‘Good stress’ helps mind to deal with tough, chaotic times
A tight deadline at work. A tough exam at school. A big vacation that requires tons of planning. A home repair that’s gone awry.
These sources of stress are anything but pleasant, but a new study suggests that they might actually be good for your mental health in the long run.
Low to moderate amounts of daily stress can prepare the mind to deal with tougher and more chaotic times, much as a vaccine protects a person against future infection, said lead researcher Assaf Oshri, an associate professor with the University of Georgia’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
“Some low to moderate level of perceived stress is associated with increased cognitive functioning or better cognitive functioning, and this cognitive functioning was associated with significantly less emotional problems and antisocial behavior problems,” Oshri said.
Oshri and his colleagues analyzed data from more than 1,200 young adults by the Human Connectome Project, a project funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health intended to provide insight into how the human brain functions.
The young adults reported their perceived stress levels, and also took tests designed to assess their brain function.
The researchers then compared those findings with participants’ answers to questions about their anxiety, attention, aggression and other behavioral and emotional problems.
The investigators discovered there’s a U-shaped curve when it comes to stress, where low and even moderate levels appear to be psychologically beneficial.
“Your body, your brain, your psychology, your neurological system, it’s adapting to the stress, right? You’re exposed to some level of stress, and that creates or initiates some preparing mechanism, if you wish, some reorganization that will prepare you for future encounters with stress,” Oshri said.
Daily stressors can help a person become more organized and efficient, and have a plan going forward, Oshri said.
The study was published in the journal Psychiatry Research.