This post is part of a series. If you haven’t yet read “A Journey to Health: An Invitation to Walk Through the “Fair” Differently,” you may want to start there. Click the link below to get a better understanding of where we’re headed with this series.

A Journey to Health: An Invitation to Walk Through the “Fair” Differently

Picture it: you are on the Tilt-A-Whirl, spinning and swirling, feeling the push and pull as the car twists and rotates. Your stomach flips, floats, and drops as dizziness joins disorientation, yet somehow the ride still gives you a thrill. And then, suddenly, the ride shuts down. An alarm bell sounds, and the abrupt stop leaves you physically jarred—and mentally disoriented as you wonder, What is going on?

An acute stress response is like the alarm bell on the Tilt-A-Whirl. You’re spinning, getting tossed from side to side, and trying to hold on in this life. Then the alarm goes off.

Stress is an alarm system. Our bodies are designed by God to respond to a threat so we can take action and get ourselves to safety. But when stress becomes chronic, it can impact our health—and specifically, our ability to pursue healthy weight—in a number of ways.

Biologically, when we are in a stressed state, the sympathetic nervous system goes on high alert. Hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are released, preparing the body to respond to a perceived threat. The body temporarily shifts resources toward responding to the perceived threat and away from functions that aren’t essential in the moment.

Here are some of the biological outcomes associated with an elevated stress response:

• Heart rate can change
• Blood sugar can rise
• Blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity can be affected
• Cravings can increase
• Visceral fat storage can be influenced
• Sleep can be disrupted
• Digestion can be affected

The problem isn’t that the alarm exists. The problem comes when the alarm keeps ringing.

When the alarm keeps ringing, it becomes harder to prioritize the things that support long-term health. Sleep, movement, thoughtful eating, digestion, and recovery can all take a back seat to simply getting through the day. It can become a vicious cycle: stress keeps our bodies on high alert, making it harder to care for ourselves well, and neglecting those basic needs can add even more fuel to the biological stress response.

I don’t know about you, but for me, stressful days often come uninvited. Life has been known to knock me sideways, leaving me reeling. Stress shows up for me most often in the form of daunting challenges, watching people I love make decisions I wouldn’t choose for them, relational conflicts that have caused hurt, or simply the pressure of trying to get too much done in a day. Sometimes it’s a combination of all of these, leaving me feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, and unsure of what to do next. What unites these stressors is that the wear and tear of life impacts my whole being more than I’d like to admit.

When we get dysregulated, we don’t reason well or relate well. The part of our brain responsible for thoughtful reasoning, perspective, and empathy becomes less accessible, while the limbic system—particularly the amygdala, which plays a key role in processing emotions and detecting threats—takes the driver’s seat. In that state, our reactions can become more emotional and instinctive, making it harder to think clearly, communicate well, or respond thoughtfully.

We see this play out in two ways. On one hand, our biology is affected by shifts in stress hormones. On the other, stress can influence the choices we make around nutritional quality, portion sizes, alcohol, eating out, planning and preparedness, movement, rest, and mindset.

When I’m feeling stressed, my natural tendency is to make choices that provide immediate relief rather than choices that support my long-term well-being. Next week, we’ll focus on the emotional side of stress and how it can influence the choices we make.

This week, we’re focusing on helping our bodies move out of that high-alert state by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, the part of our nervous system that helps our bodies move toward rest, recovery, and regulation.

We can help our bodies move out of the “alarm” state through slow, deep breathing, gentle movement, time in nature, rest, connection, and other practices that communicate safety to our nervous system.

As believers, we can also bring our stress before the One who created our bodies in the first place—through prayer, Scripture, worship, and stillness before God. Alongside these calming practices, I often remind myself: I am safe, I am not alone, and God is with me right now.

Practicing these concepts in real time, right in the midst of life’s stressors, has brought healing to my body, mind, and soul. I can personally testify that we don’t have to be tossed and turned by our stress response. I’m learning to intentionally make conscious choices that calm my nervous system, and it has made all the difference. I wish you could see a window into my inner being and compare the “before” with the “after.” The difference is remarkable.

The invitation…

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

Jesus invites us into a relationship with Him, with Him as our guide, as we learn to walk alongside Him in the journey of life. His Word and the Holy Spirit teach us His gentle ways, which is so counter to the ways of the world. He offers rest and freedom if we would but enter into the “unforced rhythms of grace.”

What if part of calming the alarm isn’t simply learning techniques to lower our stress, but learning to live in the unforced rhythms of grace? Spiritual disciplines give us practices that help us slow down, become aware of God’s presence, surrender what we’re carrying, and learn the pace of Jesus.

Rather than simply silencing the alarm, we can stop and ask what it’s trying to tell us and how life can be different if we take a breath and use the alarm bell as an invitation to connect with our heavenly Father.

Next Steps: From Alarm to Calm

SPIRITUAL

We enter into the “unforced rhythms of grace” through practices often called spiritual disciplines. These aren’t ways to earn God’s love or presence. They are simply ways to slow down, connect with our heavenly Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and make space to receive what He offers us. Here are a few ways we can draw near to Him. What practice is calling to your heart today?

• Pray
• Sit quietly with God
• Read and meditate on Scripture
• Worship
• Practice gratitude
• Surrender your worries to God
• Practice Sabbath
• Use breath prayers
• Spend time in silence and solitude

Ask: What do I need to surrender to God today?

PHYSICAL

Slow, intentional breathing can begin helping your body shift toward a calmer state within minutes. It can increase parasympathetic activity and help you feel calmer, while regular practice may provide longer-term benefits for stress regulation. Think of it as giving your body a message: The alarm is ringing, but I am safe enough to slow down and breathe.

Try slow breathing with a longer exhale. Inhale gently through your nose for four counts, then slowly exhale for six counts. Continue for two to five minutes. You don’t need to take big breaths—just slow, comfortable ones. The longer exhale can help encourage your body to shift out of its high-alert state and toward rest and recovery.

MENTAL

Let’s Quiet the Noise

Stress can keep our minds spinning just like a Tilt-A-Whirl.

Here’s a challenge I’d like to offer you: the “Put Your Phone to Bed” challenge.

Believe it or not, the world will keep spinning if you treat your phone like a toddler—it needs a bedtime, too. Put your phone “to bed” in the evening and resist jumping back into the world of screens first thing in the morning. What if creating some space from our phones could give our minds a break from the mental clutter and constant stimulation of the digital noise?

Challenge: Give your phone a bedtime and a wake-up time. Let yourself experience some quiet before the day begins and some space to unwind before you go to sleep.

Ask: What might I hear, notice, or think about when I give my mind a little less noise?

EMOTIONAL

When stress hits, pause and intentionally remind yourself of what is true right now.

Pause and notice: Am I actually in danger right now, or is my body responding to stress?

Then take a slow breath and identify 3 things around you that remind you that you are safe in this moment.

RELATIONAL

Too often, we try to carry life’s burdens all alone. The question I want to ask you right now is, “Am I trying to carry my stress all alone?” If the answer is yes, you are not alone.

We are meant to live in community, but too often we camp out in isolation, which can further fuel our stress, anxiety, and the alarm bells going off within our souls.

Invite someone in. Think of one safe person you can reach out to today. It doesn’t have to be a deep conversation or a long explanation. Send a text, make a phone call, sit down over coffee, or simply say, “I’m carrying a lot right now. Could we talk?”

We aren’t meant to carry life’s burdens alone. Sometimes calming the alarm begins by letting someone else know that it is ringing.

May you feel and hear the still, small voice of the One who beckons you to the unforced rhythms of grace.