The body’s stress response has evolved to outwit predators and avoid starvation, not to fight with rush hour traffic and overbearing bosses.  Modern living swells with sources of stress unrelated to life-or-death situations, such as sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, toxic relationships, financial concerns, and more. The human body requires periods of stress and relaxation to be healthy, and our fast-paced society often makes this feel next to impossible.  

1. HYPERSTIMULATION ANXIETY:
WHAT IS IT AND HOW TO
CONTROL IT

2. The body’s stress response has evolved to outwit predators and
avoid starvation, not to fight with rush hour traffic and
overbearing bosses.
Modern living swells with sources of stress unrelated to life-or-
death situations, such as sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, toxic
relationships, financial concerns, and more.The human body
requires periods of stress and relaxation to be healthy, and our
fast-paced society often makes this feel next to impossible.

3. WHAT IS
HYPERSTIMULATION ANXIETY?

4. W H AT IS
HYPERSTIMULATION ANXIETY
Anxiety is a very common and natural response to stress, and its physiological
mechanisms are normal and necessary. What’s not normal is when the body’s
stress response becomes over-stimulated—either by the environment, long
hours on electronic devices, or other factors that put us into a state of chronic
over-stimulation.
Hyperstimulation anxiety happens when your stress response is kicked into
high gear without being given a chance to come back down. Along with feeling
an increased heart rate and other signs commonly associated with stress and
anxiety, many people will also feel the effects in their muscles.
The human stress response works well to run from a tiger or hunt for food, but
since these are typically not stressors we face today, those same stress
hormones end up being produced on a constant basis. When this happens, our
mental, physical, and emotional health pays the price.

5. THE ROLE OF THE HPA AXIS
IN HYPERSTIMULATION ANXIETY

6. One of the most important communication loops in your body is the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, commonly referred to as the HPA axis.
This axis communicates in a top-down fashion. As a response to stress, your
brain talks to your hypothalamus, which sends a chemical signal to your
pituitary gland, which releases the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which
turns on output from your adrenals so that your adrenals release
the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline .
When cortisol reaches high enough levels, it suppresses the hypothalamus and
pituitary gland to help regulate your fight-or-flight response. Many people are
familiar with the term “adrenal fatigue” as a state of burnout. In reality, it’s not
that the adrenal glands stop working; rather, after a chronic stimulation of
stress hormones, the communication between the hypothalamus, pituitary
gland, and adrenal glands breaks down.

7. The physiological chain of events
that results from high stress is a
process that usually happens over a
long period of time.At first, you
might experience blood sugar
dysregulation and cravings for
caffeine and sugar, followed by
fatigue or a “tired and wired”
feeling.You may also experience
trouble staying asleep.

8. WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF
HYPERSTIMULATION ANXIETY?

9. W H AT A R E TH E SIGN S OF
H YPER STIMU LATION A N XIETY?
Hyperstimulation anxiety resulting from chronic stress can be
experienced differently from person to person. However, some
common signs include trouble sleeping, impaired cognitive
function (such as memory and concentration), a short fuse,
muscle tension, and headaches.
Many times, these feelings lead people to make diet and
lifestyle choices that seem like they help short term, but
exacerbate the problem long term. These common habits
include reaching for stimulating foods (like coffee, sugar, and
refined carbohydrates), not exercising due to lack of
motivation, and not drinking enough water. It becomes a
cascade of phenomena that can become a vicious cycle if not
stopped.

10. WHAT CAN I DO
ABOUT IT?

11. W H AT C A N I D O A B OU T IT?
The good news is that there are many steps you can take to manage stress
and support hyperstimulation anxiety. Consider the following strategies:
K N O W Y O U R T R I G G E R S
First and foremost, know
yourself and understand your
personal triggers. For
example, if talking in front of
groups is extremely stress-
inducing for you, try to
minimize your time speaking
in front of groups. Find the
things in your life that insight
a stress response and figure
out ways to reduce these
events.
G E T A D E Q U AT E R E S T
The average American over the
age of 25 sleeps less than six
hours each night. Finding
strategies to get an adequate
amount of restful sleep is
foundational to supporting
hyperstimulation anxiety. Try to
create a pre-bed routine that is
conducive to getting to sleep and
staying asleep. It might seem
overly simple, but make sure that
you have a nice quite, dark
environment where you will not
be disturbed. Mindfulness and
breathing techniques are also a
great way to prepare the body for
restful sleep.
D A I L Y D E E P R E L A X A T I O N
The average American over the
age of 25 sleeps less than six
hours each night. Finding
strategies to get an adequate
amount of restful sleep is
foundational to supporting
hyperstimulation anxiety. Try to
create a pre-bed routine that is
conducive to getting to sleep and
staying asleep. It might seem
overly simple, but make sure that
you have a nice quite, dark
environment where you will not
be disturbed. Mindfulness and
breathing techniques are also a
great way to prepare the body for
restful sleep.

12. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?
E X E R C I S E
The right kind of exercise can help you
maintain good mental health, but it may even
be used as a means to reduce the risk of low
mood, anxiousness, and other cognitive
challenges. 2
Physical activity affects the brain by improving
the delivery of nutrients and oxygen as well as
increasing neurotrophic factors and hormones
that support neuron connections and signaling,
especially in the hippocampus. One theory
refers to mental illness as “cognitive
inflexibility.” So, similarly to how both nutritional
and lifestyle changes can make us more
metabolically flexible, exercise might also
increase cognitive flexibility, leading to better
overall mental health and less hyperstimulation
anxiety.
P O W E R D O W N
Try to disconnect and shut off your devices as often as
you can. If possible, set aside one full 24-hour period
per week where you don’t pick up your phone,
computer, or any other device. At the very least,
commit to powering down 1-2 hours before bed every
day. Studies show that moderate to severe depression
are associated with higher amounts of screen time, so
by making time to practice mindfulness and stay
present without distractions, you’ll be feeling happier
and healthier in no time.3

13. Anxiety is a normal pathway of life, but it can quickly develop into
hyperstimulation anxiety when repetitious behavior becomes a
negative feedback loop.You might feel drained, a bit depressed,
irritable, sleep-deprived, and constantly craving unhealthy foods. But
with patience, commitment, and time, you can correct the patterns
that lead to stress and get back to feeling like yourself again.

14. REFERENCES
1 Peter Payne, Mardi A. Crane-Godreau. 2013. Meditative Movement for Depression and
Anxiety. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3721087/. Accessed November 26, 2019.
2 Ashish Sharma, Vishal Madaan, Frederick D. Petty. 2006. Exercise for Mental
Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/. Accessed November 26, 2019.
3 K.C. Madhav, Shardulendra Prasad Sherchand, Samendra Sherchan. 2017. Association between screen time
and depression among US adults. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335517301316.
Accessed November 26, 2019.

15. JUST RELAX.
Liposomal L-Theanine is an all-natural
solution for anyone who needs help
maintaining a peaceful state even
during the most stressful of times.*
The primary inclusion is L-theanine, a component of green
tea that helps settle the brain. This amino acid balances
brain chemicals, specifically by supporting inhibitory
neurotransmitters.* The result? Less irritability and more
peace around your house.* L-theanine also promotes a
healthy response to stress, and because it stops racing
thoughts that interfere with a good night’s sleep,
L-theanine is also great for helping you fall asleep more
easily and staying asleep throughout the night.*
LEARN MORE
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug
Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure
or prevent any disease.