Homo Sapiens (the fancy name for modern day humans, i.e. us!) evolved, as far as we’re aware, around 200,000 years ago. Life was very different back then. Humans lived a very simple hunter-gatherer lifestyle in small family communities with their primary focuses being to stay fed, warm, sheltered, and safe.
This may come as a surprise, but the biology and physiology of humans has barely changed in 200,000 years.
So why am I telling you this?
Our brains and bodies have barely changed in that time, yet look at how much our lifestyle has changed…
Our ancestors had to cope with stress, but nowhere near the amount and variety that we have to deal with.
To name a few, we must cope with:
- Chemical stress: toxins in what we breathe, eat, drink, wash with etc.
- Physical stress: body trauma or injury, sitting for prolonged periods, bad posture, repetitive actions etc.
- Mental/emotional stress: pressure at work, bad relationships, lack of sleep, societal expectations etc.
Not to mention other things such as overuse of screens (TV, mobile phones & computers), electromagnetic frequencies, and having a general day-to-day to-do-list that never seems to end…
So, the next time you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, not good enough or drained, remember that your wonderful human body that evolved with the simplicity of ancestral life, is now having to cope with a whole heap of stressors that it hasn’t had time to evolve for.
So, give yourself a break and be gentle and kind with yourself.
Everyone is trying their best and doing a great job of navigating this crazy life!