Escaping the Hippo: Understanding the Stress Cycle and Managing Anxiety

Learn how the stress cycle works, how anxiety fits into the analogy, and effective strategies to complete the stress cycle for improved emotional wellness

The hippo metaphor

Imagine walking peacefully through the savannah when suddenly, you hear the unmistakable charge of a hippo coming straight at you.

In real life, encountering a hippo would immediately set off a robust response in your body: a rush of adrenaline, quickened breathing, and a heart pounding as if it were racing the hippo itself. Our bodies are built to handle these bursts of stress to help us survive — just as if facing an actual threat.

Now imagine the hippo eventually moves on. The danger has passed.

But your body doesn’t automatically know that.

Although the hippo is gone, the physiological response remains. Your nervous system is still primed to act, flooded with stress hormones that don’t instantly disappear. When this response is left unresolved, the stress cycle remains incomplete — leaving us feeling anxious, jittery, or on edge long after the threat is over.

The role of anxiety in the stress cycle

When stress lingers after the “hippo” has left, anxiety often creeps in.

Anxiety amplifies hyper-vigilance — as though the hippo might return at any moment. This keeps the nervous system on high alert, making it harder for the body to reset and settle.

In everyday life, our “hippos” might be:

• work stress

• family responsibilities

• financial pressure

• health concerns

• ongoing emotional strain

Each time stress appears, the body activates the same survival response. When the cycle isn’t completed, those physiological changes accumulate, contributing to chronic stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion.

What it means to complete the stress cycle

Completing the stress cycle doesn’t mean eliminating stress — it means helping the body register that the danger has passed.

This happens through experience, not logic.

Rather than thinking our way out of stress, the nervous system needs signals of safety, release, and resolution.

Gentle ways to help the body complete the stress cycle

Not every strategy works for every person. These are options, not requirements.

• Movement
  Gentle or vigorous movement can help discharge stress energy. Walking, stretching, shaking out tension, or even pacing can signal safety to the body.

• Breath and nervous system regulation
  Slow, steady breathing or grounding practices can help shift the body out of high alert and toward regulation.

• Connection and co-regulation
  Being with someone safe — talking, laughing, or sitting together — can help the nervous system settle.

• Emotional expression
  Letting emotions move through (journaling, art, tears, naming feelings) can help release stored tension.

• Rest that feels safe
  This might look like warmth, quiet companionship, low-stimulus activities, or predictable routines rather than complete stillness.

The goal isn’t to “fix” stress — it’s to allow the body to finish what it started.

Why completing the stress cycle matters

When stress is released, anxiety often softens. The nervous system can return to baseline, and resilience builds naturally.

Completing the stress cycle strengthens your capacity to move through challenges without staying stuck in survival mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I still feel anxious after the stressful situation is over?

Because the nervous system responds to perceived threat, not logic. Even when the danger has passed, the body may still be holding stress hormones and protective patterns that need time and support to resolve.

Is anxiety a sign that I’m not coping well?

No. Anxiety is often a sign that your nervous system has learned to stay alert to keep you safe. It’s not a failure — it’s a protective response.

Do I have to exercise to complete the stress cycle?

No. Movement can help, but so can connection, emotional expression, breathwork, or rest that feels safe. The key is finding what your body responds to.

Can therapy help with completing the stress cycle?

Yes. Trauma-informed therapy can help you notice stress responses, build regulation, and gently support the nervous system in completing cycles that feel stuck.

Resources

• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily & Amelia Nagoski
  A clear, accessible explanation of the stress response cycle and why stress often lingers.

• Insight Timer
  A free app offering guided breathing, meditation, and nervous-system-focused practices that support regulation and stress release.

If this resonates

If you feel like your nervous system is constantly working overtime, you’re not alone — and you don’t have to manage it by yourself.

Trauma-informed therapy can help your body learn that the threat has passed and that it’s safe to settle again, at a pace that respects your system.

📧 Email: cait@wanderingwillowpsychotherapy.ca
📅 Book a session: https://aws-portal.owlpractice.ca/wanderingwillow/booking