What Is Good Stress? Definition, Benefits, and Examples

The information in this article is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, consult your physician or any licensed healthcare providers if you have medical questions to get personalized answers.

Dealing with stressful situations positively is a remarkable feat for any human being. In doing so, it’s crucial to understand the kind of stress you experience. While many assume that all types of pressure and burdens cause hardship and inconvenience, it is uncommon to associate stress with positive feelings and benefits. Nonetheless, good stress exists and can be leveraged to become a more productive, well-rounded human being.

Learn more about what good stress is all about, its difference from bad stress, benefits, and common examples.

Good Stress Defined

Positive or good stress, also called eustress, is associated with positive feelings, like motivation, excitement, or feeling challenged in a good way. Eustress often depicts low or moderate stress levels that bring benefits rather than harm. It’s usually short-term. Hence, the physiological changes are not prolonged.

Like any other form of stress, positive stress increases heart rate, rapid breathing, hormone surge, and nervousness. However, these responses are not co-related to any threat. Instead, they are accompanied by excitement. 

A great example of an event where good stress is observed is riding a rollercoaster. You may feel anxious as you anticipate the experience but thrilled at the same time. 

Also Read: 6 Hormones That Affect Your Mental Health

Good stress vs. bad stress

The concept of eustress is not a popular one. When we think of stress, we immediately think of the negative, overwhelming kind.

Stress is classified as good or bad, sometimes inadequate⁽¹⁾ (sustress). Unlike good stress, bad stress, also known as distress, can push you over the edge. It makes you feel nervous, scared, highly emotional, or even extremely reserved. 

Simply put, distress brings more harm and negatively impacts your performance and routine. On the other hand, eustress promotes leisure and productivity⁽²⁾ by keeping you more focused, energized, and motivated.  

Benefits of Good Stress

The highlight of positive stress is its advantages, which is unexpected when talking about stress in general. In its overview, eustress stimulates your mental state in a favorable manner, improves your social life, drives personal growth, and boosts your physical health. Specifically, it brings the following benefits. 

• Improved cognitive function: Moderate stress levels⁽³⁾ can enhance brain functions. It keeps your synapse in constant action, fortifying the connections between neurons. As a result, your memory, attention span, and productivity improve. 
• Strengthened immunity: The short-term nature of good stress allows for the release of interleukins, a type of cytokines produced by the immune cells called leukocytes. Interleukins regulate immunity⁽⁴⁾, providing a temporary but substantial boost in the body’s defense against disease-causing microbes and substances.   
• Increased resilience: When experiencing good stress, your brain picks up new knowledge and skills. These newfound learnings change your approach to a similar challenge or experience in the future. It also eliminates any initial negative feelings, especially if the end-game provides rewards. As a result, you become more resilient and forthcoming. 
• Better performance: Positive stress⁽⁵⁾ can make you feel more motivated, especially if the added pressure pushes you to provide excellent work or meet a due date. In some cases, certain events may force you to prove something or get out of your comfort zone. This level of determination upgrades your productivity and improves your performance. 
• Improved relationships: Experiencing good stress with someone creates a better bond. The intensity of the experience or event makes it easier to remember and fosters a sense of camaraderie. 

Eustress, as promising as it sounds, can turn to distress if not recognized and managed well. The mere recurrence of stress in any form can also adversely impact one’s well-being. 

Therefore, it’s still crucial to manage stress by employing effective stress-reliving techniques, like meditation and deep breathing. On the flipside, unhealthy ways of coping with stress can exacerbate the extreme emotions that come with the challenging situation. 

Also Read: How to Deal With Stress If You Are Busy

10 Examples of Good Stress

Various events in life can trigger positive stress. In most cases, they come with the excitement of experiencing new activities, challenging yourself to improve in different performance metrics, and setting new goals. The following are the most common events that induce good stress. 

1. Starting a new job: The anticipation and challenges of adapting to a new working environment can be both exciting and slightly frightening. However, you may feel determined to prove yourself in the new role, pushing you to perform at your best.
2. Going on vacation: Travelling to another place for a vacation requires planning and research that, when compared to other projects, can have negative stress. However, since a vacation brings the promise of relaxation and exploration of new places, unfamiliar cultures, and so on, the stress turns positive. 
3. Trying a new hobby: There are various pathways through which starting a new hobby stimulates good stress. For one, you’ll feel energized and focused on learning a new skill. You may also push yourself out of your comfort zone as you connect with others and get absorbed in the activity. 
4. Competing in a game: Many competitions give you an adrenaline rush, increasing your levels of excitement. Playing a competitive game or joining any contest challenges you, especially if you hate losing, but it can keep you sharp and motivated to do well.  
5. Public speaking: People may classify public speaking as bad stress, considering the heightened level of nervousness involved. However, in reality, engaging in public speaking brings tons of benefits, including pushing yourself beyond your usual standards and developing confidence, especially since public speaking per se is an accomplishment. 
6. Planning an event: Whether it’s a wedding, birthday party, or other types of activity, the planning stage can bring good stress as you become more motivated to produce a successful event. This comes with the anticipation of feeling a sense of victory. 
7. Moving to a new home: To have a new home is already a huge win. When you finally move in, it can be stressful but in a positive way, as you’ll have a newfound energy for planning and organizing your home. There’s also the thrill of meeting new neighbors and exploring the area. 
8. Taking a new project: Embarking on a new project comes with good stress, which is characterized by novelty and exhilaration as you push yourself to complete new goals. The challenges of uncharted territories and working with a team also stimulate pressure that motivates you toward excellence.
9. Working out: Getting exercise or doing physical activities like sports can be stressful at first. It stimulates adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol. However, working out is considered a source of good stress, as it not only benefits your physical health but also keeps you alert and energized mentally due to the release of helpful neurotransmitters. 
10. Going out on a date: While it can be scary to go out on a date, it can also bring about a positive buzz as you feel the excitement and prospect of finding someone you’ll match with romantically. Your self-esteem also rises as you make connections and feel desirability. 

A stressful experience that makes you feel motivated and excited is generally classified as pleasant. However, when it comes to labeling the event as a stimulant of good stress, consider its impact on your physical, mental, and social health. In this way, we identify an example of good stress by combining its benefits from when the activity is done to its after-effects.   

Also Read: 10 Actionable Health Goals for 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you use stress positively?

A good way to deal with stress positively is to reframe your mindset about it. Instead of seeing it as a challenge, use it as an opportunity for growth. When facing a potentially stressful situation, pause before responding, especially if a quick response is not necessary. Use deep breathing or other stress-relieving techniques to manage your body’s stress responses.  

What is an example of positive stress in school?

Some of the most common examples of positive stress in kids and at school include anticipating a test, experiencing the thrill of a competition, dealing with a challenging assignment, and working to meet a specific deadline. While these activities can be stressful, they also allow for better focus and motivation, which can drive improved performance. 

Are there disadvantages to good stress?

Burnout is a classic disadvantage of good stress or eustress. Individuals who treat stress positively have a high tolerance to its indicators, making them spend more time in activities that address the stress, such as finding a resolution to a problem and planning activities. In doing so, they can become exhausted, which leads to diminished performance. In addition, there’s also the risk of ignoring stress symptoms that could exacerbate a more serious health problem.  

The Bottom Line

It’s clear that not all stress brings harm to your well-being. Good stress can catapult you into better performance, productivity, and confidence when used right. If you feel unmotivated, it may be time to get into activities that stimulate good stress, such as starting a new hobby or project. However, be careful not to turn good stress into bad stress by overwhelming and overworking yourself.