s1/e28 STRESS (& Running)

Allostasis

Allostasis is a fascinating concept that highlights the body's ability to anticipate and prepare for stressors, rather than merely reacting to them. Elisabeth Scott explains that this proactive regulation is crucial for efficiency, especially in activities like running where the body learns to adapt to heat by increasing blood plasma volume and sweating earlier 1. This efficiency is not just about physical adaptations but also involves the brain's ability to predict and prepare for future events, reducing unnecessary energy expenditure.

Allostasis is the concept that your body actually regulates itself by anticipating some things that are going to happen, rather than reacting to things that have already occurred.

--- Elisabeth Scott

Understanding allostatic load, which is the cumulative stress on the body, is essential for balancing stress and recovery, ensuring that stress promotes growth rather than breakdown 2.

   

Lazy Brain

The brain's tendency to create shortcuts, known as heuristics, is a key strategy for managing stress and conserving energy. Elisabeth Scott describes how these mental shortcuts allow us to perform routine tasks on autopilot, such as driving home without conscious effort 3. This energy-saving mechanism is an evolutionary advantage, as the brain consumes a significant amount of energy compared to other organs.

Your brain is constantly looking for shortcuts, what are called in psychology heuristics, basically these little shortcuts or rules or shorthand.

--- Elisabeth Scott

By relying on these heuristics, the brain can efficiently manage low-level stressors, allowing us to focus our cognitive resources on more pressing challenges 3.