Stress, like many things, can be good in small doses. It can be the motivation we need to finally get stuff done or to be extra-careful when the situation calls for it. But, when stress gets out of control, we can find ourselves in truly dangerous territory. Thankfully, this DNews video (below) is here to set us straight.
As the video explains, our fight-or-flight stress response can actually be useful: The cortisol that's released by our adrenal glands causes a rush of glucose to power us up. Our immune and digestion systems are also suppressed in order to save energy for getting out of danger.
This all makes sense, except that we're not really responding to threats like, say, bears anymore. Instead, we're freaking out about emails. And, because these stressors are both more mild and more constant than bears, we have to deal with the effects of those physiological stress responses being dialled up for longer periods of time.
However, there are ways to deal with both the stress and its effects: Yoga and mindfulness meditation are both excellent methods for keeping your cool. And, if you're dealing with a particular form of anxiety, check out these tips to learn how to use it to your advantage.