Stress Signals and Strength

Lila Meadows

Hello and welcome, everyone, to another episode of our Week 1 & 2 podcast series. I’m Lila Meadows, tuning in from the windy coast, and as always, I’m joined by the ever-wise Professor Jennifer Cuneo. How’s it going, Jen?

Jennifer Cuneo

Hey Lila! I’m good, thank you. Cannot believe we’re already digging into the messy, wonderful thing otherwise known as stress. And I will say, as a professor, I see the “stress-illness connection” all the time. Seriously—

Lila Meadows

Like, it’s not just a theory, is it? It really shows up in the body. I remember growing up, my mum used to get headaches every Sunday night before her Monday meetings. At the time, I thought maybe she just hated Mondays, but…

Jennifer Cuneo

Right, but it’s deeper. Headaches, upset stomachs, muscle tension, even folks catching colds more often—these aren’t just random complaints. There’s this term, psychosomatic illnesses, which I know sounds a bit clinical, but it just means your psyche, your mind, actually causing something in your body. There’s two flavors: psychogenic, where stress directly triggers illness. I’m thinking about a student who’d have asthma attacks right before presentations, like clockwork. And then there’s somatogenic—where chronic stress weakens the immune system so you get sick more easily, like everyone getting a flu bug right around finals week.

Lila Meadows

Or stomach problems before an exam, right? It all lines up. And it’s wild because, these are real conditions. It’s not “just in your head”—it manifests physically. I always struggled a bit with that myself, thinking, am I just imagining these tummy aches?

Jennifer Cuneo

Nope, you’re not making it up. I can’t tell you how many times in my classroom I’ll poll students before a big test. “Who’s got a headache, or upset stomach?” Half the hands fly up. Then the following week, bunch of sniffles and emails about missing class—sick, sick, sick. There’s something really collective about it, how stress weaves through a group.

Lila Meadows

And I think just being aware that these symptoms could be our bodies waving a tiny flag, saying, “Hey, pay attention,” that’s… weirdly reassuring? Like, it’s not random. You’re not alone if stress makes you sick. You’re just…human.

Jennifer Cuneo

So let’s take it one step further, yeah? There’s this whole field, psychoneuroimmunology. I love saying that out loud, even if it’s a tongue-twister. Basically, it’s about how your mind—the stress you feel, your emotional state—talks to your immune system. Get a stressful patch, your nervous system fires up, pumping out cortisol, which then… whoosh, takes your immune protection down a peg. T-cells, B-cells, all those little warriors, and suddenly you’re out for the count.

Lila Meadows

And I always think about the “hot reactor” thing—people who just explode into physical response. I had this lovely client, years ago, in sound therapy. She’d get rashes and stomach cramps every time she started a new job or even a relationship—her body dialed up to eleven, even if she felt “fine” in her mind. I wonder now, was that her belief about stress feeding into it?

Jennifer Cuneo

Yeah, maybe! I mean, “hot reactors” are people with big, visible, physical reactions to stress—flushed faces, upset guts, all of it. And knowing you’re one means you can plan around it, not just white-knuckle your way through. But there’s another twist: your beliefs about stress itself matter too. There’s compelling research—Ted Talks, I’m thinking of Kelly McGonigal’s—showing that if you believe stress will ruin you, that does more harm than stress alone. It’s wild and, uh, honestly pretty empowering.

Lila Meadows

Yeah, it’s like… what we expect from our stress ends up magnifying it. If you think, “Oh no, I’m stressed, this is bad, I’m going to get sick,” your body obliges, doesn’t it? But if you can reframe and say, “Hey, this is tough but temporary, I can handle this”—maybe, just maybe, you dodge that post-finals flu. Or at least cope better with the symptoms.

Jennifer Cuneo

Completely. And, you know, before my big lectures or grading storms, I try to remind myself stress is just energy my body can use—like fuel in the tank, rather than a leak. Probably sounds cheesy, but there’s data behind it. The biggest takeaway? Learn your own patterns, and get curious about what you believe. It can honestly shift how your immune system responds. Not magic—just biology in action.

Lila Meadows

So, let’s talk practical, Jen, because all of this—mind, belief, body—ties into what we do. How do exercise and movement change the whole equation?

Jennifer Cuneo

Glad you asked. Exercise isn’t just running laps or trying to “burn off” dinner. It literally acts as medicine for stress. When you move, especially with purpose, your body drops endorphins and dopamine, which are like happy chemical messengers. After, your heart rate comes down, you hit what’s called the “parasympathetic rebound”—that’s your body’s deep rest and relaxation response. It’s not just burning stress hormones, but teaching your brain and body, “Hey, fast heart doesn’t always mean danger.”

Lila Meadows

And the best part is, you don’t have to be an ultramarathoner! Aerobic stuff—walks, swims, easy jogs—or anaerobic, like a quick burst of sprints or some weights. There isn’t a “one size fits all.” I’m just as happy strolling the beach as someone else is in a gym. The trick is to actually do what feels sustainable for you.

Jennifer Cuneo

Exactly, and here’s where those SMART goals come in. Right now, I’m trying to walk ten minutes a day. Do I succeed every day? Ha! Nope. Biggest obstacle? Grading—those marathon grading sessions eat up my evenings. But the key is, make the goal specific, measurable, and actually doable in your real life. Not some “Instagram perfect” fantasy. And if you’re a hot reactor, factor that in—build in recovery time, don’t punish yourself for your biology.

Lila Meadows

Such good advice, Jennifer. So, listeners, if you’re feeling inspired, maybe jot down one tiny, realistic thing you can try this week. Movement isn’t about punishment, it’s about giving your body another language to speak. We’ll definitely be circling back to check in on these strategies and what works for different personalities.

Jennifer Cuneo

Alright, lovely people, that’s all for today’s episode on stress signals and strength. Lila, as always, it’s a delight chatting with you!

Lila Meadows

Likewise, Jennifer, thank you. And thank you to everyone listening—don’t forget, believe in your own resilience, and keep tuning in. We’ll talk soon. Bye!

Jennifer Cuneo

Take care everybody, see you next time!