Stress is officially contagious. What now?
Lately, I’ve come across multiple news and studies proving that stress is contagious. Not the most delightful statement, I’d say. As an eternal optimist, I decided to dig out the good side of it. Here’s what I found out.
This is what science says
A study published in the Journal of Social Science & Medicine in June 2016 found a link between classroom teachers’ burnout and their students’ cortisol levels. The more burnout teachers experienced, the higher cortisol levels were found in their students. Stress seemed to spread in the classroom.
More recently, researchers found out that there are actual changes in the brain when stress is transferred. They came to this conclusion by exposing a mouse to stress, bringing it back to its partner, and comparing their brains. Changes were found in both of the mice, even though only one of them was exposed to stress.
Moreover, another study claims that merely observing stressful situations can trigger a physical stress response. Talk about watching stressful movies and series!
It’s crucial for our existence
In a way, these findings are not surprising. I’m sure all of us can identify situations where somebody was under stress, and you felt it as well. That is just your brain functioning in a natural way.
The ability for empathy and sensing each others’ emotions is a crucial skill for social creatures. Our brains are mimicking the emotions and actions of others to help us bond, understand, and learn from each other. Mimicking is caused by our mirror neurons. Every time you yawned because the person next to you did, it’s your mirror neurons in action.
So yes, stress is contagious, but so are our emotions. Also, the good ones.
How to deal with this information?
Being aware of it is a great start, and mindful actions are the next step. Could you transform your stress response to productivity and make the best out of it? Or could you calm yourself (or the distressed person) down and release the tension?
Be aware, be mindful, and take action.
That’s how you don’t let stress to sit in the driver’s seat. Next time you’re feeling a pinch of anxiety or stress arousing, ask yourself:
- Is this my stress, or someone else’s?
- Is there a reason to be stressed out?
- What can I do about it?
The cutest part of it
Spending time with stressed-out people can increase our stress levels. The good news is that in turn, empathy, touch, and caring for each other can help us to cope with it. Psychologist and a Ted Talk Speaker Kelly McGonigal states in her inspirational speech that a human connection works as a stress resilience. Also, a recent study suggests that social support attenuate our stress responses.
When it comes to transferred stress, it seems that what causes it, also heals it: human connection.
“Your stress response has a built-in mechanism for stress resilience, and that mechanism is a human connection.”
— Psychologist Kelly McGonigal
Excuse me for sounding like a hippie from the 1960’s, but I can’t resist: to better cope with stress, the world seems to need more connection, love, and empathy.
Conveniently, these resources are unlimited.
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed reading this, you’ll find more wellness and stress-related articles on my profile and INME Health Publication. Oh, and a couple of claps make me always happy! Feel free to comment, discuss or disagree — interaction is where the learning happens.
One of the best ways to prevent stress ← PREVIOUS
