How to Keep Your Cool When Faced with Health Overwhelm
And tips for creating the best conditions for overcoming and healing.
There’s nothing quite like a health issue—big or small—to remind you that your body has a mind of its own. One day, you’re cruising along, thinking you’ve got things under control, and the next, you’re thrown into a whirlwind of doctor’s appointments, advice (both wanted and unwanted), and a Google rabbit hole that leaves you convinced you wouldn’t make it past tomorrow.
People will also try to comfort you. They mean well. They’ll say things like “This too shall pass” (okay, but when?), “Just stay positive” (which sounds great, except your body is currently staging a panic party), and my favorite, “Have you tried meditation?” (Because obviously, this is the time to implement a new practice into my packed day.)
Note: For those of you who aren’t going through a health crisis, try meditation now and get the practice into your routine before you get into a crisis. With practice, it can be called upon to assist you in calming down anytime, anywhere.
The truth is, when you’re in the thick of a health challenge, what you need most isn’t platitudes—it’s clarity, calm, and control. Your body is already going through enough. The last thing you need is your brain adding to the chaos.
The truth is, how you think and what you focus on can literally change the trajectory of your healing.
So let’s talk about that. Because while you can’t always control what’s happening, you can control how you respond. And that, my friend, is powerful. I want to help you overcome the overwhelm of a health crisis with a few strategies.
If these don’t work for you (although research has proven they help), let them inspire you to come up with your own. If you have found something that works for you - please share in the comments so others can try them, too! It can even be healing to help others heal.
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Control What You Can, Release What You Can’t
The brain is wired for survival, which means it doesn’t like uncertainty. When faced with something unknown (like a new health issue), it defaults to problem-solving mode. But if there’s no clear solution, it can easily slip into catastrophizing mode instead.
When you focus on what’s within your control, you engage the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for logic, planning, and decision-making.
This reduces the dominance of the amygdala, your fear and panic center. Less amygdala activity = less stress and better problem-solving.
Conversely, when you fixate on what’s out of your control—test results, other people’s opinions, or worst-case scenarios—you fuel the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which floods your body with cortisol. Chronic cortisol elevation weakens the immune system, increases inflammation, and slows healing.
Studies in Psychoneuroendocrinology show that people who practice stress management interventions to change cortisol levels have better health outcomes—even when facing serious conditions.
What’s the practical takeaway?
Direct your energy toward actionable steps, and let go of what you can’t control. This isn't about denial; it's about strategy.
Choose Your Inputs Wisely (Because Not All Advice is Helpful)
When you’re going through a health challenge, suddenly it feels like everyone is a wellness expert, even the sickest of those among you. Some will have useful insights. Others will bombard you with horror stories, miracle cures, or advice that sounds suspiciously like it was recently heard on TikTok. And don’t get me started with what you might find searching on the internet.
Stop searching, stop listening and just pause for a minute. Consider that your brain already has enough to process.
Filtering out unhelpful or overwhelming information is a form of self-preservation.
Also, pick your company wisely. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that supportive social connections lower inflammatory markers, while stressful interactions increase them.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up, fill your energy tank, and give you hope, not those who stress you out or make you feel worse. If someone’s advice makes you more anxious than empowered, it's okay to dismiss and disengage. Protect your physical and mental energy like it's made of gold, and don’t give it away until there’s enough energy in your tank to handle it.
And don’t be discouraged, eventually you will have what it takes to handle other sensory input. For moments of necessity, however, you have prioritize supportive connections, rather than stressful ones.
The Brain’s Healing Superpower: Neuroplasticity
The brain is constantly rewiring itself based on repeated thought patterns. This is called neuroplasticity, and it’s why what you focus on matters.
Functional MRI studies show that positive affirmations and belief in healing activate the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, an area associated with resilience.
This isn’t just wishful thinking. The placebo effect—where people experience real symptom relief simply because they believe they’re receiving treatment—is proof that the brain can trigger physiological healing responses based on expectation alone. Studies confirm that belief in recovery increases endogenous opioid release, reducing pain and promoting healing.
Your brain is a powerful tool in your healing process.
What you tell yourself matters.
Develop a Healing Mantra
Along those same lines, a healing mantra can be a powerful weapon for navigating challenging health situations. A mantra is just a phrase you repeat to yourself regularly to anchor your thoughts.
Examples:
I am stronger than this health issue.
My body is healing, even when I don’t feel it.
I am an overcomer.
Verses can also reinforce faith and resilience. These are from the Christian Bible:
“‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD.” (Isaiah 53:5)
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40:29)
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22)
This is the tip of the iceberg. You may have your own based on your beliefs. I would love to learn more and know what they are. Please share them in the comments.
The bottom line, research on contemplative prayer shows it reduces stress biomarkers and improves autonomic nervous system regulation, reinforcing the mind-body connection in healing.
Get Out Into Sunlight
Another small yet powerful thing you can do when you’re in the midst of a health crisis is to get out into the sun. This is also good for anyone caring for someone else who is facing a health challenge or is impacted by the stress of someone else’s health issue.
Exposure to sunlight stimulates Vitamin D synthesis, which regulates immune function and reduces inflammation.
Sunlight also increases serotonin production, which improves mood, enhances cognitive function, and reduces anxiety. A Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism study found that patients with higher Vitamin D levels had faster wound healing rates than those deficient in it.
Even 10-15 minutes of sunlight daily can make a measurable difference in recovery and mental well-being.
The Core 4: Your Foundation for Resilience
When dealing with a health challenge, it’s easy to get caught up in the specifics—medications, treatments, test results—while neglecting the fundamental habits that keep you resilient.
Yet, resilience isn’t just about pushing through; it’s about supporting your body in the ways that matter most.
That’s where the Core 4—exercise, nutrition, sleep, and hydration—come in. These four pillars provide the foundation your body needs to recover, regulate stress, and maintain overall health, even in the face of uncertainty.
💪🏼 Exercise isn’t about pushing yourself to exhaustion—it’s about movement that supports circulation, lymphatic drainage, and nervous system regulation.
Even light activity increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that helps neurons recover from stress and trauma. A Harvard Medical School review of a study published by JAMA Psychiatry found that just ten minutes of low-intensity movement, like walking or stretching, can reduce cortisol levels and improve mood stability. Movement also enhances insulin sensitivity, keeping blood sugar levels stable, which is crucial for immune function and inflammation control.
🥬 Nutrition provides the essential building blocks for healing. Chronic stress and illness increase oxidative stress and inflammation, making nutrients like antioxidants, protein, and essential fatty acids even more critical.
A British Journal of Nutrition study found that patients recovering from illness healed faster when consuming adequate protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which help regulate inflammation. Prioritizing whole foods, avoiding excess sugar and processed foods, and maintaining blood sugar stability all reduce additional physiological stress—because the last thing your body needs in a healing state is an internal biochemical rollercoaster.
🛏️ Sleep is when your body does its deepest repair work. Growth hormone peaks during sleep, supporting tissue regeneration, immune function, and cognitive processing. Poor sleep increases inflammatory cytokines, prolonging illness and slowing recovery. Many studies have found that people who get fewer than six hours of sleep per night recover more slowly from illness. (A bunch of supporting article references can be found at the end of this article.)
Sleep also regulates glucose metabolism and cortisol levels, meaning chronic sleep deprivation can worsen inflammation and immune dysfunction. Prioritizing rest isn’t just about feeling better—it’s about giving your body the physiological space it needs to heal.
💧Hydration is often overlooked, but it plays a direct role in every healing process. Water is essential for detoxification, nutrient transport, and cellular function. Even mild dehydration can increase cortisol levels, slow circulation, and impair lymphatic drainage, making it harder for the body to clear out waste and recover efficiently. A Nutrients study found that proper hydration reduces fatigue, supports cognitive function, and improves immune response. While daily needs vary, a good rule of thumb is to drink enough water so that urine is light yellow—especially if stress, medication, or illness increases fluid demands.
If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: foundational behaviors matter.
You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight, but supporting your body in these four areas will create the conditions for resilience. If you want your body to fight for you, you need to give it the tools to do its job.
The Nervous System Reset: How to Physically Signal Your Body to Heal
The vagus nerve is also known as the cranial nerve X. It is the tenth and longest cranial nerve in the human body, which means that it regulates many body functions, such as digestion, heart rate, breathing, and immune response. It even controls mood.
When this nerve is not functioning optimally, it can lead to issues such as irritable bowel syndrome and a weakened immune system. (For me, it impacts my lungs, and I get asthma when I’m stressed. I also sometimes get a twitchy eye—very glamorous.) This is a vagus nerve response.
Ways to help calm and reset the vagus nerve include:
Deep breathing. Inhale deeply, then on the exhale release the anxiety onto an imaginary stream of water and then visualize it flowing downstream. Repeat anytime anxiety begins to elevate.
Cold exposure. Splash cold water on your face or take a cool shower. This shocks the nervous system, giving it a little reset.
Humming or chanting. Engages the vagus nerve through vocal cord vibrations. (Warning: people might actually think you’ve gone mad!)
Listen to binaural beats. Binaural beats are a sound illusion that occurs when you listen to two different tones simultaneously, one in each ear. Your brain perceives a third tone that's the difference in frequency between the two tones. Learn more about that here.
Practice a healing meditation; I found one for you here.
Tapping is another way to help control anxiety. Tapping, also known as the emotional freedom technique (EFT), is a mind-body practice that may help reduce anxiety and stress. It involves tapping certain points on the body with your fingertips while focusing on and releasing negative feelings.
Laughter. Laughter increases dopamine release, reduces cortisol, and improves immune function. Karyn Buxman came to the hospital where I worked many years ago, and she has a fun take on healing humor. Check her 30-day humor challenge here.
Praying for healing. Here are some healing prayers. Although studies are not easily conducted on this aspect of healing, there are some that cover remarkable recoveries related to healing after prayer, like this one.
None of this is to say that doing these things will reverse a health crisis and that it isn’t terrifying at times. It is. There are moments of fear, frustration, and grief, and those feelings are valid.
But in the midst of it, we also need tools—practical ways to regain clarity, reduce stress, and help the body heal. This isn’t about ‘staying positive’ at all costs; it’s about giving yourself the best chance to get through this with your mind, body, and spirit intact. I hope these suggestions get you started.
Put It All Together: Your Healing Action Plan
Choose your healing anchor. A mantra, verse, or guiding statement.
Curate your inputs. Limit unhelpful advice and seek empowering information.
Regulate your nervous system. Use breathwork, prayer, breathwork, sensory input, and other ideas listed above. Don’t be overwhelmed by the options, just choose one or more - it’s up to you.
Get sunlight daily. For immune support and serotonin production.
Believe in healing. Reinforce neuroplasticity by aligning thoughts with recovery. Your body was designed to heal and recover. Tap into this strength!
Pray. Gaining peace, strength, comfort, and hope from prayer will leave you feeling emotionally stronger, if not healing faster. It is a powerful approach to healing!
This isn’t about forcing positivity. It’s also not about expecting you to do all of these things to feel better. It’s about leveraging what we know about spirituality, physiology, and neuroscience to create a healing-friendly environment—internally and externally.
⚓ You may not control everything happening in your body, but you do have control over how you support it.
When it comes to healing, even more options are available to induce an environment of healing - do your research and let this list inspire you to find other ways to overcome the anxiety that comes with challenging health issues and situations. Soon you’ll find the right ingredients for you to build an environment where healing can accelerate.
Each intervention can provide healing power, but applying more than one at a time will synergize their ability to heal and may just create a strong enough force to overcome the physical or emotional power of the illness. Be confident, health hero - you have more power to overcome than you think!
Please share your thoughts and feedback, and let me know if this helps you in any way to face your health concerns with a stronger sense of calm!
See you on Thursday, health heroes,
Dr. Alice
A little more about Dr. Alice Burron and Strategic Action Health:
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