How to Listen to your body's stress signals:

Many people think stress is something to eliminate — or that struggling with it means something is wrong. In reality, stress is neither failure nor victory. It is a critical biological signal.

Stress is a coordinated physiological response designed to help the body meet a demand. When something requires attention or action, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activates, cortisol rises, heart rate shifts, energy and minerals are mobilized, and the nervous system prepares for action (McEwen, 1998; Sapolsky, 2004). This response begins before conscious awareness. Stress starts in the body, not the mind.

In a healthy system, stress follows a simple cycle: activation, resolution, recovery. When that cycle completes, the nervous system returns toward baseline, cortisol rhythms normalize, and the body becomes more resilient to future demands (Kirschbaum & Hellhammer, 2000; Thayer et al., 2012). This is adaptive stress. It builds capacity.

Stress becomes harmful only when it does not resolve.

Decades of research distinguish between stress that resolves and stress that accumulates. When stress stays active without completion, the body remains in a state of adaptation. Over time, this creates cumulative physiological wear—known as allostatic load—which is associated with fatigue, impaired recovery, hormonal disruption, and long-term health consequences (McEwen & Wingfield, 2003). The problem is not stress itself, but stress without an endpoint.

Modern stress often lacks resolution. Historically, stress ended in movement—running, lifting, escaping, carrying. Modern stressors such as emails, deadlines, emotional labor, and financial pressure activate the same biological systems without providing a physical finish line. From the body’s perspective, the demand never closes.

Many people respond by trying to quiet stress instead of resolve it. Supplements, calming routines, or optimization strategies are layered on top of unchanged situations. These supports can help recovery, but they cannot complete an active stress response. If the nervous system continues to register threat, the body will continue reallocating resources regardless of what is added. This is not a failure of effort. It is a mismatch between support and signal.

At Annalemma Labs, we track hydration, pH and magnesium as critical markers of a stress response but supplementation isn't always the answer. Clinical research consistently shows magnesium to be broadly safe and often helpful for stress-related states and anxiety (Boyle et al., 2017; Tarleton & Littenberg, 2015). At the same time, real-world reports show that some people experience paradoxical responses with supplementation—such as increased anxiety or emotional flattening—particularly with highly bioavailable forms like magnesium bisglycinate or L-threonate (Reddit, 2025). This does not contradict the science. Magnesium affects NMDA receptor activity, GABA signaling, and electrolyte balance across calcium, sodium, and potassium systems (Volpe, 2013). In a body under unresolved stress, adding a strong regulatory input can amplify instability rather than restore balance. The signal is not that magnesium is harmful, but that the stress itself has not resolved.

Stress is meant to end. One of the body’s primary resolution pathways is movement and sweat. Research shows that psychological stress alone—without exercise—can alter sweat rate, electrolyte composition, and skin pH (Kondo et al., 2016; Gao et al., 2024). Brief bouts of vigorous movement that initiate sweat help clear stress hormones, shift the nervous system toward recovery, and signal completion of the stress response. What people experience as relief after movement reflects real physiological change.

Listening to stress means noticing whether it resolves.

Listening to your body does not mean rejecting evidence. It means watching how evidence shows up in your own physiology over time. Research supports clear markers of stress you can build capacity for: stress that fades after movement or exertion (Sapolsky, 2004), signals that diminish with adequate recovery, and physiological measures that trend back toward baseline rather than escalating (Kirschbaum & Hellhammer, 2000; Thayer et al., 2012). Research also identifies warning signs: stress signals that persist despite recovery behaviors, increasing sensitivity to inputs meant to calm the system, and repeated depletion without restoration—even with hydration, nutrition, or supplementation. These patterns help differentiate between stress you can adapt to and build capacity for, and stress that requires change to resolve.

When getting out of a stressful situation feels impossible, the body still needs evidence that the stress will end. Getting out does not always mean leaving immediately. Often it means containing the stress so it no longer feels endless. This can include creating clear stopping points in the day, shortening or spacing out exposure, protecting time for physical discharge and recovery, or having a real plan for change—even if action is delayed. Open-ended stress carries a heavier biological load than stress with boundaries or a path out.

Planning during physical engagement can help. Thinking through next steps while moving, sweating, or sitting in heat—during a workout, walk, or sauna—often feels different than planning at a desk. Stress hormones are already clearing, and the nervous system is shifting toward recovery. The body begins to associate the stressor with resolution rather than threat.

If you’re using the Reveal Sheet, you can watch how your real-time response trends over time. As stress becomes more contained and less open-ended, sweat patterns and skin pH often shift. That’s your body giving you useful information. What are the factors that keep your stress elevated? What are the actions you can take to help your body make it feel more contained? You can listen and learn from your own stress to recover faster and build resilience and capacity.

And if this process ever feels overwhelming or unmanageable, you are never alone. If you need help and are in the United States and need immediate support, you can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, available 24/7. If you are outside the U.S., local crisis resources are typically available through national health services or via international directories such as the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). You are not alone.