Expert reveals exactly why opening emails and texts fills you with dread

A hormone expert's revealed why Millennials and Baby Boomers can panic when their mobile 'pings' with a new notification - and how to avoid it. Mike Kocsis, at Balance My Hormones, says humans can suffer 'fight or flight' cortisol spikes when work or a loved-one sends us a message as you feel pressurised to respond ASAP.

Alongside cortisol, the body also releases adrenaline when an unexpected notification comes through - your body’s way of preparing you for action, leading you to feel a sense of urgency. But Mike claims while receiving messages from friends or family sees the release of the bonding hormone oxytocin - when messages are work-related or demanding, the brain perceives a threat and that can disrupt calming moments and lead to emotional burnout.

In time such spikes can spark anxiety, chronic stress and burnout - with 76 percent of millennials and 40 percent of baby boomers admitting to experiencing anxious thoughts when they get a phone alert.

And Mike adds that constant phone 'pings' and anxiety about notifications can have an impact on sleep by reducing the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone, that plays an instrumental role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle.

This can cause long-term health issues, such as impaired cognitive functions, weight gain, insomnia and chronic stress.

So Mike has now come up with five ways to avoid message dread and safeguard hormones - including setting boundaries on when you look at your phone; prioritise face-to-face chats; turn-off non-essential notifications; practice mindful reactions and lastly limit work-related conversations.

Here Mike details first wat happens to your hormones when you get a notification:

Cortisol Spikes:

"The body can automatically ignite a fight or flight response the moment you receive a notification seeing that a dose of cortisol circulates the body This unexpected spike is caused when the message is from work or a loved one whom you feel you need to respond to as soon as possible. After time, consistent cortisol spikes can lead to anxiety, chronic stress and burnout."

Dopamine Hits - The Instant Gratification Trap:

"Some notifications can also cause dopamine to be released; this is the feel-good neurotransmitter. Every time you get a notification and then respond to it, your brain rewards you with a small burst of joy. This is the reason why we feel the need to immediately respond, even when the message isn’t urgent. Constantly checking your phone can cause addictive behaviour, from chasing that dopamine hit."

Adrenaline Rush:

"Alongside cortisol, the body also releases adrenaline when an unexpected notification comes through. You may feel hyper-alert from a sudden surge of energy, hindering your ability to relax. This adrenaline surge is your body’s way of preparing you for action, leading you to feel a sense of urgency. It’s common to feel tired when you’re not responding to messages and find it a struggle to wind down at night."

Oxytocin Disruption - The Disconnect:

"While receiving messages from friends or family sees the release of the bonding hormone oxytocin when messages are work-related or demanding, the brain perceives a threat. The pressure to respond fast to work emails or friends can stop you from fully involving yourself in moments of connection and peace, leading to emotional burnout."

Melatonin Suppression - Impact on Sleep:

"One of the most overlooked effects of constant notifications is the impact on sleep. Checking or responding to messages just before bed can reduce the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone, that plays an instrumental role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle. This will make it harder for you to fall and stay asleep. Over time, restless sleep due to message distractions can cause long-term health issues, such as impaired cognitive functions, weight gain, insomnia and chronic stress."

Mike's five ways to avoid message dread and safeguard hormones:

Set Notification Boundaries - "One of the easiest ways to reduce the impact of notifications is to set direct boundaries. Limit how many times you check your work email or messages. Try turning off notifications after a certain time, such as 7 p.m. Or set a designated time in the day where you check and reply to messages, like once every 2 hours. You can set ‘Do Not Disturb’ on most devices to silence notifications. Then use that time to do something productive like reading or exercising. This will help break the cycle of instant responses and allow the brain to put more focus on other tasks."

Turn-Off Non-Essential Notifications – "You don’t need the mental distraction of every time someone sends a photo or a message into a group chat; your phone will constantly be going off. So, be selective with notifications you do allow, turn off all extra alerts from apps or groups that aren’t important to you. This reduces the constant pinging that can trigger cortisol."

Prioritise Face-to-Face Chats – "If possible, instead of speaking via messages, try having in-person conversations with family and friends. This will help create deeper connections and reduce stress that comes from misinterpreted texts or feeling pressure to reply quickly."

Practice Mindful Reactions – "Instead of quickly replying to a message straight away, practise mindfulness by taking a few deep breaths before reacting. You can start with counting to 5 before replying. This will give you a chance to feel your emotional reaction, and if responding is needed, in that second. It will also help calm adrenaline and cortisol rushes that come with the pressure to respond immediately."

Limit Work-Related Conversations – "Work messages can easily creep into your time and create unneeded stress. Reduce your work conversations to a certain time of the day. If your colleague or boss expects you to be at hand all hours of the day, you need to have a chat with them about setting boundaries that respect your time and health."