Sunday, 11 October 2015 04:48

Understanding Good and Bad Stress Featured

Written by
Rate this item
(0 votes)

Stress is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. Stress happens when you feel that you can’t cope with pressure and this pressure comes in many shapes and forms, and triggers physiological responses. These changes are best

described as the fight-or-flight response.

The fight-or-flight response, also known as the acute stress response, refers to a physiological reaction that occurs in the presence of something that is terrifying, either mentally or physically. The response is triggered by the release of hormones that prepare your body to either stay, and deal with a threat or to run away to safety.

The fight-or-flight response was first described in the 1920s by American physiologist Walter Cannon. Cannon realised that a chain of rapidly occurring reactions inside the body help mobilize the body’s resources to deal with threatening circumstances.

In response to acute stress, the body’s sympathetic nervous system is activated due to the sudden release of hormones. The sympathetic nervous systems stimulate the adrenal glands triggering the release of catecholamines, which include adrenaline and noradrenaline. This results in an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. After the threat is gone, it takes between twenty to sixty minutes for the body to return to its pre-arousal levels.

Every human being has the fight-or-flight response. It is very healthy to have it because it keeps you safe in the face of danger and anything frightening. When you encounter something frightening, your heat beat quickened, you begin to breathe faster, and your entire body become tense and ready to take action. This response can happen in the face of an imminent physical danger or as a result of a more psychological threat. It enables you to quickly analyse the threat and respond appropriately. The fight-or-flight response is also known as the acute stress response. Essentially, the response prepares the body to either fight or flee the threat. It is also important to note that the response can be triggered by threats that are real or imaginary.

Stress is not really a bad thing. There are lots of good things about stress but most time when people reveal they are stressed they do this with a negative tone.  There are good stress and bad stress. How do you tell the difference between good stress and bad stress? Feeling stressed can feel perfectly normal, especially during exam time. You might notice that sometimes being stressed-out motivates you to focus on your work, yet at other times, you feel incredibly overwhelmed and can’t concentrate on anything. While stress affects everyone in different ways, there are two major types of stress: stress that’s beneficial and motivating— good stress — and stress that causes anxiety and even health problems— bad stress.

Stress is a burst of energy that basically advises you on what to do. In small doses, stress has many advantages. For instance, stress can help you meet daily challenges and motivates you to reach your goals. In fact, stress can help you accomplish tasks more efficiently. It can even boost memory.
The fight-or-flight response is one benefit of stress. In addition, there are various health benefits with a little bit of stress. In cases where the threat is actually life threatening, the fight-or-flight response can actually play a critical role in your survival. By gearing you up to fight or flee, the fight-or-flight response makes it more likely that you will survive the danger. Researchers believe that some stress can help to fortify the immune system. For instance, stress can improve how your heart works and protect your body from infection. In one study, individuals who experienced moderate levels of stress before surgery were able to recover faster than individuals who had low or high levels.

To understand why stress can have negative impacts on your health, you must first understand the physiological changes that occur within your body during the fight or flight response. Emotional stress that stays around for weeks or months can weaken the immune system and cause high blood pressure, fatigue, depression, anxiety and even heart disease. In particular, too much epinephrine can be harmful to your heart. It can change the arteries and how their cells are able to regenerate.

It may be tough to tell when you’re experiencing good or bad stress, but there are important ways that your body lets you know that you’re struggling with too much stress. Watch out for the following warning signs:

•    Inability to concentrate or complete tasks
•    Get sick more often with colds
•    Body aches
•    Other illnesses like autoimmune diseases flare up
•    Headaches
•    Irritability
•    Trouble falling sleeping or staying awake
•    Changes in appetite
•    More angry or anxious than usual

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but you can improve the way you respond to stress and avoid or change some of the situations that create negative stress. Understanding your stress level is important. If nothing in your life causes you any stress or excitement, you may become bored or may not be living up to your potential. If everything in your life, or large portions of your life, cause you stress, you may experience health or mental problems that will make your behaviour worse.

Recognising when you are stressed and managing your stress can greatly improve your life. Some short-term stress for example what you feel before an important job presentation, test, interview, or sporting event may give you the extra energy you need to perform at your best. But long-term stress for example constant worry over your job, school, or family may actually drain your energy and your ability to perform well. It can lead to anxiety and depression as well.

Sometime you can experience what the expert calls stress overload. The body’s autonomic nervous system often does a poor job of distinguishing between daily stressors and life-threatening events. If you’re stressed over an argument with a friend, a traffic jam on your commute to work, or a mountain of bills, for example, your body can still react as if you’re facing a life-or-death situation. When you repeatedly experience the fight or flight stress response in your daily life, it can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, speed up the aging process and leave you vulnerable to a host of mental and emotional problems.

The following table lists some of the common warning signs and symptoms of chronic stress. The more signs and symptoms you notice in yourself, the closer you may be to stress overload.

Cognitive Symptoms
•    Memory problems
•    Inability to concentrate
•    Poor judgment
•    Seeing only the negative
•    Anxious or racing thoughts
•    Constant worrying
 
Emotional Symptoms
•    Moodiness
•    Irritability or short temper
•    Agitation, inability to relax
•    Feeling overwhelmed
•    Sense of loneliness and isolation
•    Depression or general unhappiness

 Physical Symptoms
•    Aches and pains
•    Diarrhoea or constipation
•    Nausea, dizziness
•    Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
•    Loss of sex drive
•    Frequent colds

Behavioural Symptoms
•    Eating more or less
•    Sleeping too much or too little
•    Isolating yourself from others
•    Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities
•    Using alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs to relax
•    Nervous habits (e.g. nail biting, pacing)

Keep in mind that the signs and symptoms of stress overload can also be caused by other psychological or medical problems. If you’re experiencing any of the warning signs of stress, it’s important to see a doctor to help determine if your symptoms are stress-related.

The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that puts high demands on you or forces you to adjust can be stressful. This includes positive events such as getting married, buying a house, going to college, or receiving a promotion. Of course, not all stress is caused by external factors. Stress can also be self-generated, for example, when you worry excessively about something that may or may not happen, or have irrational, pessimistic thoughts about life.

Remember not all stress are negative, you need certain kind of stress to excel in life. Everyone respond to the same kind of stress in different ways.

1510 comments

  • Comment Link golden goose outlet Monday, 25 December 2023 04:26 posted by golden goose outlet

    I together with my guys happened to be following the great information and facts on the blog then instantly developed a horrible feeling I had not thanked the web site owner for those techniques. The guys ended up so very interested to learn them and have in effect sincerely been taking advantage of these things. Appreciation for simply being very thoughtful and for selecting certain useful themes most people are really desperate to be informed on. Our own sincere regret for not saying thanks to sooner.

  • Comment Link giannis antetokounmpo shoes Monday, 25 December 2023 03:38 posted by giannis antetokounmpo shoes

    My husband and i ended up being very satisfied that Chris managed to do his investigation through the entire precious recommendations he discovered in your blog. It's not at all simplistic just to possibly be making a gift of facts which usually people today have been trying to sell. And we all already know we now have the website owner to give thanks to because of that. The most important explanations you have made, the straightforward site navigation, the friendships you will aid to foster - it's got most amazing, and it's facilitating our son in addition to us know that this issue is fun, which is tremendously essential. Thanks for all!

  • Comment Link golden goose Sunday, 24 December 2023 23:33 posted by golden goose

    I have to get across my appreciation for your kind-heartedness for folks that need assistance with that question. Your real commitment to getting the solution throughout appeared to be rather useful and have all the time empowered guys just like me to get to their objectives. Your amazing interesting facts denotes so much a person like me and still more to my office workers. Thanks a ton; from everyone of us.

  • Comment Link golden goose hi star Friday, 22 December 2023 05:50 posted by golden goose hi star

    I wish to express thanks to this writer for rescuing me from this particular problem. Just after searching through the online world and coming across techniques which are not beneficial, I was thinking my life was done. Existing minus the strategies to the issues you have solved by way of the article content is a crucial case, as well as those which might have in a wrong way damaged my entire career if I had not discovered your blog post. Your own personal talents and kindness in touching all areas was tremendous. I am not sure what I would've done if I had not come upon such a subject like this. It's possible to at this point look ahead to my future. Thanks a lot so much for your high quality and amazing help. I won't think twice to suggest the sites to any individual who wants and needs guidance on this subject.

  • Comment Link golden goose kids Friday, 22 December 2023 05:50 posted by golden goose kids

    I not to mention my guys ended up reading the best tips from the blog and all of a sudden came up with an awful suspicion I never expressed respect to the web blog owner for those strategies. All the young men came absolutely thrilled to read them and have now in fact been using these things. Thank you for actually being quite thoughtful as well as for using this kind of marvelous guides most people are really needing to know about. My personal honest apologies for not expressing gratitude to you earlier.

  • Comment Link golden goose francy Friday, 22 December 2023 05:49 posted by golden goose francy

    I wanted to write a small note in order to thank you for those splendid guides you are giving at this site. My considerable internet look up has now been recognized with awesome insight to write about with my company. I 'd state that that we readers actually are definitely endowed to exist in a decent website with many brilliant people with very helpful strategies. I feel really privileged to have discovered the site and look forward to so many more pleasurable minutes reading here. Thanks a lot again for everything.

  • Comment Link golden goose Friday, 22 December 2023 05:49 posted by golden goose

    I enjoy you because of each of your effort on this web site. My niece really loves participating in internet research and it's really easy to see why. A number of us know all about the powerful form you render advantageous techniques on the web blog and as well cause contribution from people on that idea then my daughter is always studying a lot. Enjoy the rest of the new year. You have been performing a superb job.

  • Comment Link golden goose mid star Friday, 22 December 2023 05:49 posted by golden goose mid star

    I have to show my passion for your generosity giving support to those people that require assistance with this important study. Your real dedication to passing the solution all over appeared to be definitely useful and have usually empowered folks like me to achieve their dreams. Your amazing insightful information can mean much to me and a whole lot more to my fellow workers. Regards; from everyone of us.

  • Comment Link golden goose mid star Friday, 22 December 2023 02:51 posted by golden goose mid star

    I actually wanted to type a simple message so as to thank you for all the precious guidelines you are writing on this website. My extended internet lookup has now been paid with brilliant details to share with my partners. I would mention that most of us readers actually are very much lucky to exist in a perfect network with very many marvellous individuals with interesting hints. I feel quite grateful to have encountered your entire site and look forward to so many more pleasurable times reading here. Thanks a lot again for everything.

  • Comment Link Tillath Thursday, 21 December 2023 16:09 posted by Tillath

    A long, hollow tube known as a cannula is inserted through tiny incisions, whereby it is moved back and forth to loosen the fat under the skin is cialis generic

Leave a comment

Make sure you enter all the required information, indicated by an asterisk (*). HTML code is not allowed.