3 Surprising Benefits of Short-Term Stress

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Stress is not all that bad.

You are probably raising an eyebrow (as most people would).

But wait, there’s more.

The negative stress we all know and hate– responsible for health issues such as insomnia and depression– is known as chronic stress.

It’s not chronic stress we will talk about but short-term, also called eustress. Unlike its counterpart, eustress has a few benefits.

Improves Brain Functionality

Some people work better under stress.

Not the chronic one that haunts you for life but the stress that doesn’t stick for long. For instance, you will feel nervous when faced with a last-minute assignment.

However, you know it’s manageable and you need to finish the task. Otherwise, the consequences will be not good. So, you try to finish the assignment and somehow feel energized and productive along the way.

The reason lies behind a chemical called neurotrophins that is produced when you are under stress for a short amount of time. Neurotrophins strengthen the connection between the brain and neurons– helping you concentrate and stay productive.

In a study, researchers used rodents in a short-term stressful situation. A few hours later– the rats had experienced double growth of new brain cells.

Helps Children Mature

You have probably heard how stress during pregnancy can cause many problems like premature birth or babies born with low weight.

However, short-term stress isn’t harmful to the baby. As a matter of fact, short to moderate levels of stress can be helpful to the development of a child.

A study followed 137 women from their mid-pregnancy to the second birthday of their babies. The result was astonishing.

Compared to mothers with no stress during their pregnancy, mothers who experienced short to moderate levels of stress had children with early development skills.

The point here is– don’t panic when you are pregnant. It’s okay to feel a certain amount of stress as long as it isn’t chronic.

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Makes You Resilient

Once you go through a stressful situation, it becomes easier for you to cope with similar experiences in the future. As a result, you become more resilient.

Feels too easy?

Think of a situation you have gone through in the past. How did you go through it the first time? Now think again. Have you faced a similar situation recently? Was it easier to cope than the first time?

There’s your answer.

Stress is an everyday companion in our life but now you know it isn’t always bad. The key point here is to differentiate bad stress (chronic) from good (short-term). Who knows you may reap some surprising benefits along the way.