How to track physical manifestation of stress and anxiety?

October 31, 2024 2:58 PM

I've noticed recently that my stress response seems to be more pronounced than it used to be, which is getting in the way of getting things done and enjoying them. I'd like to be able to better track that response so I understand it better and maybe can address it somehow.

(I'm going to say right off the bat that the things that are stressing me out are not life or death stressors and I know many people have a lot of big stuff going on, especially right now. I want to acknowledge that because I feel a bit indulgent even asking about this. But it is interfering with my life, not just in the examples I'm giving below, and i don't want it to get worse. )

Earlier in the year I recorded a CD, and I need to finish it by the end of the year if I want to have it at a couple events next spring. But even though I've gotten a lot of positive validation on it from people who's opinion I value, I'm finding it so stressful to work on it, we finished the recording in early June and I pretty much sat on it the rest of the summer. Now I have mixes to listen to but I can't seem to get myself to listen to them. I tell myself it's because I'm busy and I am busy, but I could make this happen. I lay in bed and reason with myself on why tomorrow will be the day I start a routine of working on it for just an hour on it everyday. That I'm making too big a deal out of getting it out and getting anything out is better than having nothing. I reason, reason, reason. I remind myself how excited I am about it, that my performance, the band, everything is better than the last CD I did (16 years ago). And yet the days slip by...

Today felt like a good day to get some work done, my schedule was pretty flexible and I was feeling relaxed, had completed some committments, so after putting it off for an hour, I ate lunch and opened the emails to download the mixes. And as soon as I heard the first few bars I could feel my heart just start to race. And so here I am procrastinating and writing this question instead of listening while I wait for my heart to stop slow down.

I then remembered earlier in the year comparing my Oura ring's stress level on the day I played through all the takes compared to a reg day at my kind of stressful job. I feel stressed at the job for various reasons, I would have told you hands down the job is way more stressful than getting to work on my CD. But the ring showed that the time playing through the recording was off the charts stresswise, nothing else compared to it. I know there are various *emotional* reasons I've put off working on this project but this made me wonder if there's something subconscious also going on some, like somehow my body is sending my signals to not work on this because it physically takes a toll.

I've also noticed recently that sometimes when I'm performing I'm much more physically stressed than I used to be, even when I don't feel nervous, and am super excited about what I'm doing - my body is panic-ing, my heart is racing etc. I work on my breathing and try to focus on my technique at that point, but it's so frustrating. I'm perimenopausal and I know women can experience increased anxiety during this time, I'm wondering if that's contributing, b/c if it is maybe I can get medical help for it.

With that in mind I think I'd like to better track when this happens, what triggers it, etc. If you've gone through something similar are there any apps or techniques you've used to track things? I guess one idea I have is an app that lets you notate things against heart rate data - I can see where it spiked this afternoon in my watch but I won't remember the cause down the road, it'd be better to have some way of lining up cause and effect.

In addition to being able to have something to show a medical professional I'd also like be able to be a bit kinder to myself. So if I could see 'wow' this is stressing me out and here's how I'm going to address that, maybe I could break the procrastination/shame cycle I frequently fall into about things. Thanks for reading, would love your suggestions...

posted by snowymorninblues to Health & Fitness (3 answers total)

Best answer: Visible is a wearable designed for long COVID and ME/CFS, but the things it tracks (heart rate and heart rate variability) are also correlated with stress, and it lets you track physical sensations too (tension, nausea, palpitations, whatever else you want--I don't have the wearable but use the app and it lets me put in my own things to track). Might work for your purpose?
posted by brook horse at 3:05 PM on October 31

Consider that your body and mind are connected, and your bodymind knows that you won't make yourself work on the music if you feel too anxious. Can you try setting even smaller goals, like five minutes and then you get a treat? You can also decide that it's just not worth the stress and quit. But it sounds like your underlying question is about finishing the album, and you flat out say that this question is about procrastinating.

Tracking your anxiety and trying to make it so you never feel it isn't the solution. You already seem to be pretty good at noticing it, which is great! Dealing with your anxiety when you notice it and not letting it rule your life is the answer.
posted by momus_window at 4:07 PM on October 31 [2 favorites]

Work six minutes a day I it for a while, absolutely no longer. You may end up surprised at your revived interest after a few days, then work on it 12 minutes a day, no longer, and so and so forth. Stop when you get to 90 minutes, no more than that. If you go too high you risk getting burned out. Just a medium paced effort will give you great returns but start with 6 minutes max.
posted by waving at 9:00 PM on October 31