Hormetic Stress

Can stress be a good thing?

The short answer is that in small doses, the right kind of stress can be very good for your physical, emotional, and mental health.

This may sound counterintuitive to what you’ve heard, however HORMETIC STRESS has become popular in health and wellness as research on the subject continues to develop. Essentially, short bursts of intensity, i.e. hormetic stress, gives your body the opportunity to perform at its best and then return to homeostasis, your body’s natural state of balance.

Think about hormetic stress as the co-worker who gets it all done. Some might call them an overachiever while others know that this is the person you can count on. Alternatively, when we lean into our very comfortable lives where we live in climate controlled environments, use the car or bus as our primary transportation, and have the opportunity to Uber Eats anything we want to our door within minutes, we’re depriving our bodies of their chance to become more resilient, adaptable, and healthier.

Returning to our work scenario: this highly “comfortable” way of living sets your body up to be the coworker who does the bare minimum because nothing else is asked or expected of them.

Asking your body to perform at its best for short periods of time increases your stress resistance.

Now that’s a biological stress response to get behind! Keep reading to learn about the different types of hormetic stressors that can be great for you!+

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TLDR - CLICK HERE to download the Hormetic Stress Progression Guide

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Cold or heat exposure
When was the last time you used a sauna? Research done on Finnish men in 2015 found that when sauna was enjoyed for 20 minutes 2-3 times per week they were 23% less likely to suffer death from cardiovascular disease, compared to individuals who went to the sauna once a week. Those who used saunas 4-7 times per week had even more impressive rates of reduced risk at 48%.

Alternatively, cold exposure causes your blood vessels to constrict which asks your heart to work harder. Research suggests your heart is then preconditioning you for resilience against future stress. Additionally, cold exposure stimulates one’s anti-inflammatory response in their immune system, enhances the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells, and stimulates autonomic activity. Cold plunges, cold showers, and walks in the winter with less layers, are all ways to ask your body to build its capacity to be more resilient.

If you’re wondering where you can get your sauna and cold plunge fix, check out these local spots in Pittsburgh: Signal Sauna Located in East Liberty, Bad Sauna in Bloomfield, and Tub Club in the Northside. They each offer their own unique and vibrant experience, try them all and discover which tickles your fancy!

Time away from food
Time restricted feeding (TRF) or calorie restriction can stimulate an adaptive response which supports your stress resistance. There is a growing body of research that suggests TRF reduces risk of coronary artery disease, diabetes, extends lifespan, supports insulin sensitivity, and aids in reducing neurodegenerative diseases. Bear in mind that TRF may not be suitable for everyone, especially those who are pregnant, nursing, or those with a history of disordered eating.

Exercise
High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is a type of hermetic stress that should be quite familiar to the Pittsburgh FIT community, our classes often off for just that! During HIIT training your cortisol initially rises to support the intensity and stressful nature of this type of exertion. Over time, your system adapts to these surges of cortisol which diminishes your future cortisol response and thus increases your stress resiliency. HIIT is a brilliant way to work with your body to combat chronic stress and the negative health impacts associated with it.

Exercising regularly supports the repair of lipids, proteins, and DNA in addition to optimizing mitophagy and autophagy. What this means is that your actively reducing your risk for neurodegeneration, metabolic disease, cardiovascular disease, and sarcopenia (an age related condition characterized by loss of strength and muscle mass). Source.

Breathing
Hypoxia is when the body’s tissues have insufficient oxygen. This may sound like a negative experience for the body, however research suggests that sublethal hypoxia “can improve the tolerance of not only cells or tissues, but also entire organs and even the organism itself, to subsequent hypoxia.” Wim Hof, a formative name in the study of hypoxic breathing, suggests a hypoxic breathing practice that begins with rapid and deep breaths, a long exhale, followed by a breath in held at full capacity. Bear in mind this technique is often regarded as controversial since it deprives your body of oxygen and may not be suitable for those with serious health conditions such as epilepsy, heart disease, high blood pressure etc. Source.

Learning
Hormetic stress is all about building one’s adaptive capacities and resilience to stress. The same principles apply to the complex and beautiful inner workings of our minds. Research suggests that participating in mental activities that are “pleasantly frustrating… challenging but do-able.. outer edge of [one’s] comfort zone” strike the perfect balance to enhance learning and memory. As you seek to explore adding hormetic stress through learning, look for acute experiences of cognitive stress or concentration that provokes rather than annoys you! Try 5-15 minutes of cognitive novelty daily or multiple times throughout the day. Trying to come up with an idea? Consider learning a new skill or taking part in a challenging cognitive task. However, if you feel overwhelmed or that the task is unmanageable, this can be a sign that you’re moving from the realm of hormetic stress into toxic stress.

If you learned something or have some personal experience with different types of Hormetic stress already, let me know! Reply to this email to keep me in the loop

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CLICK HERE to Get the Hormetic Stress Progression Guide

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-- Heather Benek
Nutrition Director
Pittsburgh FIT

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PS - here is the protocol for Learning Hormetic Stress

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Progressive Protocol - Learning and Hormetic Stress

BEGINNER - 5 minutes of acute stress that utilizes learning and memory daily

You can do this by playing N Back or Memory or simple Word Games.

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INTERMEDIATE - 10 minutes  2x per day

Try remembering chess piece positions HERE!

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ADVANCED - 10 minutes 2-3x per day

Crossword puzzles, Language learning (duolingo), or a new skill (guitar/piano, writing, or reading a textbook! I know those college textbooks are still hanging around somewhere :p)