What is stress?
Webster’s dictionary defines stress as:
- a physical, chemical or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation.
- a state resulting from a stress, especially one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium.
Stress is a feeling we all experience at some time in our lives when we are excited, overwhelmed or experience challenges. However, stress is more than just an emotion. It is a physical response that takes place in the entire body, from the brain to the internal organs, on a large scale to the cellular level.
The broad nature of the term “stress” can make the subject of stress management difficult to tackle. Even scientists, who prefer to deal in concrete terms, use “stress” to describe a wide variety of experiences and events.
We can look at stress as the body's reaction to change. It can also be defined as the reactions that arise "when something you care about is at stake".
As we work to improve the health and well-being of SilverSneakers members by providing fitness opportunities and creating social connections, it is important to understand the impact we can have on the lives of our participants by sharing stress management techniques in the fitness classroom or studio. We can have a positive effect on the physical and cognitive health of our participants as we find ways to include stress management in the design of our SilverSneakers classes. Additionally, as instructors, if we learn strategies to effectively manage our own stress, we can avoid mental and physical burn-out.
Stress is more than “distress”
Our current use of the term “stress” was shaped and popularized in the 1950s by famous pioneering endocrinologist Hans Selye, who is considered the father of stress research. His research and writings introduced the concept of stressor and stress, which distinguished between the stimulus and the response. Selye also introduced the concept of good stress and bad stress, or eustress and distress.
Because life is full of situations that require response and adaptation, stress is a normal part of daily life. Although we often think of stress in a negative way, such as losing a loved one or receiving an unexpected bill, even positive life events, like the birth of a child or receiving a promotion, can cause stress reactions in the body. In fact, The American Institute of Stress tells us that “any definition of stress should…also include good stress.” While this “good” stress, called eustress, can affect the body, it is not the same as the negative stress, or distress, which can be created by an event such as losing a job or contemplating a root canal.
This positive stress – eustress – is so important that without it, our well-being can suffer. Eustress helps us stay motivated to reach a goal, making us feel good about our lives and accomplishments.
Common characteristics of eustress:
- It energizes and motivates.
- It can feel exciting rather than overwhelming.
- It is perceived as within coping ability.
- It is commonly of short-term duration.
- It increases focus and performance.
Common characteristics of distress:
- It can feel unpleasant.
- It can have a short- or long-term duration.
- It is perceived as outside of coping ability.
- It often decreases performance.
- It often causes anxiety.
- Long-term distress can cause negative physical, cognitive and psychological outcomes.