Chronic stress takes a toll on virtually the entire body, but usually the first place it is noticeable is from the effects it has on our brain. Specifically, our cognition suffers, and persons around us who are accustomed to the way we are will notice marked changes.

The reasoning mind is essential in the practice of Stoicism. It has been compared to a fortress in a passage from Marcus Aurelius In Meditations 8.48  Remember that the ruling faculty is invincible, when self-collected it is satisfied with itself, if it does nothing which it does not choose to do, even if it resist from mere obstinacy. What then will it be when it forms a judgement about anything aided by reason and deliberately? Therefore the mind which is free from passions is a citadel, for man has nothing more secure to which he can fly for, refuge and for the future be inexpugnable. He then who has not seen this is an ignorant man; but he who has seen it and does not fly to this refuge is unhappy.

But what happens when that citadel is under siege from stress. How do you maintain vigilance in the face of chronic stress?

But stress does not need to take hold of our brain and cognition, reducing us into inefficient workers or doing everyday tasks as we can do things to restore our mental prowess.

Suffering from the cognitive deficits resulting from chronic stress yourself?

Stress is something that we all deal with. And we all have our own ways of dealing with it. One of the most common ways that people deal with stress, especially chronic stress, is eating. When we are stressed, our bodies release a stress hormone called cortisol, as well as the hunger hormone, ghrelin.

Ghrelin stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain, which tells the body that it wants to eat. Cortisol is what triggers our cravings for foods that are salty, sweet, and fried. In other words, when you are feeling stressed, you suddenly have a strong appetite and an intense desire for foods that give you a burst of energy and pleasure.

Enchiridion  36 states As the proposition, "Either it is day or it is night," is extremely proper for a disjunctive argument, but quite improper in a conjunctive one, so, at a feast, to choose the largest share is very suitable to the bodily appetite, but utterly inconsistent with the social spirit of an entertainment. When you eat with another, then, remember not only the value of those things which are set before you to the body, but the value of that behavior which ought to be observed towards the person who gives the entertainment.

What this means is that we have to work through inner conflicts. There are many contradictions in life and stress is a reflection of this. We cannot have things both ways in life and we cannot be passive about what is good for the soul and the body.

We cannot look at things with a narrow point of view and expect the best of a situation. Things do not go our way. This does not help with living a better life or a life of harmony. We need to deal with issues directly. Habits can develop where we try to avoid this like eating to feed stress is one of them.

We all know how stress makes us feel- that is easy to explain. But how much can you say that you know of what is actually happening to the organs and systems in your body that is resulting in these feelings? Not much at all, and in some cases, physical changes do not need to occur- only chemical processes.

Why is this important in Stoicism? Stoics argue that the body is a preferred indifferent. There is a concept in philosophy called mind-body dualism. Mind–body dualism, or mind–body duality, is a view in the philosophy of mind that mental phenomena are non-physical, or that the mind and body are distinct and separable.

Marcus Aurelius writes in Meditations 6.32 I consist of a little body and a soul. Now to this little body all things are indifferent, for it is not able to perceive differences. But to the understanding those things only are indifferent, which are not the works of its own activity. But whatever things are the works of its own activity, all these are in its power. And of these however only those which are done with reference to the present; for as to the future and the past activities of the mind, even these are for the present indifferent.

But science has shown there is a connection physiologically speaking to the mind and body. What we eat and aspects of lifestyle affect both. The mind is the most important  tool in the practice of Stoicism. Taking care of it is in our best interest.

Therefore it is good to get a “visualization” of what is going on inside your body, as it helps you develop a greater understanding of the dangerous effects stress can have, and if possible ways to help combat it.

Your world is full of stressors and while a short burst of stress here and there is normal and a part of life, chronic stress is a whole other matter. Exposure to long-term stress can alter your genes, increase inflammation in the body, and cause a wide variety of serious health issues that affect the body and mind.

Learning how to cope with stress in healthy ways is vital to reducing and managing stress, however, there is a variety of unhealthy methods often used by people, who may not even realize that are doing so.

Stoics practices prosochē, the practice of attention, and is a fundamental exercise necessary to practice Stoicism as a way of life. It can also be termed a vigorous type of mindfulness to be vigilant in our awareness of our actions and our surroundings. Using this to identify unhealthy coping skills can help in dealing with stress.

Momento mori loosely defined as you too shall die or one day you shall die. It is a reminder that we need to live a life that brings fulfillment.

Seneca wrote in Moral Letters 4.6-7 “Most men ebb and flow in wretchedness between the fear of death and the hardships of life; they are unwilling to live, and yet they do not know how to die. 6. For this reason, make life as a whole agreeable to yourself by banishing all worry about it. No good thing renders its possessor happy, unless his mind is reconciled to the possibility of loss; nothing, however, is lost with less discomfort than that which, when lost, cannot be missed. Therefore, encourage and toughen your spirit against the mishaps that afflict even the most powerful.”

However this mindset is often hard to grasp. There are many factors in all aspects of life that can impact how we live. They create stress that affects our ability to have a meaningful life.

We all know that too much stress is bad for you, but many people fail to determine when that point is reached. The fact is, the body is capable of handling stress- but just to an extent. After that, signs become highly visible that something is going terribly wrong, and sadly, doctors often misdiagnose the root cause.

In addition, being able to identify and link symptoms should set you on the right path to quickly identify when the effects of stress are becoming so compounded, that it can actually kill you. You are not living a life of virtue and it negatively impacts your well being. Instead of looking at death as reality and helping guide the way we live, we have a blind side to it and stress may be killing you without being aware.

When you hear the word stress or see it written before you, you know what it is, right? However, if you were to define it you would probably find that your response differs from thousands of others. The official definition of stress, as per the National Institutes of Health is “how the brain and body respond to any demands.” The response is your body’s defense.

Perhaps one of the most complicated results of stress is learning how to manage it and cope with it in healthy ways.

Stoicism is a philosophy that can help with coping. It is not a replacement for therapy or deep seeded problems the individual is facing. It is a philosophy for every day living and dealing with challenges of everyday life.

Turning to drugs and alcohol will only provide temporary relief and fuel other health issues. Medication treats the symptoms not the cause.  So it’s important that you know how to cope appropriately when experiencing chronic stress.

If you ever wanted to test your practice of Stoicism the workplace may be the place to do it. Everyone doing the nine-to five grind has to deal with similar issues at work, the office politics, the great or not so great boss, hierarchical challenges, conflicts of interests, and miscommunication.

Expectations, deadlines, achievements, and goals can all add up to a bucket full of stress, more than you’d like to be carrying.

But at the same time you can excel in the work you do with the practice of Stoicism. Marcus Aurelius wrote in Meditations 9.12 Work not as one who is wretched, nor yet as one who would be pitied or admired: but direct thy will to one thing only, to put thyself in motion and to check thyself, as the social reason requires.

The practice of Stoicism can make anyone excel in their work. But it starts with reducing stress in the workplace.

Choosing ways to reduce the load is a great way to work smarter rather than harder. There  are ways you can reduce the pressures at work to lower your stress levels:

1. Recognize What You Can And Can’t Control

2. Breathe

3. Take Scheduled Breaks

4. Learn To Say, “No.”

5. Offer “Win-Win” Solutions

Stress is a loaded word. What does that mean?

Well, we tend to use the word stress to mean anything that is seemingly a hassle, or unpleasant to deal with.

The American Institute Of Stress says, "Stress is not a useful term for scientists because it is such a highly subjective phenomenon that it defies definition."

The dictionary defines stress as...

1. "Pressure or tension exerted on a material object."

"2. A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances."

Historically, this hormone was only released when under threat of danger to life, but times have changed, and now something as trivial as being late for work induces a similar response in our bodies.

Regardless of the negative reputation, stress has developed over the years; it is an essential response to our survival, even if we are not actively under threat.

This stress response helps prepare the body for what is about to come, and along with the neurotransmitter epinephrine/adrenalin, gives rise to the “fight or flight” reflex within the autonomic nervous system.

Stoicism provides us a way to respond to stress. Stress itself is not bad and we  couldn't survive without it. Stress helps us adapt to our environment and meet and overcome challenges. But there are ways to respond to stress that helps rather than hurts us through Stoicism.

Seneca wrote in letter 13.4. On Groundless Fears “There are more things, Lucilius, likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality. I am not speaking with you in the Stoic strain but in my milder style. For it is our Stoic fashion to speak of all those things, which provoke cries and groans, as unimportant and beneath notice; but you and I must drop such great-sounding words, although, Heaven knows, they are true enough. What I advise you to do is, not to be unhappy before the crisis comes; since it may be that the dangers before which you paled as if they were threatening you, will never come upon you; they certainly have not yet come.”

Stoic mindfulness gives us the ability to be vigilant and aware of what is happening to us. It also provides a way to be detached from a situation so we do not let emotions get the best of us in our decision making.

Stress also gives a way to measure our continuing attempts to become a person of virtue by challenging ourselves through adversity. Stoicism allows us a reason to embrace stress to better ourselves.