How to make stress your friend | Kelly McGonigal | TED - YouTube

I've been a health psychologist for 10 years, teaching that stress is detrimental to health. However, a pivotal study has led me to reconsider the role of stress. This study followed 30,000 U.S. adults over eight years, finding that high stress increased the risk of dying by 43%, but only in those who believed stress was harmful. Those who didn't see stress as harmful had the lowest risk of dying.

Researchers estimated that 182,000 Americans may have died prematurely not from stress, but from the belief that stress is harmful. If true, this belief is the 15th largest cause of death in the U.S., surpassing skin cancer, HIV/AIDS, and homicide.

This discovery prompted me to ask: Can changing our thoughts about stress improve our health? Science says yes. Viewing stress as a positive can actually alter your body's response, making it healthier. For instance, during stress, your heart rate increases and your blood vessels constrict. But if you perceive stress positively, your blood vessels may stay relaxed, resembling a state similar to joy and courage.

Another aspect of stress is its social component, driven by the hormone oxytocin, which is released during stress responses and encourages social interaction and support. Oxytocin acts as a natural anti-inflammatory and helps heart cells regenerate, suggesting that social connections can enhance the health benefits of oxytocin.

Finally, a study showed that adults who experienced major stress but also spent time helping others had no increased risk of dying. This indicates that caring for others can create resilience to stress.

In conclusion, how you think about and respond to stress can transform your experience. Viewing stress as helpful can foster courage, and connecting with others during stress can build resilience. Stress, therefore, is not something to avoid but can be embraced for a more meaningful and connected life.

The original article: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU&list=PLV7xfBoJKBNQ3yhYgQRqocSWs1MKF7j0n&index=18