Learn the difference between bad stress and good stress for optimum health

Different types of stress can affect us in different ways, so learning and recognising the differences is crucial for our wellbeing

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Did you realise there are different types of stress and that we actually need good stress in our lives - to get out of bed in the morning, to go and present at that meeting, to get in the car, to go to work every day, to be motivated. And this stress is called eustress and that’s the great good stress we need in our lives, and this can lead to ease.

Bad stress on the other hand, chronic stress where we can’t shut down, where we feel a surge of stress in our bodies is known as distress. And when we can’t shut down from this type of stress, we can be in a state of distress and this can lead to disease.

Not only does chronic stress age the body (allostatic load where our internal organs and systems wear out and age faster than our actual age); it creates health issues and disease. Traumatised, abused children acquire life threatening disease and can die younger due to stress and trauma (The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, Felitti, Anda et al (May 1998).

Learn how toxic stress is on the body, and whilst we can’t avoid stress altogether, chronic stress is a silent, slow killer and needs to be countered with periods of restoration and relaxation -  proper down time from the stressful triggers all around us.

Stress inflames the body and takes its toll in every which way - mentally, physically, emotionally, energetically, spiritually.

Recognising the difference between this sort of chronic stress which can be damaging and eustress which we can use as fuel to inspire, motivate and drive us is crucial for our health and wellbeing.