Stress

In short, stress can be defined as our physical or emotional response to an external influence or pressure. Stress can broadly be divided into three categories: eustress, acute stress, and chronic stress also known as distress [1].

1. Eustress is often what we refer to as positive stress. This is a reaction that occurs when we experience excitement or anticipation. It can occur in sports situations, during romantic infatuation, or with positive work tasks that are enjoyable. In these situations, heart rate increases, hormones change, and one becomes more focused on the task at hand. There is no sense of fear or threat with eustress, and this stress is important for positive development and a good life.

2. Acute stress occurs suddenly in various situations, such as when the fire alarm goes off, a child goes missing from us in the store, or when we hear a siren. This is the "classic" form of stress. The body's reaction to acute stress is normally positive as it is the body's defense mechanism that sharpens us in a situation. It is only when we cannot find ways to relax or turn off the acute stress that stress can become negative for us. This is called distress or chronic stress.

3. Chronic stress is stress that arises from repeated encounters with situations that seem burdensome and feel unavoidable. Our bodies are not designed to endure stressful situations for extended periods, and prolonged stress can therefore have negative health effects - both physical and mental. It is possible to convert negative stress into positive stress by changing our perception of the stressful situation. 

In summary, stress can have both negative and positive effects on us humans.

Positive stress

For example, imagine that you are going to perform in a sports event, at a job interview, or perhaps in an exam. It is something that matters to us, and therefore the situation can be perceived as threatening in relation to what we want to achieve.

When the body acts automatically in a life-threatening situation, we often talk about the "fight or flight" mechanism. If we are out for a walk in the woods and encounter a bear suddenly running towards us, the body will react.

Below, we have presented some of the physiological reactions that can occur and why:

Some of these reactions make us extra sharp and capable of performing better whether we are going to "fight or flight."

You may have heard stories about someone in a life-threatening situation experiencing that time passed in "slow motion," that the person felt they had more time to think and react in a given situation?

This is a stress response that puts the body into high gear: while time passes as normal, the body and brain simply work faster.

Negative stress

It is only when we experience that the stress we are facing is unavoidable and too great over a long period of time, that stress can create problems for our physical and mental health, as well as functioning.

Common symptoms of stress are palpitations, sleep disturbances, poorer memory and concentration, dry mouth, stuttering, sweating, and pain, such as stomach ache or neck and headache [2].

Prolonged stress can affect the body's immune system, gastrointestinal function, and heart function, and in the long term, persistent stress can also increase the risk of lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and fibromyalgia.

Being under stress for extended periods can also cause mental health problems such as nervousness, depression, anxiety, and thus poorer mental health [3]. Such health issues may have a negative impact on individuals' functioning in daily life, both at work/school and in leisure/home environments.

In summary, we can say that stress that persists for too long, without the individual feeling control over the situation, is a negative stress that can lead to various health problems [4].

It is possible to convert negative stress into positive stress by changing our perception of the stressful situation.

It's about being mindful in the situation (why are we stressed), finding a balance, and then taking control of the situation. If we manage that, we can harness the positive effects of stress and its response on the body [5].

What can I do myself when experiencing stress?

There are several different techniques that can be used in managing stress - regardless of whether it is prolonged or acute stress. Mastery involves being able to adapt to a new situation, but also being able to influence a situation that has already arisen.

When we experience stress, it requires effort to meet the challenge. If we manage to face challenges and feel in control of the situation, it leads to increased mastery that can affect the experience of stress in a positive direction.

The ability to cope with situations changes throughout life. The ability to cope with something can also be described as resilience. It is about the ability to handle stress and disasters. Furthermore, various methods that can be used in managing stress are described.

Social support

Social support and networks are of great importance for our health.

This can be support in various ways such as financial assistance, practical help to accomplish tasks, or emotional support such as empathy, care, and love from family and friends.

This type of support contributes to improving our physical and mental health.

Meditation, breathing, and relaxation

Along with physical activity, meditation, breathing, and relaxation are useful tools for stress management. This is a tool that is always with us but is often overlooked or "mystified."

With meditation and breathing, you need nothing more than yourself and the space you are in. You can sit, lie down, walk, or stand. Often it can be nice to find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably and undisturbed, and just focus on the task.
 

Meditation:

In meditation, it often involves being able to "let go" of thoughts. Let the thoughts come, acknowledge them before letting them pass. If we think of our thoughts as clouds, some days have a dense and low cloud cover, while other days have sunshine and blue skies.

One is not better than the other, but we know that good days come after a rainy day and rainy days come after the sunshine. This is a part of life, and if we have this picture in our minds, it can be easier to find acceptance when thoughts are stormy.

Breathing:

If breath technique works well for you, there are various methods that can be used, but the simplest and most concrete for many is to count the inhales and exhales.

One cycle of an inhale and an exhale is counted as 1. The next inhale and exhale is counted as 2, until you reach 5. Then start again at 1. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

If you "lose" count, the focus is to get back into a rhythm. Do this for 2-5 minutes and feel the sense of calm when you're finished.

Relaxation:

Relaxation training is a form of exercise where you work on connecting with your body, noticing if you're tensing your muscles, or if you're able to relax and find peace and rest. Relaxation is often called relaxation or stress management - it's about awakening the body's inherent ability to relax.

This is an ability that all humans possess, but one that we often need to rediscover through regular relaxation training. There are many different exercises that can be used. Progressive relaxation is a common method, where the muscles are alternately tensed and relaxed.

Remember that our brain is as trainable as our muscles. The more often we train relaxation, the more accustomed our brain becomes to being able to unwind or think differently.

All movement and exercise can help with stress, so it doesn't matter whether you do strength or endurance training, but that you do something. The cascading effects of physical activity are so significant that movement and activity should be implemented as a "medicine" for the treatment and prevention of physical and mental health problems.

Choose an activity that is enjoyable and easy to incorporate into daily life, making it easier to engage in regular activity and achieve the activity recommendations from the Norwegian Directorate of Health of at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.

Remember that any activity is better than nothing, and incorporating even a little more physical activity into your daily routine can have a significant effect.

It can be challenging to work on improving the quality of your sleep as there are many factors that can contribute to disrupted sleep. It could be young children keeping you awake, or a work deadline that you find yourself mulling over.

Something you can do yourself is to try to maintain a regular sleep schedule, aim for 7+ hours of sleep, and limit screen time before bed. Putting your phone on "flight mode" and turning off screens with "blue light" 30 minutes before bedtime is a specific task, regardless of whether you sleep for six or nine hours.

If you wake up in the middle of the night with many thoughts in your head, it may be a good idea to have a book by your bed where you can jot down those thoughts. They often seem "smaller" when written down, making it easier to fall back asleep.

Diet and stress

The food and drinks we choose to consume, as well as those we choose not to consume, influence our physical and mental health.

A varied and healthy diet following the recommendations of the National Nutrition Council can help reduce the potential negative effects of prolonged stress, strengthen the immune system, and improve mood.