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True or False: Stress

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Julie

You’ve probably heard the saying, “I’m too blessed to be stressed.” To which we say, we love that for you! Now, tell us your secret.

Everyone experiences stress. Stress is your body’s physical and emotional response to challenging, demanding or new situations.

During stress, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that increase your heart rate and boost energy and brain activity. These responses can be clutch when you need to act fast — like pushing the purchase button on those Harry Styles tickets — or swerving at the last minute to get a parking spot at the concert.

Stress can also wear you down over time and cause serious mental and physical problems.

Take our quiz to learn more and get tips to help you keep your stress levels in check. Spoiler: Pets are always the answer.

1. There are two types of stress.

Correct

Incorrect

false. There are three main types of stress: 1. Acute stress: short-term stress from emergency or challenging situations that comes and goes quickly and leads to increased heart rate and adrenaline. 2. Chronic stress: long-term stress that lasts for weeks or months stemming from situations like things like ongoing financial trouble or marriage problems. This type of stress increases the risk for mental and physical health conditions.3. Episodic acute stress: short-term stress that happens on a consistent basis, typically associated with people in high-paced professions like healthcare providers.

2. All stress is bad.

Correct

Incorrect

false. Not all stress is bad. Eustress, what’s known as the good stress, is short-term stress usually brought on by something positive like starting a new job or pursuing a goal. Eustress is associated with overall well-being and helps boost motivation, endurance and cognitive function among other health perks.

3. Women are more likely to have symptoms of stress than men.

Correct

Incorrect

true. Women are more likely to experience symptoms of stress, including headaches and stomach issues. Women are also more likely to have mental health conditions that are made worse by stress, such as depression or anxiety.

4. Stress is good for your heart.

Correct

Incorrect

false. When your stress levels go up, so does your blood pressure and your heart rate. Over time, the increased levels can lead to damaged arteries and increase the risk for heart disease — the number one cause of death of women in the U.S.

5. Stress can cause body pain.

Correct

Incorrect

true. Although stress affects each person in different ways, chronic stress can show up as pain — especially back pain for women. Other ways chronic stress can show up in women can include: skin problems, including acne, sleep problems, mood changes, inability to focus, eating too much or not enough.

6. Women are less likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than men.

Correct

Incorrect

false. Women are about twice as likely as men to have PTSD. And life-altering symptoms such as feeling jumpy, anxious or depressed are more common in women.

7. Watching sports can relieve stress.

Correct

Incorrect

true. Research that clearly didn’t involve any Detroit Lions fans found that watching sporting events enhanced well-being and allowed people to unwind emotionally — reducing stress. But if you’re the type of sports fan who’s been kicked out of the bar for yelling at the TV or has to shut all the windows in your house so your neighbors don’t call the cops on you on game day, you may want to think about meditation or yoga or a fight club to help manage stress.

8. Stress balls are a scam.

Correct

Incorrect

false. Stress balls may help reduce short-term stress and tension. The repetitive squeeze and release offers a sensory distraction from stress. Stress balls may help in medical environments, too. One 2023 study found participants who used a stress ball for four weeks during dialysis showed decreased anxiety and depression levels compared to the four weeks when they didn’t use the ball.

9. Stress doesn’t affect digestion.

Correct

Incorrect

false. Your body’s fight-or-flight response can make your digestive system speed up, which can cause diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating. Long-term stress has been linked to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) — a condition twice as common in women than men.

10. Stress can mess with your menstrual cycle.

Correct

Incorrect

true. When you’re stressed, your brain releases stress hormones like cortisol, which can cause a drop in the hormones that regulate ovulation and menstruation. Lower levels of progesterone and estrogen can lead to irregular or missed periods.

11. Pets can reduce stress levels in humans.

Correct

Incorrect

true. Putting aside the vet bills, emergency vet bills, grooming bills and having everything covered in fur — pets are like a soothing balm for the stressed-out soul. One recent study of mostly women dog owners found that participants who spent time with their dogs after a stressful activity experienced a boost in mood and reduced anxiety compared to the groups who didn’t hang with their pups. And your pet doesn’t have to have fur: one study found that people viewing a tank with live fish experienced a decrease in stress and boost in mood compared to people viewing a tank with no fish. All of this to say: pets rule, stress drools.

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