Is There Such A Thing As 'Good' Stress?
We often associate stress with undesirable feelings and negative outcomes. However, in the short term, stress can be good for you. Stress can help us perform better, defend ourselves from harm, and address life’s challenges. However, without stress management, it can negatively affect our mental, emotional, and physical health. So, when is stress "good" stress? And when do we experience too much of it? Over the course of this article, we'll examine the difference between good and bad stress and also provide several tips for managing stress.
What is stress?
The stress response, or fight-or-flight response, is a series of chemical reactions that happen in your body when you sense a potential threat, come up against a challenge, or experience other situations that may provoke excitement, fear, or nervousness. During the stress response, your heart rate typically goes up, your breathing can become faster, and blood moves from your internal organs to your muscles. This reaction is thought to have evolved in humans so that when we needed to hunt prey or flee from a predator, we were prepared.
While this can be a useful response, our bodies may interpret several different types of stimuli as threats and it often treats these risks in the same way. As a result, you could experience a significant physiological and emotional response even though you aren’t necessarily in danger.
What Is "good" stress?
The above-described response can be useful in a variety of situations. When you experience stress in the short term, it can help you avoid danger, fight off diseases, and function at a high level. Stress can help you focus and rise to a challenge. For example, if you're concerned about an important upcoming test, stress can help you direct your mental faculties toward studying while also providing an energy boost.
Further, though it’s less likely in modern times, we sometimes experience physical threats that activate the stress response. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a potential traffic collision, or another dangerous situation, “good” stress can help us react quickly and decisively.
When does “good” stress become a concern?
While “good” stress can be useful in some circumstances, it can also become a negative presence if it occurs too frequently or intensely. Acute or chronic, long-term stress can be hard to manage and may lead to negative outcomes, such as the development of mental and physical health conditions. Stress can make it hard for an individual to meet their commitments, maintain healthy relationships, and lead a happy and healthy life. Prolonged stress can result in serious health concerns, including conditions like heart disease and high blood pressure.
Stress can be the result of one specific concern or several different factors. Some people experience chronic stress because they are in high-pressure jobs or dangerous occupations, while others may be going through a challenge like battling a disease or working through difficult family and life changes. At times, we can also experience stress due to situations that may be less significant, which could be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
Because stress can be a good thing at times, it may be hard to know whether it has become too frequent or intense in your life. The following are signs of chronic stress:
- Persistent feelings of being overwhelmed or under pressure
- Physical tension and pain
- Sleep disruptions
- Trouble focusing
- Social isolation
- Fluctuations in appetite
- Use of maladaptive coping mechanisms (e.g., alcohol)
If you think you may be living with chronic stress, a healthcare professional can provide you with an evaluation and help you implement strategies for managing your symptoms.
Stress managements strategies
To ensure stress does not become a chronic and unhealthy presence in our lives, it can help to develop techniques for alleviating it. Some of the following strategies can be implemented when stressful situations arise, while others can be used to help prevent stress or limit its negative effects.
Exercise
There is a proven connection between reduced stress levels and physical activity. Exercising leads to the increased production of endorphins in the brain, which can help boost your mood, reduce pain, and relax you. It can also help you alleviate physical health concerns that may contribute to stress. To take advantage of these benefits, consider joining a gym, taking regular walks, or starting an at-home workout routine.
Take breaks
Stress can come from a variety of sources, including your job, responsibilities at home, or academic career. While these things cannot be avoided in many cases, when possible, try to take some time off. For example, take one day out of every week in which you don't do anything related to work or school. Giving your mind and body time to recover and recharge can help you face the challenges of daily life.
Practice mindfulness
Stress can cause us to disconnect from the present. It can cause us to focus on a future task or a past mistake, for instance. This form of rumination may worsen stress and make it harder to perform well. Research suggests that mindfulness can address these challenges, helping participants reduce stress and increase their ability to concentrate on tasks.
Mindfulness is a form of meditation that fosters an increased awareness of the present through enhanced focus on one’s feelings, thoughts, and surroundings. There are numerous ways you can practice mindfulness, but a simple exercise is to take a mindfulness walk.
To start, you’ll simply focus on the act of walking while slowly pacing back and forth down a short path. Ensure your attention is on the feeling of taking each step. If you find your thoughts drifting from the physical sensations you’re experiencing, bring them back gently. Then, start to pay attention to your surroundings—the things you can see, smell, and feel. This increased focus on the present can help you avoid the stress that often accompanies concerns about the past or future.
Spend time in nature
Being outside can have a positive impact on your mental health. In fact, researchers in one study found that spending only 20 minutes in a natural environment can help you relieve stress. These beneficial effects are thought to still be present when the natural surroundings are in an urban environment. If you have a nearby park or waterway, consider taking a break to walk through it during your day. This could help you alleviate stress and also provide you with the above-mentioned tension-relieving benefits of exercise.
Breathe deeply
Research suggests that deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress. Deep breathing is also a versatile strategy—a technique you can use both when you’re feeling stressed and as an everyday preventative practice. One simple deep breathing exercise is known as box breathing. To start, inhale for a four count, then hold your breath for a four count, before exhaling for a four count and holding your breath again for a four count. Repeat this process three or four times.
Get plenty of sleep
Sleep is vital to our ability to function, heal, and navigate life’s challenges. Stress and sleep are thought to have a bidirectional relationship, which means that increased stress can lead to poor sleep hygiene, and disruptions to sleep can exacerbate stress. Many people feel the need to cut back on sleep to increase productivity. Not only can this increase stress, but it also can make your work less productive.
Getting on a consistent sleep schedule can help you better alleviate stress in the long run and as it arises. To start going to sleep at the same time each night, consider developing a consistent sleep routine, which can help you wind down and signal to your body that it’s time for bed. This may include drinking a cup of herbal tea, reading, journaling, meditating, or taking a bath. It can also help to avoid your phone for an hour before bed.
Stress can be healthy when managed well
Managing stress with online therapy
The results of an increasingly large number of studies show that online therapy can help individuals manage stress effectively. In a meta-analysis that included 14 studies and over 1,800 total participants, researchers concluded that online therapy can “effectively reduce self-rated perceived stress”, while also helping improve symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study also mentions the increased convenience and cost-effectiveness provided by online therapy.
If you live with chronic stress or similar mental health concerns, online therapy can be a convenient and affordable source of support and guidance. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can connect with a licensed mental health professional remotely, allowing you to avoid potentially stress-inducing situations like commuting to an office. Online therapy is also an affordable option—BetterHelp subscriptions start at $65 per week (based on factors such as your location, referral source, preferences, therapist availability and any applicable discounts or promotions that might apply), and you can cancel anytime.
Takeaway
What is an example of good stress?
Stress is part of the body’s ability to defend itself from danger, and is therefore an important component of our physical safety. There are many examples of “good” stress. In the short term, stress can help you focus, rise to the occasion of a challenge, and move forward in your life. A few examples of this type of stress include:
- Positive life changes: Transitions are often accompanied by uncertainty, which can create a stress response. Examples of changes that can prompt “good” stress include starting a new job, dating someone new, and getting married.
- Small, Everyday challenges: Many people mistakenly believe that only high- quality sources of eustress can impact them. However, small challenges can have a big effect. This could include taking a particularly tough physical exercise class, engaging in conflict during a meeting at work, or even watching a riveting news documentary about a scary topic.
- New experiences: Exploring new places, meeting new people, and, generally, exposing yourself to something unfamiliar can also create stress because it may involve some discomfort with the unknown. Examples of this include traveling to a new city or meeting someone for a blind date.
What Is Stress And How Does Eustress Benefit Us?
Stress is the body’s response to a potential threat, challenge, or experience that provokes excitement, fear, or nervousness. This is also referred to as the fight-or-flight response. During a stress response, you may feel your heart rate increase, your breathing quicken, and your blood rush to your muscles. Eustress, or “good” stress, is a beneficial type of stress that leads to a positive response. In the short term, stress helps you avoid danger, function at a high level, and overcome obstacles or challenges. For example, if you have a big presentation coming up at work, stress can help you direct your efforts toward preparing for that meeting so that you feel confident when the time comes to discuss your knowledge.
What is the difference between good stress and distress?
Though experts may define stress differently, eustress, or “good” stress, and distress are terms that categorize different types of stress. While eustress can be useful and motivational, distress, or “bad” stress, can have negative health effects. Because the stress response is built into our bodies, it is likely that you will experience both good and bad stress at some point in your life. If you repeatedly face stressors or feel your stress level increasing in intensity, you can begin to experience distress.
Unlike eustress, distress is associated with negative outcomes such as anxiety, depression, headaches, heart palpitations, and immune system dysfunction. Because stress can be a good thing, it may be hard to identify negative stress. Signs of distress include:
- Persistent feelings of being overwhelmed or under pressure
- Physical tension and pain
- Sleep disruptions
- Trouble focusing on tasks
- Social isolation
- Fluctuations in appetite
- Use of maladaptive coping mechanisms such as alcohol or drugs
If you believe you may be living with chronic stress, it may be beneficial to meet with a healthcare professional who can help you implement strategies to manage your symptoms, learn to cope with stressful events, and improve overall well-being. If you’d like more information about signs of chronic stress, you can read this helpful report from Yale Medicine.
What is an example of good stress for kids?
Stress isn’t always bad, and teaching children to embrace a healthy balance can help them overcome challenges, solve problems, develop a positive mindset, and build confidence. Good stress happens when kids confront challenges they believe they can manage or control. For example, imagine a child is riding a bike on a dirt path with one hand on the handlebars and the other hand feeling the rush of cool air. The child sees a large bump a few feet ahead. They feel their heartrate increase and their hormones surge, and instinctively bring their other hand down to the handlebars. They are then able to hold on tight over the bump and continue on safely. Good stress enabled the child to handle the stressful situation and meet the challenge. The positive effect of this experience will help the child take on new challenges in the future.
What is an example of eustress in school?
Stress can be the result of one specific concern or multiple factors. A common source of stress for children, teenagers, and adults is school, which can feel like a high-pressure environment with expectations for success. Eustress can help people focus and rise to the challenge of accomplishing their educational goals. For example, imagine a teenager is told they need to give a presentation about a specific topic in front of the entire class in one week. The person begins to feel nervous in anticipation of public speaking. They feel their blood pressure start to rise and maybe even begin to tremble slightly. Instinctively, the teen begins to concentrate intensely on preparing for the presentation and practicing their talking points. They are then able to feel confident on the day of their presentation and meet the challenge.
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