Is stress good for you?

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In our increasingly fast-paced and globalized world, many people feel tired, stressed, and burned out. There are many ways to cope with stress – from yoga to massages to relaxing vacations. But one American author argues that stress is in fact beneficial to our mental, emotional, and physical health.

“We’ve evolved to handle stress,” author Todd Buchholz says in his book Rush: Why You Need and Love the Rat Race. Brain chemistry studies show that trying something new triggers the release of dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel good. Buchholz also points out that many people enjoy their jobs. Work gives us a sense of accomplishment and increases our self-esteem, in addition to providing social interaction with colleagues.

Jeanne Rae, who works for a yoga network, takes the opposite point of view, observing that not all personality types thrive on busyness. “For some people, meditation and contemplation can help,” she says. Others suggest that stress levels are related to control. For example, high-level employees with secure and satisfying jobs may enjoy working long hours, whereas low-level workers with demanding supervisors are more likely to be unhappy.

Moderate amounts of stress have a positive effect on health, but prolonged and excessive stress has the opposite result. Research shows that people who consistently work more than 11 hours a day are at greater risk for heart disease. As in many other areas, it appears that the key to a healthy work-life balance is moderation.

Information source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13791271

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Vocabulary

burned out = exhausted by too much work

cope with = deal with, handle

beneficial = has a good effect

rat race = (slang) the competitive, high-pressure, exhausting working life

triggers = causes

points out = brings attention to a fact

sense of accomplishment = feeling of having done something important

thrive = to be successful and happy

whereas = but

demanding = with lots of requirements

risk = danger

the key to = the essential element for

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