The internet may call it hustle culture: waking up early, staying busy, chasing goals, and never stopping the grind. But if the thought of doing nothing makes you restless or guilty, there may be more at play than ambition. Chronic stress can keep the brain locked in survival mode, conditioning it to associate constant activity with safety and making rest feel strangely uncomfortable.
Dr Kunal Sood, an anaesthesiologist and interventional pain medicine physician, is breaking down how chronic stress can reshape the brain’s response to rest, making periods of inactivity feel uncomfortable or even threatening. In an Instagram video shared on June 21, the physician states, “Did you know constantly feeling the need to ‘be productive’ can actually be a stress response? When your nervous system stays in fight-or-flight too long, slowing down can start to feel uncomfortable instead of relaxing.”
Chronic stress can keep the brain in action mode
According to Dr Sood, the sympathetic nervous system and the HPA axis release stress hormones that heighten alertness and prepare the body to respond to perceived threats. But when these systems remain activated for prolonged periods, the brain can gradually become wired to interpret everyday situations as dangerous, keeping the body in a near-constant state of vigilance.
He explains, “The sympathetic nervous system and HPA axis release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that increase alertness and readiness for action. When these systems stay activated too long, the brain may begin treating everyday life as if the threat never fully ended.”
The brain starts associating activity with safety
Dr Sood explains that as stress accumulates over time, it can disrupt the nervous system’s natural rhythm of activity and rest. Instead of seamlessly shifting between periods of effort and recovery, the body may remain stuck in a heightened state of alertness.
The physician notes, “Chronic stress increases allostatic load, the cumulative strain created by repeated stress activation. Instead of moving smoothly between effort and recovery, the nervous system becomes biased toward vigilance, productivity, and constant action.”
Slowing down can start to feel uncomfortable
According to Dr Sood, chronic stress can rewire the brain in ways that make staying busy feel emotionally rewarding, turning productivity into a coping strategy that temporarily restores a sense of control and purpose amid uncertainty.
He explains, “Chronic stress can make the amygdala more reactive while reducing prefrontal regulation. As a result, staying busy may become a learned coping strategy that temporarily creates a sense of certainty and control.”
Restlessness is often a conditioned response
Once the brain grows accustomed to constant stimulation, rest can start to feel foreign. People may find themselves feeling anxious or guilty when they slow down, compelled to fill every spare moment with work, entertainment, or some distraction.
Dr Sood highlights, “When the brain becomes accustomed to constant stimulation, rest can feel unfamiliar. People may feel guilty resting, anxious during downtime, or compelled to fill every free moment with tasks and distractions.”
Productivity can become a reinforcement cycle
Under chronic stress, checking off tasks can become more than just satisfying – it can feel like relief. Dr Sood explains that if being inactive fuels anxiety while staying busy temporarily quiets it, the brain can start treating constant activity as a coping strategy.
He emphasises, “Completing tasks often creates relief and a sense of accomplishment. If anxiety decreases during work but increases during rest, the brain may learn to use constant productivity as a way to regulate discomfort.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
