By Dr Will McKinnon, Chiropractor
In recognition of Men’s Mental Health Month, I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss something I believe deserves more attention: the impact stress can have on both our physical and mental wellbeing.
When we think about stress, many of us picture a busy week at work, financial pressures, or family responsibilities. However, stress comes in many forms, and our bodies respond to all of them.
Men’s Mental Health and the Different Types of Stress
Broadly speaking, stress can be divided into three categories: physical, emotional, and chemical.
Physical stress may include injuries, falls, repetitive lifting, poor sleep, prolonged sitting, or physical overexertion. Emotional stress can stem from relationship challenges, work demands, financial pressures, family responsibilities, or social isolation. Chemical stress may be influenced by factors such as poor nutrition, excess alcohol consumption, smoking, certain medications, or exposure to environmental chemicals.
Although these stressors may appear very different, the body often processes them through many of the same physiological pathways.
One of the key players in this process is cortisol, often referred to as the body’s primary stress hormone.
Cortisol is not inherently bad. In fact, it plays an essential role in normal body function. Short-term increases in cortisol can help us respond to challenges, remain alert and focused, regulate energy use, and assist the body’s natural recovery processes.
The challenge arises when stress becomes ongoing and the body spends extended periods in a heightened state of alertness.
Understanding the Nervous System
Our nervous system is constantly balancing between two primary states.
The first is the sympathetic nervous system, commonly known as the “fight or flight” response. This system helps us respond to perceived threats and challenges. When activated, it can increase heart rate, increase muscle tension, make breathing faster and shallower, and heighten alertness.
The second is the parasympathetic nervous system, often described as the “rest, digest, and repair” state. During this time, the body carries out many of its regular maintenance functions, including digestion, recovery, tissue repair, hormonal regulation, immune function, reproductive health, and quality sleep.
Both systems are important. The goal is not to eliminate stress completely but to move efficiently between these states as circumstances require.
When the body remains in a prolonged fight-or-flight state, many of these important processes may receive less attention. Over time, this can influence how we feel physically and emotionally and may affect our ability to recover from daily demands.
Why Chronic Stress Matters for Men’s Health
As men, we are often encouraged to keep pushing forward, carry the load, and handle challenges ourselves.
While resilience has value, spending long periods under stress can come at a cost.
Chronic stress has been associated with fatigue, poor sleep quality, reduced recovery, changes in mood, decreased motivation, reduced exercise performance, hormonal changes, and increased feelings of anxiety or low mood.
Research also suggests that prolonged stress may influence hormone production, as the body prioritises the production of stress-related hormones during periods of ongoing stress.
Often, these changes occur gradually, making them easy to overlook until they begin affecting daily life and overall wellbeing. This is one reason I believe it is important for men to have practical strategies that can help them manage stress and encourage healthy nervous system function.
Simple Ways to Encourage Nervous System Regulation
There are several habits that may help the body better adapt to everyday stress.
Regular physical activity, quality sleep, spending time outdoors, strength training, reducing alcohol intake, meaningful social connection, and mindfulness practices are all commonly discussed approaches.
One of the simplest tools available to us is our breath.
Slow diaphragmatic breathing, particularly when the exhale is longer than the inhale, may encourage a shift towards a calmer physiological state.
A simple breathing exercise you can try is breathing in gently through your nose for four seconds and then breathing out slowly through your nose or mouth for six to eight seconds. Repeating this pattern for two to five minutes may help create a sense of calm and awareness.
If you’ve never tried intentional breathing exercises before, I encourage you to spend a few minutes with this technique and simply notice how you feel afterwards.
The Importance of Connection and Community
I recently had the opportunity to chat with Josh Scrivano, one of the founders of Men Over Matter, a Darwin-based organisation that has expanded into Melbourne.
Their mission is simple but incredibly important: creating opportunities for men to connect, share experiences, spend time together, and recognise that they do not have to carry life’s challenges alone.
Through physical activity, conversation, teamwork, and community involvement, groups such as Men Over Matter can help reduce feelings of isolation and remind men that reaching out is not a sign of weakness. In many cases, it can be one of the strongest decisions a person makes.
Mental health is not simply the absence of illness. It involves our ability to cope with challenges, adapt to change, maintain meaningful relationships, and participate fully in life.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is start a conversation.
Final Thoughts
As chiropractors, we often see the physical effects that stress can have on people’s day-to-day lives. While everyone’s experience is different, I believe conversations around men’s mental health deserve greater attention and greater openness.
If this article encourages even one person to check in on a friend, reach out to someone they trust, or spend a moment reflecting on their own wellbeing, then it has served its purpose.
Sometimes the first step is not having all the answers. Sometimes it’s simply starting the conversation and recognising that you do not have to face life’s challenges alone.