🫀 Training Stress — Feeling It, Not Just Tracking It

Charles Darwin nailed it a long time ago:

That’s training in a nutshell.

We don’t need another smart watch to tell us how cooked we are. We need to listen to our bodies and respond before the wheels come off.  And believe me, I am guilty of running myself into the ground over the years.  I'd like to think I listen to my body far better these days.

Why Stress Matters

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Stress isn’t just work deadlines or traffic. It’s training load, poor sleep, skipped meals, arguments, late nights, caffeine bombs — the lot. Your adrenal glands (tiny things sitting on top of your kidneys) are your body’s “stress HQ.” They release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to help you adapt.

When stress is short and sharp (say, a hard race or a brutal workday), your body copes and resets. But when stress is constant — too much training, not enough recovery — your system starts to slide:

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🚩 Fatigue creeps in.

🚩 Sleep goes wonky.

🚩 Mood gets flat.

🚩 Workouts feel harder.

🚩 Sugar cravings fire up.

🚩 Niggles start popping up.

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This isn’t weakness. It’s your system saying: “Ease up, mate.”

The goal isn’t to avoid stress — training is stress — it’s to manage it so we never drift too long in Stage 2 or 3.

Tech vs. Feel

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I’ve worn all the smartwatches, synced the apps, and stared at the dashboards. And while those metrics can be useful — and sometimes pure datatainment — I’m not convinced they know my body better than I do. They’re estimates, not insight. Numbers that hint, not tell.

I’ve found it far more valuable to ask myself the real questions — and better still, have someone close to me answer them too. That’s often when you get the most honest feedback about how you’re really tracking — physically and mentally.

🏁 Final Thought

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Great training isn’t about smashing every session. It’s about tuning in, adapting, and giving your body what it needs on that day.

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Stress isn’t the enemy — ignoring it is.  For those interested, below is my proven training stress questionnare.

I’m no psychologist — but after three decades helping people move, eat, and live better, I’ve noticed something clear: the same habits that build physical health build mental strength. I presented these six simple strategies during Mental Health Month in October. Surrounded by experts, I felt a bit of imposter syndrome — until it hit me: these may be common-sense habits, but they work.

🌊 Hydration – “Water Before Worry”

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I’ve learned that the simple act of sipping water can reset the whole system. Most people walk around 1–2 % dehydrated — enough to cloud mood, concentration, and decision-making. I like warm water with a pinch of bicarb soda or mineral salts — it helps alkalise, supports electrolyte balance, and just feels cleansing.  When we’re low on fluid, our blood thickens, our heart works harder, and cortisol nudges upward. It’s no wonder moods dip. My rule: sip all day, don’t gulp occasionally. A reusable bottle nearby isn’t just a hydration tool — it’s a mindfulness anchor.

🚶‍♂️ Activity – “Move First, Think Later”

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When stress builds, movement beats meditation nine times out of ten. A 10-minute walk can literally change brain chemistry — pumping oxygen through the prefrontal cortex and triggering dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.

I’ve found rhythmic, continuous movement (walking, cycling, swimming) to be the best “reset switch.” It’s gentle, repetitive, and doesn’t require much thought.
Then there’s resistance training — the quiet confidence-builder. There’s something empowering about controlled muscle tension — the safe kind that pushes against gravity and says, “I’ve got this.” It triggers a healthy rise in adrenaline, oxytocin, and that satisfying post-workout calm.

Don’t chase intensity — chase consistency.

🎸 Music – “Mood in a Major Key”

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Music bypasses logic and heads straight for the limbic system — our emotional HQ. I keep a few go-to “feel good” tracks on standby. Anything in a major key (especially G) seems to lift the mood — think Tom Petty’s Learning to Fly or Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark.  Yeah, yeah, I'm a product of the 80's.  Mind you, you gotta check out JS Bach (he rocks).

The trick? Same song, multiple times. Repetition anchors rhythm to emotion, and before long, your heart rate follows the tempo.  Even better - play an instrument.  It's almost impossible to focus on playing notes and focus in a negative thought.
When I sense a meltdown coming on, I reach for the headphones before I reach for the fridge or phone. Works every time.

😴 Sleep – “Tomorrow Starts Tonight”

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When sleep quality dips, mindset follows. I’ve learned to treat bedtime like pre-race prep.

♠ No screens an hour before bed. Blue light keeps the brain wired.

♣ Cool the room, and even better, cool your bedding — body temperature needs to drop for melatonin to rise.

♥ Paper beats pixels. A real book, even for five minutes, helps shift focus from doing to dreaming.

♦ The payoff? Better resilience, steadier emotions, and fewer “bad days” before breakfast.

🥗 Nourishing – “Eat Real, Feel Real”

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When I drift toward processed foods, I feel it mentally before I see it physically. Industrialised food is often low in nutrients, high in inflammation — the perfect storm for mood swings.

Whole foods — colourful plants, quality protein, healthy fats — stabilise blood sugar and feed the gut bacteria that make serotonin (yes, most of it’s made in the gut).

A glass of wine or a beer can be part of the plan, but when the “couple” becomes “a few,” it’s rarely a mental health win. I like to think of alcohol as a borrowed mood lift — you have to pay it back tomorrow.

🙏 Gratitude – “Flip the Lens”

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Gratitude isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a neural rewiring exercise. It shifts focus.

I’ve found the quickest way to feel grateful is to express it out loud — compliment someone, thank someone, even text someone you haven’t in a while. The feel-good feedback loop is instant — both giver and receiver get a dopamine kick.

🧭 In Closing

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Before you label it “a bad day,” try hydration, movement, music, sleep, food, and gratitude — in that order.
They’re not just strategies — they’re mood levers. And when practised daily, they keep you well away from the mental cliff edge that too many of us visit unnecessarily.