How Stress Clouds Decision Making (and What to Do About It)

Part 1 – Why Does Stress Cloud Our Decision Making?

First, a quick biology lesson. When something stressful happens, we all know how we feel. Our heart pounds, we might feel a burst of nervous “energy,” or there might be the feeling that the bottom has fallen from our stomach—like when you’re scared on a roller coaster or have someone startle you. That happens because a stressful event causes your brain to trigger the release of stress hormones. These chemicals rapidly increase heart rate, blood pressure, and a host of other physical reactions.

Why? Think of what happened if you were a caveman or cavewoman a few hundred thousand years ago and you encountered a sabretooth tiger. Stress hormones were needed to survive. You either needed to run like the wind, or pick up the biggest rock you could handle to fight—so you could live another day.

But what about decision making today? So, if you think about it, you’re walking down that trail 300 thousand years ago, and you stumble upon or hear the fierce growl of a dangerous animal. The last thing you probably want to do is stop, make a list of options, and spend time contemplating alternatives. Your action likely needs to be entirely based on autopilot, and the faster, the better!

So, stress hormones stimulate our body to move fast by giving us the energy needed to react physically. These hormones also trigger the part of the brain that is responsible for fear and anxiety. But, they also serve to shut down or “numb” the part of the brain responsible for planning, clear-headed decision making, rational and thoughtful conversations, and generally acting like an adult.  Look at this another way—the part of our brain responsible for all of those “adult” things is the last part of an adolescent’s brain to mature. If you’ve been the parent of a teen, you know this. It’s normal.  They don’t always think before they act. And some of the decisions that they make might seem nonsensical…or even put them into dangerous situations. But, then they grow up and gain access to that critical front part of the brain, and begin to make good decisions.

So – if you’ve ever been super stressed and act in ways that later seem strange or are asked, “Why are you acting like a child?” it’s probably in part due to the impacts of these stress hormones.  The problem is, if you are trying to make really difficult, high-stakes decisions under stress, you may not make the best decisions. And, if you fail to make a good decision, it can create even more stress creating a vicious cycle. We also know that decisions made under stress or being badly distracted or having tunnel vision connected to stress hormones can lead to a person being badly injured or killed as a result of a farm “accident.”

Part 2 – What Do I Do?

So, congratulations for reading this far.  The first important step is to realize that your stress response is “normal” and that you might not be thinking super clear. It happens to everyone. It’s also important to know that if you are being constantly bombarded by stress (and stress hormones), and are not taking some specific, positive steps to throttle down this stress response, that decision making is going to be very difficult and probably not very effective.

How do you throttle down? This is the challenge. Largely because the situations we are talking about (farming, owning a business, parenting, caregiving, etc.) are rarely easy. But by taking some positive actions, you can have a positive impact. Think of it as multiple “throttles” to power down that release of stressful fuel (hormones) which will lead to better emotions and better decisions.  Here are a few of those throttles.

Seek help and support – Sometimes under stress, we shut down and withdraw. This is likely the worst thing you can do. When things get difficult, we often need to work super hard to connect. This could include connecting with experts and resources for things like financial or legal advice, animal health information, or other production and business assistance. It can also include connecting more deeply with loved ones, community members, and friends. Often, the first steps can be hard. I often hear of stressed people who turn away from activities they once cherished – school activities, church, or having breakfast at the downtown diner.  Make that first step to connect with others. The perspective you gain through conversations and connections really does help defuel our stress response.

Include getting help from health professionals – In some cases, stress can be made worse because of our health. And, unresolved stress itself can be a health risk factor (injury, blood pressure, heart health, and others). In some cases, your primary healthcare provider can help you think about stress reduction strategies or they may see that some of your stress is actually connected to some type of undiagnosed health condition. Even if you’re not feeling sick, but are feeling super stressed, start with a routine physical, especially if it’s been more than a couple years since you last saw a doctor.

Sleep – I can say this having grown up on a farm and having struggled with this a bit myself. We need sleep. This includes quantity (enough) and quality (how good it is) sleep. Sleep is sort of a magic key to stress reduction (and good decision making). It’s often easier said than done, as those stress hormones can hit us at odd times (like 2 a.m. in the morning). A few specific tips include asking your doctor about things to do for difficult sleep; try to establish a wind down routine at the same time each night; avoid alcohol before bed (you might feel it helps you sleep, but it does not lead to quality sleep); and ditch the devices. Many of us sleep with our smartphone close by. If you can move it to another room, you’ll resist that temptation to wake at 2 a.m., check your texts, and then surf mindlessly because you cannot get back to sleep.

Eat Well, Hydrate and Move – Sometimes under stress, we fail to take care of our bodies. Obviously, our brain is part of our body, and it needs to be cared for!  Food is the fuel for our body including the brain. Nobody would ever dream of heading out into the field with a machine with no (or lousy quality) fuel. Yet, we do that to ourselves. Eating “well” does not mean eating perfectly. I like to suggest making sure to get enough calories while minimizing sugar intake and striving for balance. Your brain especially needs balance including protein (meats, dairy, eggs, plant protein) as well as some healthy carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, etc.).  We also have to pay attention to hydration for the brain to work optimally. Realize that coffee and sugary sodas over time will dehydrate us. Optimal fluid intake varies. Unless your healthcare provider advises otherwise 64 ounces a day (8 cups) of water is a good goal for most people. What about exercise? Some of you reading this probably get more than enough activity. Others, not so much. Exercise – especially activity that get the heart beating, does a couple things. It helps us burn up and deactivate those stress hormones, and it releases other chemicals in our bodies which serve to REDUCE stress. In terms of decision making, when you exercise, you also increase your body’s use of oxygen, something that can be very helpful to brain function and assist in making quality decisions.

So – Stress is a normal part of life. When we feel stressed, it often can be a motivator to change, to connect with others. Hopefully, these hints and descriptions can help you to think about how stress can impact our decisions while also providing some action items that we all can benefit from!