Stress. Just typing that word stresses me out! But according to Health.com, stress isn’t always a bad thing. “The positive aspects of stress are underappreciated,” says Ken Robbins, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Huh? When you’re stressed, your adrenal glands release a cascade of hormones, including adrenaline, which ups your heart rate and boosts energy, and cortisol, which increases glucose in the bloodstream. When your body gets overwhelmed with these chemicals for weeks and months, you start to see ill effects. Chronic or extreme stress levels have been linked to heart disease and hypertension, among other things – but in short bursts (like a day or less), stress can make your body more efficient and your mind razor sharp. Maybe that’s why I feel energetic when I’m stress-cleaning my apartment at two in the morning!

You can actually use stress to your advantage. Research suggests that stress can enhance learning and memory because of the effect of small bursts of cortisol in the brain. So if you’re too wired to go to sleep, don’t force it. Go ahead and get some work done, and catch up on your rest when you’re calm again. (But don’t skimp on sleep, or it could lead to hair loss – and that’s bound to stress you out!)

Stress also makes your body produce more oxytocin, which has been called the “cuddle hormone.” It makes you seek out bonding and relationships, so go ahead and get extra support from your friends and family when you’re stressed out. Lastly, stress can actually make you healthier! Short boosts of stress can improve your immune system, with long-term effects. Have a little nervous energy with your Vitamin C!

Photo: CreativeLoafing