How Eustress Works: 3 Examples of Eustress

Eustress (also called positive stress or good stress) is a type of stress that feels beneficial and stimulating to the person experiencing it, motivating them to step out of their comfort zone and rise to a particular challenge. Eustress was first described by endocrinologist Hans Selye, a stress researcher who used the term to differentiate positive and negative stress responses. Eustress correlates with positive effects like life satisfaction and feelings of accomplishment, while distress, its counterpart, is characterized by negativity, debilitation, or extreme discomfort. There are no objective measures for whether a stressor will be a source of eustress or distress. The type of stress that a person feels is entirely up to their perception of the challenge they’re facing.

Eustress follows a simple arc wherein:

1. 1. You are presented with a challenge. During your daily life, you come across a stressor that is just the right level of difficulty—not overwhelmingly difficult, but not so easy that you can quickly overcome it. Your body undergoes physiological changes in the neuroendocrine system to help you deal with the stressor—including releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.
2. 2. You work hard to rise to the challenge. Since the challenge feels conquerable, the difficulty motivates you to work hard—rather than discourage you. You may feel invigorated to conquer the surmountable task.
3. 3. You feel a sense of achievement. Ultimately, you complete the challenge and feel a sense of accomplishment. Your body returns to resting levels of adrenaline and cortisol. You feel proud that you accomplished something appropriately difficult, and you feel more secure in your sense of self-efficacy.

Eustress and distress are two different types of stress that differ in a few key areas:

• Type of mental strain: Eustress and distress are types of mental strain. While eustress is a gentle strain that motivates you to work harder, distress is an overwhelming strain that can demotivate and discourage you. Since there is no objective measure of eustress or distress, some people can reframe sources of distress that they feel into sources of eustress through stress-level exercises and stress management.
• Health effects: Eustress and distress have different effects on the human body. Eustress is associated with positive feelings of hope, vigor, and self-confidence, while short-term distress can bring on anxiety, withdrawal, burnout, and depressive behavior. Chronic distress (also known as chronic stress) can introduce more adverse health effects—including clinical depression, digestive problems, heart disease, and sleep issues.
• Importance: Eustress is a vital part of our emotional well-being—it challenges us and helps us work hard to achieve challenging goals or overcome difficult problems. Conversely, distress has serious adverse effects on our emotional well-being, physical health, and mental health.

Everyone will encounter eustress regularly throughout their life. The following are a few common examples of eustress, though the particular response will vary from person to person:

1. 1. A new project: When a person voluntarily chooses to start a new project, such as taking up a new hobby, learning a new skill, or even starting a new job, they’ll likely experience eustress. The pleasure of learning something new or using their skills in a new setting will encourage them to work hard, despite the challenges that a new hobby or job can present.
2. 2. Voluntary physical activity: A vigorous physical fitness session is a difficult challenge, but the stress you may feel while working out is often eustress. Rather than overwhelm you, the challenge of exercise motivates you to complete your workout and achieve your goals.
3. 3. Watching a scary movie or riding a roller coaster: Intense entertainment experiences like scary movies or roller coasters can cause a significant amount of stress—predominately eustress. Rather than discouraging you from finishing the film or getting off the coaster, you endure the stress response and feel a sense of accomplishment afterward.

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