Downsides of a Stress-Free Life

Study reveals that people who report feeling of no stress at all also experience downsides of no stress.

Researchers have found that while people who report experiencing no stressors are more likely to experience better daily well-being and fewer chronic health conditions, they are also more likely to have lower cognitive function.

David //M. Almeida says the findings suggest that experiencing small stressors daily could potentially benefit the brain.

Visiting Wild Urban Parks can Boost Your Health and Wellbeing
Spending more time in wild urban parks can improve your physical health and mental wellbeing. Gazing up at the quiet river waters, resting on a log, swimming in a lake, strolling through the woods and watching chirping birds can keep you happy and healthy.

‘Limited research is available on the assumption that the less stress someone experiences the more healthy they will be.’
Read More..

"It's possible that experiencing stressors creates opportunities for you to solve a problem, for example, maybe fixing your computer that has suddenly broken down before an important Zoom meeting," Almeida said.

"So experiencing these stressors may not be pleasant but they may force you to solve a problem, and this might actually be good for cognitive functioning, especially as we grow older," he adds.

Several studies have shown associations between stress and high risk for many negative outcomes (for instance, chronic illness or emotional well-being). However, Almeida points out that limited research is available on the assumption that the less stress someone experiences the more healthy they will be.

Getting Enough Sleep can Help Teens Cope with Social Stress and Pressure
Coping with Social Stress: Sleeping well at night can help teens deal with social stress and pressure in a healthy way. So, hurry up, pull out your blankets, and catch some Zzz's to handle challenging social situations better.

The study involved 2,711 participants, who completed a short cognition test before the start of the study. The participants were then interviewed for eight consecutive nights, and questioned on their mood, chronic conditions they may have, their physical symptoms (headaches, coughs or sore throats) and what they did during that day.

They were also asked to report the number of stressors and the number of positive experiences they had experienced in the previous 24 hours.

Living With Stress
Stress is a demand on the physical and mental energies of an individual. It is, in effect, a response to one or more conditions.

Analysis revealed that nearly 10% of participants reported no stressors throughout the study, and these people were less likely to have chronic health conditions and they experienced better moods throughout the day.

However, these people also performed lower on the cognition test, with the difference equaling more than eight years of aging. Further, they were also less likely to report giving or receiving emotional support and to experience positive things happening throughout the day.

Selfie-taking on Smartphones Making People Happier
Selfie taking on smartphones may lead to increased happiness and may even help to lessen the negative impact of stressors in our daily life.

"I think there's an assumption that negative events and positive events are these polar opposites, but in reality they're correlated," Almeida said. "But really, I think experiencing small daily stressors like having an argument with somebody or having your computer break down or maybe being stuck in traffic, I think they might be a marker for someone who has a busy and maybe full life. Having some stress is just an indicator that you are engaged in life."

Almeida explained that stressors are events that create challenges in our lives and he believes that experiencing stressors is part of life.

Source-Medindia