Good and Bad Stress

Bad stress

Stress is a word we hear bandied about in nearly every human situation. But what does it mean? Is it harmful or helpful? That depends upon quite a number of factors. Take two hypothetical situations. An athlete wants to achieve a certain physical point in a certain amount of time. Perhaps a weight lifter wants to bench press 700 pounds by the end of the month. He already holds a national record at bench pressing 500 pounds so he sets the scale to achieve those last two hundred pounds in a period of weeks. Each day he is to work out a number of minutes increasing the amount of weight he lifts until in probably less than two weeks his body will adjust to the increased activity and he reaches his goal.

A writer has a deadline of forty-eight hours to complete a five hundred page manuscript. He's on page three hundred so he works all night long, without sleep, without stopping to rest, continually hunched forward at the computer, rarely glancing beyond the computer screen until he has written those last two hundred pages.

Both of these examples are forms of stress. It should be fairly obvious which is good stress and which is bad.

Both people have a goal to achieve. Goals are actually good. It's how one approaches those goals that create the kinds of positive result from initiating stress.

In example one, the weight lifter will most like achieve his goal with little or no stress involved at all. Because he uses practical common sense in setting up a pace he knows he can handle both physically and mentally.

The writer in the second example may risk doing serious damage to his health. When he finally rises from the computer his back is likely to have become so stiff he has difficulty standing straight. His eyes will burn and possibly not focus from the continual glare of the computer monitor. Pushing ones brain to create without rest is likely to bring on the common term ' brain fried'. In other words the writer may not be able to function as a normal human at all until he obtains the rest a body requires to refuel itself.

Is that bad stress? Definitely. Worse than 'bad stress' it is intentional, meaning that the write deliberately put himself in a situation that could create life threatening problems.

Good stress

Good stress can actually inspire a person to achieve a goal, become more confident or stronger physically…if it is approached in a sensible manner. As in the weight lifter example. A reasonable goal in a reasonable period of time will bring on achievement with little or no stress involved.

The difference in dealing with good and bad stress is often ones own attitude. When given a challenge do you approach it with the thought, "I can do this? I will do this?" Or do you cringe and think, "Oh, I'm not good enough,' without even trying.

Low self-esteem can place a person in a very stressful situation. When one feels depleted or anxious or overly excited they may lean toward the bad stress practices of doing too much to fast or obsessing over possibilities that may never happen. As example; Learning to operate a new kind of machine at work. You can look at the machine and swear you will never be able to operate it. Or, you can read the manual, watch another person who already knows this job and you can learn how to operate this machine. Believe in yourself and you will achieve your goal.

There are certain kinds of stressful situation in which we have no control. Accidents, sudden illnesses or death of a loved one are prime examples. However, we can slow the stress levels in these situations simply by remaining calm and enduring step by forward step.

No two people are the same in how they react to or handle any situation. Some people actively seek out adrenalin inducing activities through various sports in their spare time. Other peoples' occupations involve such stressful situations they seek quiet and peaceful conditions to restore themselves.

There are both good and bad stress in all walks of life. How one deals with the stress, how one achieves and moves forward without becoming physically or mentally impaired is determined by how one approaches each stressful situation. It is important that you don't create your own bad stress out of unreasonable goals (such as the example of the writer) or through low self esteem.

Find positive ways to deal with the stress.

  • Relax Play a game with your kids, watch a movie, go for a walk or spend time alone in private thought or meditation.
  • Sleep 7 to 8 hours every night Give your body time to rejuvenate itself.
  • Eat right A diet high in fruits and vegetables and proteins, whole grains spread through six small meals during the day.
  • Become active Take up a hobby or get involved in a sport or community activity, visit friends. Do something that takes you away from the source of your stress
  • Get professional help if you need it. See your physician or go to counseling, in private or with a group of people. Learn how others manage stress

Using a Stress Relieve Program

Stress Sweeper

If you haven’t been feeling well lately or you know that you’ve been more stressed out than you think, you might want to look into the Stress Sweeper program. By simply attaching a device to your ear and hooking it up to your computer, you can begin to train your body to feel better. The program will show your body responses over time and teaches you to make the necessary changes. By watching and being aware of your stress, you can begin to take steps to slow down and to relax. Sometimes just realizing you are more stressed than is healthy – as the Stress Monitor will show you – is enough to help you learn to breathe in the midst of crazy circumstances.

 

Home Health Assessments

Health Snapshot

But as many of us are still a little out of touch with the way our bodies feel, it can be helpful to use something like Health Reviser’s Health Snapshot on a daily basis. This health program will allow you to see just how healthy you are now and then you can track this progress from day to day. In just a few minutes, the program will measure the health in your body, allowing you to see whether you need to make more changes to your diet and exercise plan or if you are on the road to good health. Convenient to use and helpful for long term health assessment and monitoring, Health Snapshot allows you to see whether you need to make changes to your life – and then you can see how these changes improve your health.

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Stress Monitor
Stress Monitor

Provides all means for continous stress monitoring and alerts on instant stress changes and an ability to treat the stress before it can harm the organism and thereby reduces the negative impact on your body.

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Health Monitor
Health Snapshot

Personal health monitor. Tracks daily health changes and alerts on possible health issues (including cancer) on its early stage. Designed for health cautious individuals, wellness centers, health clubs.

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Stress Sweeper
Stress Sweeper

Easy-to-use personal stress management tool for home and office use. Highest ratings from professionals around the world. Designed for people with high blood pressure, sleep disorders, health cautious individuals.

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