Modern humans live in an environment completely different from the one we evolved in. What does that mean? It means that our genetic makeup is not necessarily suited to our modern lifestyle. Instead of spending the majority of our life in a “rest and digest” state as our ancestors did, we are constantly experiencing low level stressors that shift us into “fight or flight.” True, most of us do not have to fear becoming prey but milder threats such as work demands and deadlines, bills, constant rushing, non-stop emails, and strained relationships create the same response in our body as a saber-toothed tiger ready to pounce. Our blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate increase. Digestion, learning and memory, repair and growth, and reproductive function, which aren’t essential for fighting or fleeing, decrease. Although these changes in physiology are essential to survive a rare saber-toothed tiger attack, they become detrimental to our health if we never shift back out of this state. So what do we do? We must take a proactive approach to managing stress in our everyday lives. How do you keep your stress in check? Leave us a comment and let us know!