Welcome to the modern world: we’re all stressed here. Habits and practices designed for relaxation or a more active unwind are the most common antidote, with spa days, time outside, and a solid yoga class countering some of the effects of overwhelm. But what if the solution to your habitual stress is actually more stress?
“The idea of adding stress to our lives as a method of stress management might seem nonsensical, especially since many people already experience too much stress,” says Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist, a research scientist and author of The Stress Paradox. “However, this is because we often experience the wrong kind.”
Paradoxically enough, good stress does exist—you might even be experimenting with it already—and incorporating it into your routine can make you more physically and psychologically resilient in athletic performance and beyond.
Good Stress Versus Bad Stress
Defining good stress becomes easier when you understand what it’s not. The type of stress that you likely complain about (the bad kind) is called chronic stress, which is “bad” because it’s persistent—and it negatively affects nearly every part of your body over time. It raises blood pressure and damages blood vessels, dysregulates your immune system, disrupts gut health, and increases inflammation, says Berquist.
Stress takes a toll on the mind, too, he says, damaging neurons, impairing memory, and even enlarging the amygdala, which in turn increases our reactivity to stress.
“When stress is consistently high and is not appropriately addressed, it can impact your sleep patterns (ability to fall asleep and stay asleep), your energy levels throughout the day, and your focus on tasks,” adds Haley Michno, a social worker. “Additionally, constant stress can also affect how you are showing up in relationships, impacting your ability to be present and connected to others.”
The Link Between Stress and Performance
Desirable stress isn’t chronic. Instead, it comes in occasional bursts, bolstering resilience and balancing your body.
Deliberately introducing challenges that align with our values or contribute to a greater good can help release hormones and neurotransmitters that counteract cortisol and reduce its harmful effects.
There are two types of beneficial stress: eustress, which refers to stress that is deemed meaningful psychologically or emotionally (like the pressure experienced when we’re striving toward a goal we want to achieve), and hormetic stress, which is all about the biological response.
“Hormetic stress refers to brief and intermittent challenges that our bodies are designed to handle,” says Berquist. The phrase refers to hormesis, or the relationship between a low-level stressor and a beneficial biological response. In performance training, hormetic stress is linked to antifragility, a learned adaptation toward resilience that allows athletes to perform better in the face of adversity.
Hormetic Stress Feels Bad Now but Good Later
Berquist notes that you can tell the difference between good and bad stress by how you feel afterward. Where chronic stress can leave you feeling depleted, anxious, and burnt out, good stress comes with energy, strength, and even creativity.
Hormetic stress has another name: type-two fun. An item on the outdoor world’s “fun scale,” type-two fun refers to something that’s tough at the moment but feels awesome after the fact.
Cold plunges, sauna sessions, medium-intensity exercise, and intermittent fasting are all popular examples of hormetic stress. These purposeful, challenging moments temporarily overwhelm your mind and body in a good way.
“Physical stressors can enhance our psychological resilience, and vice versa,” explains Berquist. “Deliberately introducing challenges that align with our values or contribute to a greater good can help release hormones and neurotransmitters that counteract cortisol and reduce its harmful effects.”
Too Much of Any Stressor Can Backfire
Though hormetic stress is technically good, this kind of purposeful pressure should be practiced mindfully. Berquist recommends incorporating small amounts of good stress followed by recovery—whether that’s a rest-day workout or a few days off from the sauna—to allow your mental and physical strength to build over time.
And know that no matter how much hormetic stress you embrace, bad stress will still find you. If your stress is adversely affecting your performance, resting and reaching out to a mental health professional are always your options.
“It is OK to take breaks and address your needs to be proactive in addressing stress,” says Michno, who also suggests leaning on your support system during trying times.
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