A Practical Guide from Mountain Performance PT

Stress isn’t just a mental health issue — it directly affects performance, recovery, injury risk, and overall health.

Whether you're a runner, CrossFit athlete, mountain hunter, or someone trying to stay active without pain, how you manage stress matters just as much as how you train.

This article breaks down what stress actually does to your body and gives you actionable strategies to manage it so you can recover better, perform better, and stay healthy long term.

What Stress Actually Is

Stress occurs when something disrupts your body’s normal balance (homeostasis).

These disruptions — called stressors — can be:

• Physical (training, injury, illness)
  
• Psychological (work pressure, deadlines)
  
• Environmental (poor sleep, travel, noise)
  
• Lifestyle related (nutrition, recovery habits)
  
  

When a stressor appears, your body activates a stress response through the nervous system and hormones.

This response prepares you for action.

In many cases, that’s a good thing.

Good Stress vs Bad Stress

Not all stress is harmful.

Eustress (Helpful Stress)

This is the type of stress that helps you improve.

Examples:

• Hard workouts
  
• Racing
  
• Learning a new skill
  
• Challenging goals
  
  

This type of stress can improve:

• endurance
  
• cardiovascular health
  
• mental focus
  
• motivation
  
  

Distress (Harmful Stress)

Distress occurs when stress becomes too frequent, too intense, or too long-lasting.

When this happens the body never fully recovers.

Over time this can lead to:

• fatigue
  
• burnout
  
• poor recovery
  
• increased injury risk
  
• chronic pain
  
• heart disease
  
• anxiety or depression
  
  

The goal isn’t eliminating stress.

The goal is balancing stress and recovery.

The Biology of Stress (Simplified)

Your body uses two main systems to respond to stress.

1. The Fast System: Fight-or-Flight

When stress appears, your nervous system releases adrenaline and noradrenaline.

This causes:

• increased heart rate
  
• higher blood pressure
  
• more blood to muscles
  
• increased energy availability
  
• heightened focus and alertness
  
  

This response helps you run faster, lift heavier, or react quickly.

But it should be temporary.

2. The Slow System: Rest and Digest

A second system releases the hormone cortisol.

Cortisol helps your body:

• mobilize energy
  
• regulate inflammation
  
• manage metabolism
  
• maintain blood sugar
  
  

Short term, this is helpful.

But chronically elevated cortisol creates problems.

How Chronic Stress Affects Your Body

When stress stays high for long periods, it impacts nearly every system in the body.

Cardiovascular System

Chronic stress can lead to:

• elevated blood pressure
  
• inflammation
  
• increased risk of heart disease
  
  

Respiratory System

Stress often causes:

• rapid shallow breathing
  
• airway irritation
  
• worsened asthma symptoms
  
  

Digestive System

Stress can disrupt the gut and lead to:

• bloating
  
• constipation
  
• diarrhea
  
• IBS symptoms
  
  

Musculoskeletal System

For active adults, this is one of the biggest issues.

Chronic stress can cause:

• persistent muscle tension
  
• slower injury recovery
  
• increased injury risk
  
• reduced bone density over time
  
  

Immune System

High cortisol suppresses immune function.

This can lead to:

• frequent illness
  
• slower healing
  
• increased inflammation
  
  

Why Athletes and Active Adults Need Stress Management

Training itself is a stress on the body.

But most people underestimate how many other stressors they have.

Your body doesn’t distinguish between:

• work stress
  
• poor sleep
  
• hard workouts
  
• relationship stress
  
• poor nutrition
  
• illness
  
  

To your nervous system, stress is stress.

When total stress load becomes too high, performance drops and injuries rise.

The 3 Stages of Burnout

Researchers describe stress progression as General Adaptation Syndrome.

Stage 1: Alarm

The body enters fight-or-flight.

You feel:

• energized
  
• alert
  
• focused
  
  

This is normal after a tough workout or busy day.

Stage 2: Resistance

If stress continues, your body adapts but remains on high alert.

You may notice:

• irritability
  
• poor concentration
  
• trouble sleeping
  
• declining performance
  
  

Stage 3: Exhaustion

When stress persists too long, the system breaks down.

Common symptoms include:

• fatigu
  
• burnout
  
• depression
  
• increased injury
  
• weakened immune system
  
  

This is when many athletes end up injured or completely burned out.

5 Practical Stress Management Strategies

The good news: stress is manageable with the right habits.

Here are the strategies we recommend most often at Mountain Performance PT.

1. Prioritize Sleep

Sleep is the most powerful recovery tool your body has.

Poor sleep disrupts cortisol regulation and recovery.

Aim for:

• 7–9 hours per night
  
• consistent bedtime and wake time
  
• cool, dark sleeping environment
  
  

Helpful habits:

• avoid screens 60 minutes before bed
  
• limit caffeine after midday
  
• expose yourself to morning sunlight
  
  

2. Use Exercise Strategically

Exercise can both increase and reduce stress depending on how it’s used.

Helpful approaches:

• mix hard and easy training days
  
• include low-intensity aerobic sessions
  
• incorporate mobility work
  
• schedule recovery weeks
  
  

Walking, cycling, and light aerobic activity can help reset the nervous system.

3. Practice Controlled Breathing

Breathing exercises stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes recovery.

Try this simple method:

Box Breathing

1. Inhale for 4 seconds
   
2. Hold for 4 seconds
   
3. Exhale for 4 seconds
   
4. Hold for 4 seconds
   
   

Repeat for 3–5 minutes.

This can lower heart rate and calm the stress response.

4. Reduce Lifestyle Stressors

Training isn’t the only thing that stresses your body.

Look for ways to reduce:

• constant notifications
  
• overpacked schedules
  
• late-night screen time
  
• excessive caffeine
  
• poor nutrition habits
  
  

Small lifestyle changes can significantly reduce overall stress load.

5. Schedule Recovery Like You Schedule Workouts

Recovery shouldn’t be accidental.

Schedule time for:

• mobility work
  
• easy aerobic sessions
  
• outdoor walks
  
• hobbies
  
• social connection
  
  

These activities help shift the body out of fight-or-flight mode.

A Simple Weekly Stress Management Plan

Here is a practical template.

Daily

• 7–9 hours of sleep
  
• 5 minutes of breathing or relaxation
  
• short walks outdoors
  
  

2–3x per week

• mobility or recovery sessions
  
• light aerobic activity
  
  

Weekly

• at least one low-stress day
  
• limit high-intensity workouts to 2–3 days
  
  

When Stress Is Affecting Performance

If you notice:

• constant muscle tightness
  
• recurring injuries
  
• declining performance
  
• persistent fatigue
  
• trouble recovering between workouts
  

Stress load may be exceeding recovery capacity.

This is where individualized guidance can help.

How Mountain Performance PT Helps

At Mountain Performance PT, we don’t just treat pain — we look at the entire stress and recovery system.

We help active adults:

• balance training load and recovery
  
• improve movement and resilience
  
• recover faster from injury
  
• stay active long term
  
  

Our goal is simple:

Keep you doing the activities you love without pain holding you back.

Want Help Improving Recovery and Performance?

If stress, injuries, or recovery issues are limiting your activity, schedule a Performance Assessment with Mountain Performance PT.

We’ll help you identify what’s holding you back and build a plan to keep you moving.

 

Works Cited:

Chu B, Marwaha K, Sanvictores T, et al. Physiology, Stress Reaction. [Updated 2024 May 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541120/