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We all know thatstressisn’t good for us.Stressgets its bad rap because it is a proven contributor to many physical ailments, including stomach ulcers, Crohn’s disease,high blood pressure, and even death.But what about the good forms of stress?

Hormetic stress is a form of positive stress that builds resilience within the body. This article will explain why it is good for you and considerations for increasing your hormesis.

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in plain terms, hormetic stress is the right amount of stress where your body is challenged, but you aren’t overlyfatigued. Because of this, your body isn’t weakening due to a total lack of stress exposure, but you’re avoiding the nasty side effects oftoxic stress.

For example, think about vaccinations and how we are often told to prepare for a mild reaction like fatigue or cold symptoms. However, these mild symptoms only boost the immune system’s response when exposed to the virus it was vaccinated against. This is an example of hormetic stress at work.

Think about how you feel when learning something new for the first time. You may find yourself both engaged and momentarily irritated at times. Such frustration can be a form of hormetic stress. Hormetic stress can also be as simple as the deep contemplation that comes with figuring out a game. In fact, a 2018 study found that video games could contribute to a healthieragingprocess.

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Why Is Hormetic Stress Good For You?

When your body is exposed to just the right amount of stress, you develop resilience. In developing resilience, you begin to create a greaterdistress tolerance. In creating a greater distress tolerance, you will have a quicker recovery from stressful experiences, which can even result in enhanced cell and tissue repair. In turn, this can lead to longevity and vitality throughout the lifespan.

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Examples of Hormetic Stress

There are many mainstream examples of engaging in hormetic stress. First, let’s focus on short-term physical examples.

Many forms of popularizedexercisecount as a form of hormetic stress, specifically, high-intensity interval training. In this exercise, your body is pushed to its max capacity for a short period and then moves to arestingstate briefly. Engaging in these alternating intervals makes your body very dysregulated and fatigued. However, since it consists of short bursts of intense energy, your body is offered an opportunity to rest in-between sets, thus leading to increased resilience.

Another example is extreme temperature changes, like sitting in a sauna or taking an ice bath.

Crosswords, math problems, and games are all forms of nonphysical hormetic stress. Each of these involves a level of deepconcentrationand even annoyance. Think back to the last time you were stumped on a crossword puzzle. You likely became mildly flustered and reasonably irritated. You might have wanted to quit but couldn’t let the issue go. When you solved the puzzle, you probably felt a wave of relief. This relief isn’t too different than what you may feel in between sets of high-intensity exercise.

A 2020 study inAgeing Research Reviewsreferenced a particularly intriguing example of hormetic stress where older adults suffering from isolation are tasked with working in schools and providing mentorship toat-risk youth. While it was considered a rather stressful experience, especially since the elders are significantly older than the youth they’re mentoring and have been experiencing isolation for a long time, it was also profoundly meaningful.This example could even relate to those who engage in volunteer work that they find somewhat stressful. It may be taxing in the moment, but it can lead to increased resilience.

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Considerations For Engaging in Hormetic Stress

While much of what is being shared in this article may sound appealing, there are definitely some things to consider before jumping into hormetic stress exposures.

First, be aware of any current health issues. Consult your doctor if you need to, especially before beginning any new fitness regimen or exposing yourself to extreme temperature changes. This is essential for your safety and well-being.

If you feel that your current levels of stress have you in a crisis, please reach out for help. Reach out to acrisis hotlineor call 911 if you’re experiencing an emergency.

Eustress is the Good Type of Stress You Didn’t Know You Needed

4 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A.The impact of stress on body function: A review.EXCLI J. 2017;16:1057-1072. doi: 10.17179/excli2017-480Epel ES.The geroscience agenda: Toxic stress, hormetic stress, and the rate of aging.Ageing Res Rev. 2020;63:101167. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101167Kyriazis M, Kiourti E.Video games and other online activities may improve health in ageing.Front Med. 2018;5:8. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2018.00008Epel ES.The geroscience agenda: Toxic stress, hormetic stress, and the rate of aging.Ageing Res Rev. 2020;63:101167. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101167

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A.The impact of stress on body function: A review.EXCLI J. 2017;16:1057-1072. doi: 10.17179/excli2017-480Epel ES.The geroscience agenda: Toxic stress, hormetic stress, and the rate of aging.Ageing Res Rev. 2020;63:101167. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101167Kyriazis M, Kiourti E.Video games and other online activities may improve health in ageing.Front Med. 2018;5:8. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2018.00008Epel ES.The geroscience agenda: Toxic stress, hormetic stress, and the rate of aging.Ageing Res Rev. 2020;63:101167. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101167

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A.The impact of stress on body function: A review.EXCLI J. 2017;16:1057-1072. doi: 10.17179/excli2017-480Epel ES.The geroscience agenda: Toxic stress, hormetic stress, and the rate of aging.Ageing Res Rev. 2020;63:101167. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101167Kyriazis M, Kiourti E.Video games and other online activities may improve health in ageing.Front Med. 2018;5:8. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2018.00008Epel ES.The geroscience agenda: Toxic stress, hormetic stress, and the rate of aging.Ageing Res Rev. 2020;63:101167. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101167

Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A.The impact of stress on body function: A review.EXCLI J. 2017;16:1057-1072. doi: 10.17179/excli2017-480

Epel ES.The geroscience agenda: Toxic stress, hormetic stress, and the rate of aging.Ageing Res Rev. 2020;63:101167. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101167

Kyriazis M, Kiourti E.Video games and other online activities may improve health in ageing.Front Med. 2018;5:8. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2018.00008

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