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Tribune News Service

It may be surprising to hear, but medically speaking, not all stress is bad.
Healthy stress levels help build resilience, says Dr Safia Debar, a stress management expert at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London, a branch of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, in the US state of Minnesota.
She explains the difference between good and bad stress, and how to tell when you are in danger of overload.
Stress is a physical and psychological reaction to a demand, and that demand can be anything, Debar says.

Stress that is good for us and may even give us a sense of well-being is called eustress, and is the opposite of distress.
The same event – for example, getting married – might provoke either one, Debar says.
Don’t stress about it – 8 expert tips to manage and cope with adversity
“It’s about the perception of that stress and how your body is handling it,” she says. “Chronic stress will impact every organ system in the body: you might feel anxiety, depression and digestive issues, for example.”
Stress prompts a cascade of reactions in the mind and body as you mount a response, Debar says.
Under normal stress, a person starts at a baseline of relaxation, encounters a stressor, the stress response begins, rises to a peak, and then comes back down to the baseline.
If you go up in stress and come back down, you have completed the cycle. There’s no wear and tear, there’s no damage. In fact, it’s probably good for you because it leads to greater resilience
Dr Safia Debar, stress management expert
Physical changes that may occur when you perceive a threat include:

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system and production of the primary stress hormone, cortisol


Thinking becomes negative as you experience or anticipate something bad. Attention becomes hyperfocused on what is happening


The heart, lungs and muscles prepare for fight or flight. There is an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate as the body delivers more oxygen to cells. Muscles tense


The digestive and reproductive systems slow down as they aren’t needed


The immune system turns its attention from fighting microscopic invaders such as viruses or cancer cells and goes into an inflammatory mode, increasing production of proteins called cytokines that adjust this process.


When the “threat” has passed, the body begins to “tidy up”, shifting to a repair, renew and growth state.
Breathing and heart rate slow down, blood pressure normalises, you take more expansive breaths, muscular tension eases, the digestive and reproductive systems resume normal activity, and you may begin to connect with others to recount the threat you just experienced, Debar says.
“If you go up in stress and come back down, you have completed the cycle. There’s no wear and tear, there’s no damage,” she says.
“In fact, it’s probably good for you because it leads to greater resilience. If you’ve ever overcome a stressful event in your life, processed it fully and completed that cycle, then the next similar experience you have, you think, ‘Oh no, but I can do it’.”
These techniques will help you deal with stress better
However, when someone is repeatedly under too much stress, the ability to go back to baseline slowly starts to wane.
“You can go up in stress and stay there, having a prolonged response. This is when you’re hypervigilant: you’re wired but tired, you’re anxious,” she says.
“Or life has thrown so many stressors at you that you respond inadequately. It is the lack of recovery rather than the actual stressor itself that is critical. After a while, you may just numb out and show no response.”
Sometimes people think it would be good to show no response, Debar adds, but internally the stress response and its cascade of internal activities are still happening. They are just hidden.

There are several signs you may be in danger of stress overload and it is time to address it, Debar says. These include:

If stress feels unremitting and constant


If stress feels uncontrollable and you’re unable to relax or feel like you’re on autopilot


If you have problems regulating emotions


If you start hiding from life and/or people


You experience physical symptoms such as headaches, chest pain, stomach upsets, problems sleeping, or getting sick more often

“Think about how your body handles stress, and how you handle it emotionally, physically and in your relationships,” Debar says.
“What do you do? What do you not do?”
Chronic stress can have long-term health effects. People who feel ongoing physical symptoms or find that lifestyle changes do not seem to help should consult their healthcare provider, she recommends.
Like what you read? Follow SCMP Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also sign up for our eNewsletter here.


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Wellness

Good stress vs bad stress: know the difference by paying attention to your body’s reaction – and be alert to the danger of overload

Good stress helps build resilience. However, chronic stress can have negative long-term effects, so it’s vital to know the difference between good and bad stress, a Mayo Clinic stress management expert explains. Photo: Shutterstock

Eustress is the opposite of distress and is actually good for us, says stress management expert Safia Debar. Photo: Mayo Clinic

A life event such as getting married can provoke good or bad stress, depending on the person and situation. Photo: Shutterstock

If stress feels unremitting and constant, or uncontrollable, or if you have problems regulating your emotions, you may be in danger of stress overload. Photo: Shutterstock

How to live longer by more than 20 years: 8 expert tips for men and women to adopt before the age of 40

Doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each week, including strength training on at least two or three days, is one of the habits a new study on how to live longer recommends. Photo: Shutterstock

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Linda Blair in a still from “The Exorcist”. Watching horror films like this 1973 classic can bring mental health benefits by helping release stress, build resilience and better manage real-life fears, according to horror fans and experts. Photo: Corbis via Getty Images

Horror fan Sana Shawkath Khan says she enjoys the feeling of being scared. Photo: Sana Shawkath Khan

Melanie Bryan is a Hong Kong-based clinical psychologist. Photo: Melanie Bryan 

Horror movies allow the release of tension and other emotions in a safe environment. Photo: Shutterstock

Horror artist and film fan Becky Doyon says watching scary films helps her overcome real-life fears. Photo: Becky Doyon

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Lizzie Holson with her son. The amateur photographer has made a daily practice of capturing “glimmers”, an Instragram trend described as micro-moments of joy and comfort that punctuate our day. 

This post, for which the caption reads “Fluffy baby goslings spreading the joy”, is typical of Holson’s feel-good content, in which she captures the glimmers that punctuate her days. Photo: Instagram/@bizzie_sharing_joy

Social media posts on glimmers depict a range of things, from the first sip of morning coffee to the sound of turning the page of a book. Photo: Instagram/@Wellspa360

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Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

Healthy stress levels help build resilience and may even give you a sense of well-being, says a Mayo Clinic stress management expert
However, if you’re under chronic stress you may experience long-term, damaging health effects. She describes 5 signs to look for that show you are overstressed


Many of us are unaware of good stress, which helps build resilience. However, chronic stress can have negative long-term effects, so it’s vital to know the difference between good and bad stress.


Mental health

Good stress vs bad stress: know the difference by paying attention to your body’s reaction – and be alert to the danger of overload

Healthy stress levels help build resilience and may even give you a sense of well-being, says a Mayo Clinic stress management expert However, if you’re under chronic stress you may experience long-term, damaging health effects. She describes 5 signs to look for that show you are overstressed

Healthy stress levels help build resilience and may even give you a sense of well-being, says a Mayo Clinic stress management expert

However, if you’re under chronic stress you may experience long-term, damaging health effects. She describes 5 signs to look for that show you are overstressed