Fight-or-Flight-Freeze-or-Reconvine: Your Emotional Hangover Survival Kit

Image courtesy of The Walt Disney Company.

When our ancestors roamed across wild plains, they reacted to stress in one of two ways: They could either confront the threat directly or avoid it. This rapid cost-benefit assessment determined whether eating a brightly colored berry or attacking a wild animal was worth the time and energy. Over time and millennia, this decision-making capability has been encoded in our DNA and is now known as the fight-or-flight response. Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing, Howard E. LeWine, MD, describes the neurological effects when you trigger a fight-or-flight response, "When someone experiences a stressful event, the amygdala, an area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing, sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus. This area of the brain functions like a command center, communicating with the rest of the body through the nervous system so that the person has the energy to fight or flee (LeWine, 2024)." Prolonged exposure to the fight-or-flight response can lead to "high blood pressure, promotes the formation of artery-clogging deposits, and causes brain changes that may contribute to anxiety, depression, and addiction (ibid)." How can we navigate this evolutionary feature?

Gif courtesy of Wix.

Many things can trigger your fight-or-flight response, from public speaking to national elections. In the next few weeks, holiday car promotions and television specials will replace political ads. You probably feel overtired, overstimulated, and overworked, regardless of your political affiliation. How can we recover from what feels like an emotional hangover? Like any great (emotional) hangover survival kit, you will need cocktails of supplements. Below are some products that might alleviate stress and center yourself before the holiday season.

This video is courtesy of NBC and features a scene from Season 4, Episode 4, "Pawnee Ranger."

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Fight-or-Flight Reactions: Why You Need To Move Your Body

Whenever I get stressed, I find it helpful to view anxiety as an energy surge. My fight-or-flight response can cause an increase in adrenal production, which in turn causes an energy increase. Energy is inherently neutral. When you feel overwhelmed, you must remember to have the power to choose how you want to expend your energy. I find exercising a healthy way to use this sudden energy boost. The Mayo Clinic says working out can "bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins" (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2023). Here are some athleisure gear and exercise equipment I use when I work out.

Image courtesy of Hatha Yoga.

Hatha Yoga Large TPE Yoga Mat 6'x4'x1/2" Extra Thick Non-Slip Exercise Mat: When you have a fight-or-flight reaction, sometimes you want to channel that anger into something. When I want to work out, I know I need to have a solid base not to hurt my back. The Hatha Yoga Mat (which comes in 4 colors) is composed of Eco-Friendly TPE (Thermoplastic elastomers) materials to provide you with a "special non-slip texture on both sides and high-density construction. This mat provides outstanding traction and durability for a wide range of exercises, including yoga, pilates, stretching, jump rope, and squats." To see more Hatha Yoga Products, click here.

Image courtesy of Living Fit.

Living Fit Slam Ball (5-100lb Medicine Ball): This Living Fit slam ball is "engineered for activities like wall slams and squats, as well as other explosive movements. Additionally, slam balls tailored for exercise routines to train rotational movements like baseball or golf offer a range of workouts to boost overall fitness. Living Fit will even replace "any slam ball if it breaks during the period. Home use: 2 years. Commercial Use: 1 Year." Check out their Amazon storefront if you want to see other Living Fit products.

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Amazon Basics Neoprene Dumbbell Hand Weights: Amazon Basics collections allow customers to buy workout essentials. This line has various weights and comes in multiple colors. If you would like to peruse more Amazon Basics products, click here.

Image courtesy of Sperax.

Sperax Walking Pad: When you are constantly in front of a computer, getting enough steps in your day can be challenging. The Sperax Walking Pad has a "powerful 2.5HP quiet motor." The Sperax under-desk treadmill can load up to 320 lb. Meanwhile, it works quietly without disturbing others, making it ideal for home and office use. With a durable steel frame and multi-layer shield design, the walking treadmill absorbs shock and reduces noise, making your running quieter and more stable." To explore more Sperax products, check out the Sperax store.

Emotional Hangover Recipe; Part 2 Skincare

When you feel your emotional hangover taking root, I want to give you my recipe for recharging while you are at home. My recipe revolves around two kinds of "ingredients": exercise and skincare. While everyone has a unique cure for their emotional hangover, here is part two of my recipe.

Skincare

Image courtesy of Peter Thomas Roth.

Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Acid Cloud Hydra-Gel Under-Eye Patches:

Whenever I start something new, I reward myself for stepping outside my comfort zone. I put these on as I get ready. Peter Thomas Roth describes these products as "Hydrating eye contour gel patches moisturize with a liquid cloud of moisture and help improve the look of fine lines, crow's feet, and under-eye darkness. Contains multiple sizes of Hyaluronic Acid." To look through all of Peter Thomas Roth's Skincare products, click here.

Image courtesy of June Jacobs

June Jacobs Papaya Purifying Enzyme Masque: This is one of the two reasons why I do not use facial cosmetic products. This masque helps "gently dissolve dead surface impurities, allowing nourishing oils to penetrate, improving tone and elasticity of the skin." I typically use it once every other week. If you would like to peruse other June Jacobs products, click here.

Image courtesy of Dr. Dennis Gross

Dr. Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine™ Hydration Booster: When bringing your comfort show from a small dark room, your skin could feel dry after hours of staring at the phone or TV. When my skin is dehydrated, and I want to feel my emotional hangover to slip away, I like to use this hydration booster. Dr. Dennis Gross describes this product as a "cruelty-free product that with a newly formulated and enriched with moisture-boosting marine algae from the waters off the coast of Southeast Asia, this professional-strength, hydrating super-serum helps infuse and seal moisture for smoother, softer looking skin." If you like to look through all of Dr. Dennis Gross's products, click here.

Citations

Harvard Health Publishing. (2020, March). Understanding the stress response. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response