Stress Management: How to Tell the Difference Between Good and Bad Stress
Posted January 18, 2021
Stress is a natural part of our modern lives. Bills come every month, kids’ activities are year-round and work never seems to slow down. A little bit of stress is inevitable, but oftentimes that’s a good thing.
Stress helps you meet your daily challenges and motivates you to reach your goals, ultimately making you a smarter, happier and healthier person. That’s right. Good stress is vital for a healthy life.
Good vs. Bad Stress
You may think any type of stress is bad, but that isn’t the case. Good stress, or eustress, is the type of stress you feel when you’re excited. Your pulse quickens and your hormones surge, but there is no threat or fear.
You might feel this type of stress when you ride a roller coaster, compete in a game, or go on a first date. Good stress is short-term and it inspires and motivates you, focuses your energy and enhances performance.
Bad stress, however, is the kind that wears you out, leaves you jittery and is harmful to your health. Bad stress, or distress, can lead to anxiety, confusion, poor concentration and decreased performance.
Bad stress can be short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). Acute stress doesn’t take a heavy toll on your body if you can find ways to relax quickly. However, chronic stress, when you repeatedly face stressors, can take a heavy toll on your body and can cause negative health effects. Chronic stress can cause headaches, insomnia, weight gain, anxiety, pain and high blood pressure.
Common chronic stressors include:
- Relationships
- Money
- Work
- Unmanaged health or mental health problems
- Racial inequities
- Perceived loss
Both good and bad stress result in your body releasing hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, that trigger common signs of stress: butterflies in the stomach, racing heart and sweaty palms. Ultimately, what distinguishes good stress from bad is how you react or feel about the experience.
How to Reduce Bad Stress
Stress becomes a problem when it starts to take over your life. The key to stress management is identifying the bad stressors in your life and developing healthy ways to deal with them. Summa Health offers 7 healthy ways to manage your bad stress.
- Eliminate stress where you can. Learning how to say “no” more often, paring down your to-do list and avoiding people who stress you out is a great place to start. Once you learn to manage your time more effectively, your stress level will go down.
- Accept there are events you can’t control. There are things in life beyond your control, such as someone else’s behavior. Instead of stressing about what you can’t control, focus on what you can control and how you react to the problem. That way, you are expending your energy where it can be more effective.
- Think positive thoughts. Negative thoughts can lead to negative behavior, while a positive attitude can help offset difficult situations. Make an effort to think positively by looking for the upside in every situation, whether you learn from your mistakes or use major challenges as a time for personal growth. In addition, thinking about all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities, can change your perspective.
- Get support. Confide in family and friends, or turn to someone professional. Expressing how you feel can be cathartic. Also, it’s important to express your feelings, instead of bottling them up because that can add to your stress.
- Add relaxation techniques to your everyday routine. Relaxation promotes overall health and gives you a chance to step away and clear your head. It doesn’t have to be a big time commitment; it can be accomplished with deep breathing exercises, meditation or even yoga.
- Stay healthy and fit. A well-balanced diet and staying active ensures your body is better prepared to fight stress. Exercise relaxes your body and mind, while improving your mood. In fact, physical exercise has been proven to play a key role in preventing and reducing the effects of stress.
- Get a good night’s rest. Getting enough rest is important because it gives your body time to recover from stressful events and sets you up to fight new challenges the next day.
The key is identifying good stress from bad stress. As long as it’s not chronic, stress can be a positive addition to your life. Make an effort to reduce your chronic stress as much as possible, and add positive activities to promote good stress. It creates a healthy balance and a better quality of life.
Vitality eNews Sign Up
Receive the Summa Health eNewsletter for the latest health tips, advice and updates.
Related Blogs
New Year’s resolutions are a fun tradition to ring in the new year and celebrate a fresh start. If you’ve already made a list of goals for 2025, no doubt losing weight, eating healthier and exercising more top your list.
But did you know cutting back or even giving up alcohol altogether can help you achieve all of these health goals and more in one resolution? It’s true! Going dry for 30 days or more does more than just save you money, it also can bring…
In this episode, we delve into the often unspoken reality of pregnancy and infant loss. We discuss the importance of communication and combating the stigma surrounding these sensitive topics.
We also explore the importance of offering support to those in your life experiencing this loss and how you can give that support.
Please be advised that this podcast does not replace professional medical or mental health guidance. If you have concerns about your pregnancy or mental well-being, prioritize consulting a qualified healthcare professional.
Join us as we navigate these sensitive issues with respect and a focus on creating supportive communities. Thank you for listening.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports an estimated 46 million people in this country, aged 12 and older, suffer from substance use disorder. Unfortunately, that number continues to rise, as the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the crisis.
Addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by continued use of drugs or alcohol despite harmful consequences. Continued use of addictive substances triggers the release of chemicals, which alter the brain&…
This time of year, it feels like our world is gray and gloomy, bright sunshine will never reappear and the cold winds dampen our spirits at every turn. It’s easy to experience the winter blues.
But, for some people winter is quite literally depressing. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, typically starting in the late fall and early winter and going away during the spring and summer.
As the days become short and…
Does someone you love have an addiction? You’re not alone. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports an estimated 46 million people in this country, aged 12 and older, suffer from substance use disorder.
Addiction, or substance use disorder, is a chronic brain disease characterized by continued use of drugs or alcohol despite its harmful consequences to the person’s health and well-being. Continued use of addictive substances triggers the release of…
You’ve probably heard the term “behavioral health,” but what exactly does it mean? Behavioral Health refers to the emotions and behaviors that affect your overall well-being, and encompasses mental health and substance use disorders, along with their stress-related physical symptoms. Behavioral health conditions can include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, anger management, drinking or drug abuse, traumatic stress and much more.
Because many people…
According to the most recent COVID-19 Practitioner Survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, more psychologists reported an increased demand for mental health services in 2021 compared to 2020, with the most significant treatment increases occurring for those suffering from anxiety, depression and trauma-related disorders.
As your community healthcare partner, Summa Health is deeply committed to offering the highest quality behavioral health services to you…
In recent months, international conflicts, COVID, and violence have impacted our lives. These disturbing events can have profound effects not only on the families and communities where they occur but also on parents and children many miles from the scene.
Tragedies like these often shake our sense of trust and security. They feel personal because these are everyday people doing everyday things. Our kids go to school, we shop at grocery stores, attend concerts and movies, and…
Updated April 2025
As humans, we strive to achieve a sense of belonging, acceptance and connection with others. These innate needs and desires often originate from family. Through these interactions, we gain a sense of self-worth, security and community. Families, regardless of blood relation or choice, are bound together by shared meaning and values. These beliefs and perspectives shape the realities that form these connections, but what happens to a family when trauma alters…
The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, but especially on those who have battled the virus and now have lingering symptoms.
Known as “long COVID-19” or “post-COVID syndrome,” some patients are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for weeks or even months after recovering from the acute phase of infection — even when the virus is no longer detected in their bodies. Even patients who had mild cases and weren’t hospitalized…
Updated September 2024
Just as our bodies require care and exercise over the course of our life, so do our brains — especially as we age. Lifting weights strengthens our muscles, while strengthening our mental “muscles” improves our memory, attention, brain speed, people skills, intelligence and navigation.
The key is variety. Similarly when we exercise our body, if doing something becomes too easy, it’s time to make a change to build brainpower. The…
Stress is inevitable and a natural part of our modern lives. Bills come every month, kids’ activities are year-round and work never seems to slow down.
Suffice it to say, stress is something all of us struggle with at times. However, it’s one that all of us cope with differently — some in healthy ways and others in unhealthy ways. Some people may turn to meditation or a friend to release stressful energy, while others may turn to more harmful activities or…
Beautiful colors, cooler temperatures and the anticipation of the upcoming festive holidays make fall a season favorite for many.
But for those suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the shorter days with intermittent sunshine can make for a long and dreary fall and winter season — both physically and mentally.
SAD is a reoccurring type of depression that tends to have a seasonal pattern. For most, symptoms begin in late fall and can linger around until late…
Unfortunately, this is the case for many who suffer from a mental illness,…
In today’s world, we often forget to do the little things that can often make a big difference in our health and happiness. Typically, it is the simplest things that can do the most to help us feel our best every day and all year long. Here are a few tips to keep in mind for a healthier, happier day:
Make plans to do something you love. Research shows that having something to look forward to makes you happier. So, on a rough day, try to make a plan to do something…
1. Have an attitude of gratitude.
Making an effort to remember all of the things you’re grateful for is very important. Research has shown that taking time to express gratitude or even acknowledge thankfulness in our own thoughts increases well-being and creates positive feelings. Gratefulness can be the antidote to increased stressors in challenging times.
2. Spend money wisely.
Overspending, panic spending, and comfort spending can add to your stress by creating…
Laughter is what the doctor ordered when it comes to stress relief. Science shows laughter may very well be the best medicine when it comes to relieving stress — and that’s no joke. Whether you’re howling at a TV sitcom or giggling at your friend’s joke, the positive effects from laughter on body function — from increased circulation to muscle relaxation — confirm that real, sincere, happy laughter is good for you!
With April being…
Americans are often overstressed and overworked, and it’s no wonder – not all Americans have the luxury of paid time off, and even those who do generally don’t take all of it. According to research, more than one in 10 Americans say they plan to take a quarter or less of their vacation days in 2019.
There are many studies that suggest taking time off is beneficial to your mental, physical and overall health and that people who take vacations have lower stress…
While the exact cause of depression isn’t known, it is thought to be caused by an imbalance of the brain’s neurotransmitters – the chemical messengers that send signals between brain cells. While there are many effective treatments for depression, the typical approaches like therapy and antidepressants don’t necessarily work for everyone.
For decades, shock therapy, or ECT, has been used to treat major depression that was not treatable with medication and therapy. While there…
Addiction recovery is a deeply personal journey, and different strategies work for different people. The two most common, and very different, recovery philosophies are abstinence and harm reduction. The following is a brief description of each of these approaches.
Abstinence
Abstinence-based recovery dates back centuries, long before addiction was determined to be a medical disease. This recovery philosophy expects an individual to completely stop the use of alcohol and other…
Have you ever wondered about the impact of social media on mental health? Social media has drastically changed the ways we communicate and socialize with others. In many ways, social media has had a positive impact; but the experiences can also be extremely negative, cyberbullying for example. Concerns regarding the impact of social media have resulted in a number of studies that look at the connection between social media and depression or anxiety. Not surprisingly, the…
September is designated as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, in conjunction with Worldwide Suicide Prevention Day held on September 10. Events held on this day focus on raising awareness that suicide IS preventable, providing education and information about suicide, and decreasing the stigma associated with suicide.
Despite these (and other) efforts, suicide statistics tell a grim story. Just to cite a few examples, suicide rates have been on the rise since 1999.…
June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day (and all of June is PTSD Awareness Month). PTSD, or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, is a condition that can develop following highly stressful life experiences. Some examples of these traumatic events are military combat, sexual assault, transportation accidents, and natural disasters. Such trauma exposure is quite common. Most people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.
Mental health is as complex as physical health. It can fluctuate up or down, it can be affected by genetics and physical trauma and is something that may require treatment by a medical professional.
In the US, one in five individuals is affected by a mental health condition. To address the stigma associated with mental health, discover seven myths, debunked here.