparency with you guys. I decided to go ahead. Record an episode today. And even if I sound a little stuffy and may need to clear my throat occasionally. I feel like this is what it means to make a commitment to show up each week. Even if I don't feel like it, even if I'm not feeling good, even if I sound like shit. So. How did I get here? Let's you know, when I look back at the last couple of weeks, I, I'm not entirely surprised that I have a cold. I mean, I used to get them on the regular. I would overbook my schedule. Maybe I was working on a closing with a big deadline. I oftentimes would take work to bed with me. Um, more than once falling asleep with my laptop on my chest. And. Of course when, when I'm in that mode, I'm not following my normal eating and exercising and sleeping routines. It's like when I get too busy. All the good habits. They just go to hell. And I think to myself, You know, this is just temporary. I'll be able to catch up after this closing or after we meet the next deadline or the next fill in the blank. Right. But, I mean, let's be honest. When, what has life ever really slowed down? If you really think about it as an adult. When has life slowed down? Aye. Unless you're slapped upside the head with a major life change. That absolutely makes you slow down. I think. I speak on behalf of all of us. When I say life doesn't ever really take a breather. And we just keep going and going and going at. Uh, pace, which turns out to be an unsustainable pace. And if you're anything like me, eventually you'll get a cold. You'll get sick. And that's where I'm at right now. My last couple of weeks looked, something like this, and I'm telling you this, just to kind of lay a foundation. I'm not for pity. Not for, I. I don't need any comments about it. I'm just letting you know what's been going on. So in the last two weeks, I have worked my normal work schedule. Plus. I've been dealing with a threatened lawsuit against a nonprofit board. I served as the chair for last year. So a lot of extra, highly contentious meetings. I will say several sleepless nights. you know, you wake up at 2:00 AM and not only replay every last moment of whatever meeting it was, but. Trying to figure out how to move the best way forward. And it's, it's been a lot. Super contentious. Um, I also discovered that. I was potentially cut out of a$40,000 commission when a deal closed that I negotiated five years ago. It was a lease. With an option to purchase the building. So my client leased the building for five years, and then at the end of 2023, closed on the purchase of the building. So while it was negotiated five years ago, the, the, the entire transaction, the deal. Was negotiated five years ago. It just closed at the end of 2023. Regardless though um i did not get paid when it closed So. I've, I've spent quite a bit of time working through that. The good news is I expect to be paid most of what I'm owed, but it took a lot of stress and mental angst to get there. And while all of this extra is going on from a work perspective, there was an overnight girls trip that I took to a mountain town. Um, just a Saturday night, quick trip out of town. The room that I was staying in was so cold. I kept waking up and I was literally shivering. I'll have to look back, but I'm pretty sure when I looked at my Oura ring the next morning and my Oura ring is the ring that tracks my sleep and activity. I'd slept for something like six and a half hours that night. And I was awake at least eight times at night. So I'm tossing and I'm turning and I'm trying to get warm, but let's just say, although I was in bed for six and a half hours that night. I didn't get a ton of sleep. And then five days later, I flew to Scottsdale for several business networking events with CEOs of 7, 8, 10 figure businesses. If you follow me on social media and if you don't, you totally should. But if you follow me on social media, you may have seen that. I talked all about the imposter syndrome that I was feeling heading into that trip. What I didn't mention on social media. Was that there was this clothing guide kind of a, what to wear inspiration board, sort of Pinterest. outfit guide that was sent out ahead of the events. And let me tell you, I think I'm a pretty good dresser. I know what looks good on me. And I've worked hard over the years, creating a wardrobe and a closet full of clothes that really fit my style. Let's just say there were no photos on any of the inspiration boards that matched the clothes in my closet. So on top of all the imposter syndrome, I was feeling heading into the weekend related to hanging out with business owners who are way ahead of me in their businesses. I was also second guessing every single outfit choice. Which meant that instead of going to bed early so that I could get some sleep before my 5:40 AM flight. I was up the night before packing and repacking and trying on clothes, I was doing more packing. So three and a half hours of sleep that night. Followed by several hours of Travel to Arizona because I was on Southwest and I had to, I had a layover and then the flights were late. And then I get in the rental car. I drive to Scottsdale. I'm already late. I run into, you know, I check into the hotel. I run into the first meeting. Spend five hours of networking and business coaching in the afternoon. Followed by a formal seated dinner event that night. And then another full day of networking and coaching, a business discussions that began at seven 30 in the morning with a working lunch and finished with a VIP reception. With the speakers and other women who were there until eight o'clock that night. Um, I ducked out early because I was exhausted. I, the, these networking events are incredible opportunities. To meet. Incredible amazing women who are doing just. Off the charts, things. I will say though, that. Networking. Might be the most exhausting thing I do. And it's not. You know, obviously the, the chit-chat and, um, the small talk. Is is tiring. And most of what we were doing at this event didn't even have any of that. But just the being on and. Talking makes me tired. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I was, I was exhausted. We flew home. On Sunday night, I started the last week's work week with day one of a 45 day workout challenge that started Monday morning. And then I felt my sore throat coming on on Wednesday. Which if you think back, Nope, no surprises there. Right? I mean, I was, I was burning the candle at both ends, definitely running. Way over my skis. So. Because basically I'm coming off an entire week of poor sleep and bad eating because it's so hard to stick with normal eating times and The food that you're used to eating while you're traveling. I wasn't drinking as much water as I usually do. I certainly wasn't moving my body as much as normal because I'm sitting in conference rooms at tables all day long. So it was just a whole week of. Treating my mind and body poorly. And in typical Laurie fashion. When I felt the sore throat coming on on Wednesday, I doubled down on the vitamin C I, you know, I started going to bed early. Um, of course I didn't dial back the workouts cause it's, you know, we're in the middle of the challenge or, and I certainly didn't reschedule a work meetings because. I mean. I've got to go to work. So. On the one hand I was trying to be good. Um, I, I was kind of failing at it, but I was certainly better than I was the week before. The sore throat continues on Thursday and Friday, I took a COVID test each day. To make sure I didn't have COVID both were negative. I remember when I was on my walk on Friday morning. I'm getting pissed off. Like, I'm thinking to myself, if I'm going to get sick, let's hurry the fuck up and do it so we can get it over with. I mean, if there was ever a Laurie thing to do, it would be that thinking that if I'm getting sick, let's do it. Let's go. I have things to do. All of that background. So that today we can talk about the importance of self care, particularly as it relates to how chronic daily stress. And the hectic pace of life can wear us down. And all of this is especially true. As we get older. When, when the hectic pace of life that we're trying to keep up with. It, it just wears us down over time. If you're anything like me. You, you know, this, you know, better. I know better. This is a lesson I have learned again and again, and again. Call me a slow learner. I really felt like I had dialed this in after COVID because I was so careful with my schedule and my intentions. I was so focused on my health and wellbeing. And still. I'm sick today because I got too busy. I didn't pay attention to the healthy habits that I know. Keep me healthy. And sane. And well rested. I mean, clearly. I haven't quite learned the lesson here. I'm still trying to learn the lesson. It's like that. That's saying that when God wants to get your attention, he first throws a pebble. And if you don't pay attention, then he throws a stone. And if that doesn't get your attention, he throws a brick. Whether you believe in God or source or energy yourself, whatever you believe in the message still rings. True. And that is how long are you going to put off? Heeding the message. Noticing the message before you're smacked upside the head with a brick. That, that that's going to finally slow you down. And that's where I'm at right now. So let's talk about the link between chronic stress or busy-ness and increased illness. We're going to dive into the mind, body connection a little bit here. And this is going to get a little bit. Sciency, but not too much because I'm not a scientist, but. Let's talk about. Chronic stress. And what it does to the body. So when we experience stress, our body releases, cortisol and adrenaline. And those two hormones. Work together to trigger the fight or flight response in our bodies. And. Ultimately this causes inflammation. As part of the process of preparing to respond to a threat and it's that increased inflammation. Over time caused by chronic stress that can really. Create a big problem for our health. So let's break that down a little bit. Cortisol is known as a stress hormone. When you encounter say circumstances that are stressful or threatening your body releases cortisol as part of that fight or flight response. Basically it primes your body to be extremely alert and ready to take action by tapping into your. Energy resources. Like I said not, I'm not super sciency. But then there's adrenaline. And adrenaline is sometimes called epinephrin and that is responsible for actually triggering that fight or flight reaction when you're facing the stress or threat. So you can think of adrenaline as what revs you up. And cortisol is what sustains that revved upstate. Right. So when adrenaline is released, It causes reactions like. Heavy breathing. Increased heart rate, rising blood pressure. Your pupils might dilate there that awareness of your senses as your body goes into that high alert mode, the, the. Hair's stick up on the back of your neck, right? You feel the adrenaline as it's released. And. In turn that adrenaline rush gives you a sudden boost of energy and that allows you to focus. to respond quickly, effectively. So working together that spike in adrenaline followed by the release of cortisol. They help you deal with threats. And that threat could be an oncoming tiger, right? The fleet like danger. Or it could also be the stress that comes The threat of needing to take up like a D. Decisive action. Different types of stress, of course, same kind of internal body response. So, if we're going to tie it all together, the adrenaline ignites the body's response and the cortisol sustains that heightened response and they work together so that you can push through whatever the stressful situation is for as long as you need to before fatigue sets in. Both of these are super useful in the short term. But chronic long-term exposure over time. That's what can be harmful. That's what wears down the body. That's what makes you sick? So technically, how does stress make you sick? There are several studies that have shown that chronic stress impacts immunity in several key ways. First it reduces the production of lymphocytes and those are the disease fighting white blood cells that circulate in the body. And when we have fewer lymphocytes, then we also have less resistance to viruses and other pathogens. So you get sick easier because you have fewer of the. Things that are fighting the disease, the white blood cells. It also causes. Immuno. Globulin. That, that's tough to say, I even wrote it down so I could remember it, but I got to tell you, writing it down is not the same as saying out loud. So let's try this again. It causes immuno globulin, or however you say it, those levels. They decline. And they're the antibodies that our immune system uses to mark viruses and bacteria for destruction. It's a foreign virus, a foreign bacteria. It's the immunoglobulin. That targets, those. For destruction. It's the thing that the immune system revs up and starts fighting against. But when. The levels are lower than it's harder for our body to recognize the virus that the immune system is supposed to fight against. What the studies show is. There is a clear connection between chronic stress and a weakened immune system. In fact someone under constant stress is two to three times more likely to develop colds. Flu and other infections compared to someone. Say less stressed when they're exposed to the same virus. So you've got two people. They're exposed to the exact same virus. One person is under chronic stress. The other is not the person who is under chronic stress. She is two to three times more likely to get sick from that same exposure, same virus, same flu bugs, same cold, same infection, but because of the chronic stress. Two to three times more likely that she's going to get sick. And right now it's winter. So there are a lot of cold and flu viruses circulating all around us. If that stress makes it two to three times more likely to get sick. Um, I am absolutely not surprised that I have a cold right now because the last 14 days for me have been a lot. So you might be wondering why I'm sharing all of this with you today. This is one of those instances of do, as I say, not as I do. Use me as a good example. If you want to avoid the bugs that are floating around, start by lowering your stress. Can't do that at work or home right now because you have a lot going on. I get it. I completely understand. Your. Next best bet. Is to schedule some rest and recovery periods. What might that look like? Um, can you take a day off of work? Not. Not to clean the house or run errands or tackle other things on your to-do list. But. Take a day off just to be off. To sleep in to recharge, to relax. And if you can't take a whole day and I get it, I mean, there are so many times in our lives when we just have to be on. There's no taking a day off right now. There hopefully will be sooner or later, just not right now. And if, if that's the case that you find yourself in. Can you schedule 30 or 60 minutes a day to nap? Or meditate or just rest your brain and your body. Not scroll through social media, not get caught up with all the breaking news from around the world, Which is in itself. A huge source of stress. But if you're able to find 30 to 60 minutes a day to just be quiet. To quiet your mind to take some deep breaths to reset. That is going to help you lower those stress levels, which in turn. Can help keep you well. At the very least. I would suggest that you get up from your desk, walk away from it for a couple of minutes. Anyone else out there, hold your stress between your shoulder blades, right at the base of your neck. And after an intense day of sitting and typing, there's that hot, dull ache in your upper back. You know what I'm talking about, right. That that's a sign. That's also a good sign that maybe you need to take a break for just even a couple of minutes. And beyond the micro breaks, We'll call them daily mindful moments because I love me a good alliteration, but besides resting. The next best thing you can do is focus on keeping up with your healthy daily habits. Try for at least seven hours of sleep at night. That might mean turning off the TV show. You're currently binging that might mean putting down your phone and going to sleep earlier. And for most of us, it also means eating dinner earlier because when you go to bed with a full tummy, you don't sleep as well. Your heart rate goes up as your body digests, the food you've eaten. And the earlier during your sleep cycle, that your heart rate lowers the better sleep you'll get. Speaking of sleep. You might also think about eliminating or cutting down on alcohol during periods of high stress. And that's because the alcohol will make it much more difficult to get sound sleep. It's super ironic that we reach for a glass of wine or cocktail to relax, but it actually has the opposite effect on our body. It increases our heart rates, which does the opposite of relaxing us. It messes with our sleep. It's just not good to use as a stress reliever. What's better. Go for a walk. Move your body take a yoga Or Pilates or meditation class. They will all help you relax better than using alcohol to relax. And then make sure you're eating well. You know how you feel better when you eat real food? I'm I'm myself. I'm guilty of having a vending machine lunch every now and then, but that doesn't mean I make a habit of it. And if you're someone who gets the 3:00 PM cravings, The those mid afternoon munchies. You'll be much better served. If you can avoid sugary snacks. A lot of times I've noticed that the mid afternoon blahs. I can fix them by drinking water. When it comes right down to it, the best ways to respond to stress. If you can't get rid of what's causing the stress. The best way to respond are healthy habits, getting enough sleep. Exercising moving your body every day. Drinking enough water so that your body is properly hydrated. Eating nutritious foods, quieting your mind with a daily meditation practice. And if you're someone who does better, when she keeps track of her daily healthy habits. Grab a copy of the Best Life Daily Planner and Habit Tracker. It's a 13 week daily undated planner. So you can start it at any time, but it helps you keep track of your life, life and your work life. So many of us get caught up in our work that we find hard to hold the healthy boundaries. We set to protect our own health and wellbeing. The Best Life Daily Planner and Habit Tracker is a tool that includes scientifically proven systems to help you reduce stress and focus on creating the life you want to live. And bonus they're just 10 bucks right now. Literally the best$10 you'll spend. There's a clickable link in the show notes. For you to order your planner now. And as soon as I get the order, I'll pop it in the mail to you. The very next day. I guess we'll finish by saying. I don't like being sick. Um, but. If it means taking one for the School of Midlife team. If it means that I can be that reminder that maybe you need to take it easy to reduce your stress, to be kind to yourself. I I'm happy to do it. Um, I'm not happy to do it because I don't like being sick, but I will take one for the team this time. Let's get through this cold and flu season as quickly and healthily as possible. Thanks so much for being here today. I'll see right back here next week when the School of Midlife is back in session. Until then take good care I have a question for you. When was it? Last time you spent a day focused completely on yourself. Oh, away from the daily grind, the constant ding of text messages, the never ending question of what's for dinner tonight. Well, If a day sounds good. What about an entire weekend away? And before you start thinking that sounds a little too indulgent. Let me remind you that you can't take care of everyone else in your life. If you don't take care of yourself first. I am thrilled to personally invite you to join me at the best life retreat. April 11th through the 14th., four days in world, famous Sun Valley, Idaho. With more than 12 hours of group coaching to figure out what you actually want in life, how you define success. And help you lay the groundwork for you to create a life that not only makes you happy. But also makes you feel personally fulfilled. There will be incredible group activities like happy hour paint and sips walks hikes. Your choice of spa appointments at an award-winning spa. Luxury accommodations, gourmet meals, premium drinks, and the best gift bag you have ever seen. I'm telling you this will be one of the very best weekends of your life. To keep the retreat intimate. There are only 10 spots available and when they're gone, they're gone. So go right now click the link in the show notes to grab your spot and i will see you in Sun Valley.