Is there such a thing as positive stress?

Positive stress is beneficial and can improve our performance. A natural and automatic function of the body is to provide extra energy to help us tackle a stressful situation. It will then naturally return to its former balanced state. This return to balance ensures ongoing health and wellbeing.

Some of the body’s reactions to a stressful situation include:

• mental alertness – increases our ability to concentrate and focus
• airways open wider to cope with faster breathing – more air improves our thinking and physical awareness
• liver releases sugar for energy – provides bursts of energy
• digestion slows down – keeps the blood flowing through the whole body
• muscle responsiveness – ready for action
• faster heart rate – more oxygen and energy to the muscles and brain
• adrenal glands pump out adrenalin and cortisol
• hormone production increases which make our heart pump harder and faster
• increased blood pressure

All of these reactions occur automatically as the mind and body react to a stressful situation. In small doses this will enhance our performance however if it occurs over extended periods of time it can be detrimental to our health.