The 4th T of Stress
If you have been following along with my blogs for any great length of time you will have seen me write about the 3 T’s of stress; Trauma (physical), Toxins (chemical) and Thoughts (mental/emotional). Well now many practitioners believe there is a 4th form of stress, Technology!
Specifically, hand help devices with a modern screen like phones, tablets and gaming consoles but we should also include LED computer screens, TV’s and lighting in our homes and work places. These devices with high blue frequency light screens, the apps, games and videos being frequently scrolled, played and watched create addictive changes in the brain.
Originally a lot of this modern technology was classified in the other three stress causing categories for triggering the survival fight or flight response. Computers, phones and hand held consoles creating poor posture through forward head carriage, a physical stress. Or the bright, high blue frequency lit screens altering brain and body chemistry. Changes to the brains reward and motivation pathway regulated by dopamine, the reward neurotransmitter of the brain. Also increasing cortisol and adrenaline (the body’s stress hormones). Once the dopamine pathway in the brain is altered this impacts mental health, decision making and emotional regulation.
As this one repeated lifestyle stress, Technology, triggers each of the other 3 T’s of stress it is now being recognised as its own category.
Like in any health recovery, you cannot get well while still repeating the same habits that caused you to get sick via forcing your brain and body into the stress response over and over again. This may mean that you might need to go on a “TECHNOLOGY DIET”.
Neuroplasticity is the brains ability to rewire itself throughout life base on what is repeated. This also means that old wiring patterns can be “unwired” by stop repeating the old lifestyle choice and replacing it with a new, healthier choice or healthier perspective/outlook.
Most stressors, whether they be technology, thoughts, toxins or trauma are subtle subconscious repeated triggers that cause the brain to activate the emergency, defensive, survival, fight or flight response continually throughout the day and night, week after week and often ongoing for many years. This is the repeated stress although subtle that rewires the brain to be more sensitive to stress in the future and eventually leads the body to malfunction creating symptoms, illness or a lowered quality of life.
So the important question I would like to ask you is, if your quality of life is less than you would like it to be are you prepared to stop repeating the habits and lifestyle choices long enough to support your brain to rewire and allow it the time to have this flow through into the body for it to heal, function optimally again and thrive?
You are the key to your own quality of life, be the change that you want to experience.
