Sometimes a Little Stress is OK

Some forms of stress can be helpful. Say you take a
drink of coffee and burn your mouth. Chances are, you’ll
remember to test it before you drink next time. But what
if you spend all week practicing how to ask your boss
for a raise? Then, right before you talk to your boss, you
get an angry call from a customer. In this case, you may
have trouble remembering what you wanted to say.
It turns out there’s a link between stress and memory.


A recent study shows that when stress hormones are
released during or right after an event, they can make
that event easier to remember. But if they’re released
before or too long after an event, your memory of that
event is likely to fade. So, you clearly remember being
burned by hot coffee—ouch! But the stress of the angry
customer, hours after you planned your speech, makes
you forget what you wanted to say to your boss.


In the right amounts, stress can be helpful. It can help
you run from or fight danger. It can also help you learn
and remember important things. But stress that stops
you from doing what you want or need to do is not
helpful. Over time, if stress lasts too long or happens
too often, it can harm your health.


While there really isn’t a way to live without stress, you
can learn to deal with it in helpful ways. This can help
you maintain the right amount of stress—and live a
healthier, happier life.
Here are a few ways to deal with stress before it gets in
your way:


Learn to love lists: Use lists to give your mind a
rest. If you write it down, you won’t have to worry
about forgetting it.


Plan big and little: Set short- and long-term goals
to get where you want to go. Write them down to
keep you on track.


Think happy thoughts: Positive thoughts can go
a long way. Notice when you think you’ve “failed.”
Then tell yourself you’ll try again instead.
ÀÀ Stick with your healthy plans: Don’t let stress get
in the way of healthy choices. Eat well, exercise,
and get plenty of sleep.
As experts learn more about how stress affects our
bodies, we can learn more ways to cope with it.
Remember that some stress is normal. But too much
may mean it’s time to learn new stress management
skills.