458. Can embracing stress actually help us?

psychologyofyour20s

Stress has a reputation for burning us out, torching our relationships and even causing our lives to end prematurely. But not all stress is created equal. In this episode, we explore the difference between eustress - good stress - and distress, understand why our experience of stress is rooted in our perception of it, and understand how we can harness stress as a powerful force for motivation, energy and well-being. 

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We unpack: 
• The difference between eustress - good stress - and distress
• Why avoiding stress can actually cause cognitive decline
• The dangers of too much stress on our bodies and minds
• The Yerkes-Dodson law and the ‘sweet spot’ of stress
• How we can reframe our approach to stress to create our own ‘biology of courage’

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com 

Our favourite sources: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU&vl=en 
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8384975/ 
https://www.healthline.com/health/yerkes-dodson-law  

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More description

Stress has a reputation for burning us out, torching our relationships and even causing our lives to end prematurely. But not all stress is created equal. In this episode, we explore the difference between eustress - good stress - and distress, understand why our experience of stress is rooted in our perception of it, and understand how we can harness stress as a powerful force for motivation, energy and well-being. 

Watch on Netflix: HERE

We unpack: 
• The difference between eustress - good stress - and distress
• Why avoiding stress can actually cause cognitive decline
• The dangers of too much stress on our bodies and minds
• The Yerkes-Dodson law and the ‘sweet spot’ of stress
• How we can reframe our approach to stress to create our own ‘biology of courage’

Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast

Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s

For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com 

Our favourite sources: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU&vl=en 
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8384975/ 
https://www.healthline.com/health/yerkes-dodson-law  

The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2026-09-14 36 min Transcript
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