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Good Stress VS Bad Stress
Health | August 03, 2016
There’s this great concept I read about on the Precision Nutrition website. It’s called, “good stress”. I know what you’re probably thinking. Good stress? But Zuzka, you’re always telling us not to get too stressed out and worry too much! In fact, I’m pretty sure that you recently wrote an article telling us that stress can make us sick and fat.
And if that’s what you’re thinking then you’d be right. Prolonged negative stress and anxiety can cause your body to continuously release the hormone cortisol. Too much cortisol can have some really negative effects on the body including weight gain and a greater susceptibility to illnesses. But that’s “bad” stress. So, can there be such a thing as “good” stress?
The short answer is, absolutely! I want you to think about someone you know who is unusually productive and successful. Does this person have a lot of free time? Are they super laid back with a kind of “whatever” attitude towards their life and goals? Chances are that the answer to these questions is no.
What I’m getting at here is that some kinds of stress are good. Certain kinds of stress can push us to change and grow. Inner drive, competitive spirit, creative passion, and a strong desire to help others are all examples of good stress.
Here’s an example of a graphic that illustrates this theory perfectly. It’s a bell curve. If we reject all stress and our stressors are too low, we can’t reach any goals, change, or accomplish much. We’re under stimulated. As stressors increase and the levels of stress are just right (meaning that the stressors are short-lived and invigorating) then we flourish and become accomplished. But if stressors are too high and become chronic, depressing, and negative, then we deteriorate. Our bodies begin pumping cortisol and we become over worked, over tired, sick, and greatly unhappy.
So I think the key here is balance. If you feel bored and unproductive try adding some positive stressors to your life. Seek out appropriate challenges. Perhaps you could sign up for some kind of lessons or classes. Maybe you could plan some kind of unusual vacation over a three day weekend, like an ambitious hike with a loved one you don’t get to spend enough time with. It’s often helpful to me to spend some time writing down my goals, small and immediate and large and in the future. Seeing my goals in print can help me to begin taking small streps to add good stressors I might need to achieve these goals.
And on the other end of the spectrum, it’s important to take a look at your life and see where you might need to scale back. Maybe you’re eating a really restrictive diet or exercising too much. Are your work hours too long? Are you always trying to please someone? Have you volunteered for too many causes? Do you feel pressure to have a perfect home and be a perfect friend? How can you take small steps towards reducing the bad stress in your life so that you can move back on the bell curve and into the productive zone?
What are some stressors in your life that you consider good?
Private Member |
sydney, nsw, australia
At the moment I’m feeling under stressed. In a way it’s nice to have a break after a very busy period, but I also feel a bit bored and understimulated. I’d like to being working more, but in my job it takes time to build up clientele. I like being busy and always learning, so I do a lot of my own research to help me develop professionally.
What I’ve been finding really frustrating lately is when people (friends and aquaintances) make false assumptions about me. I keep encountering people who undermine my intelligence and efforts. It could be out of jealousy or feeling threatened or simply sexism. I know you’ve dealt with a lot of harsh comments and false assumptions over the years through social media. Just wondering how you’ve learned to deal with these stress inducing people?
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
I mostly read such type of information about the “trendy” topic of adrenal fatigue. It is said that these glands can’t make a difference between emotional and physical stressors and they accumulate stress.
It wouldn’t know if you running for hours everyday because you want it (at the gym on a treadmill) or because you have to (chased by a lion in the wild— or a stressful job)
The interesting and difficult thing is to find out where we stand or if we really have adrenal fatigue…and how to fix this??
there are only symptoms that you can try to interpret, there is no measurable assay (I have tried to ask my physician about sampling cortisol, but it comes and goes.)
Private Member |
sydney, nsw, australia
I’ve read you can do saliva tests to measure your cortisol levels. I think you spit into tubes at three different times throughout the day because your stress hormones fluctuate depending what’s happening. That can tell you whether your stress hormone is too elevated and you may have adrenal fatigue.
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
in some countries they are more advanced into such type of assays that can help people for their health ( I work in this “industry”), but overhere you need a doctor prescription and unless you are sick already, they won’t do blood test (or other specimen types)…which doesn’t make sense. That’s why I don’t like doctors, they are trained in our “western” countries to cure disease instead of approaching the body in holistic way and help staying healthy. this makes me so mad.
No wonder there a so many cancers in our countries (mostly in US).
Private Member |
michigan, usa
Oh so many stresses right now. I can’t wait for the year 2016 to be over! In a nut shell…
Bad: my moms in the hospital with physical and mental illness. have to clean out her bedroom and redue everything. Living with my mother in law because we can’t afford a home in our area (the market here is high). 5 1/2 months pregnant and should be worrying about nurserys and baby registries and getting my daughter to school in the fall. And that’s all on hold right now. Also have family visiting from out of town this week. Also not being able to use intense exercise as therapy because pregnancy. Lol
Good: pregnant with our first boy!!!
Zgym blogs and workouts are my only sanctuary right now. I may not be pushing against goals but at least I can follow along with the right modifications. 😁
Private Member |
ramona, ca, usa
Hi Dawn, sorry you’re going through such a rough time right now 🙁 I hope things start to look up for you soon!
Private Member |
Hey Dawn, that is a lot all at once 🙁 I’m glad to hear you are able to carve out a little space for yourself amid all the chaos. These little moments of respite are invaluable for allowing you to reset each day and find the resolve to face what can otherwise become quickly overwhelming. Hang in there! 🙂
Private Member |
amman, jordan
Exactly what i needed to read