Stress can do some pretty weird things to your body. And stress for too long, and you can put yourself at risk of some serious health conditions, like heart issues, a weakened immune system, or even obesity.
That’s why finding ways to reduce stress can be helpful—both physically and emotionally.
In the meantime, though, we’ll leave you with a silver lining. In some ways, worrying can actually be helpful, as researchers from the University of California at Riverside reviewed in a new paper. Here’s how.
Worry Benefit: You take action
Stressing about your health? Well, at least you’ll take measures to keep body running smoothly.
Worrying serves as a cue that the situation at hand is serious—and so it requires some action on your part.
For example, feeling worried about skin cancer predicted the likelihood of using sunscreen—a necessary prevention measure to protect your skin, researchers from the University at Buffalo found.
And when young adults smokers were shown graphic warnings on cigarettes, their worry about smoking increased. But as a result, it also discouraged them more from continuing to light up, a 2015 study in Annals of Behavioral Medicine found.
Looks like too much worry can lead to the opposite problem, though. Stressing too much about a health condition can be paralyzing, leading you to avoid taking action.
“The right amount of worry can motivate without paralyzing,” the UC Riverside review says.
Worry Benefit: You handle bad news better
If you fear bad news, you may be more likely to stockpile some readymade responses in case it actually does happen, according to the review.
Take a 2015 study of potential lawyers-to-be who took the California bar exam. When those who worried more actually did receive the bad news that they failed, they were more likely to respond more productively. In fact, they agreed more with statements like “I’m taking immediate action,” and “I’m thinking about how to change my life to make the situation better” than those who weren’t as stressed waiting for the results.
The researchers believe that worry may be an essential step to something called “pragmatic prospection,” or thinking about the future in a way that inspires practical action. That’s because you need to be aware of the potential hurdles in place that may be blocking the way to the ultimate goal.
Worry Benefit: You feel more excited when the news is good
Worrying about all the bad stuff can actually serve as a low-water mark for your mood, the researchers argue.
Think about it this way: Worrying sucks. And when you worry all the time, your mood likely takes a nosedive, making you feel pretty crappy. So when the flip side finally occurs—something good happens—that high feels even more amazing than it would otherwise.
For example, in a classic study from the 1980s, people rated comedy clips as more pleasant and relaxing when they viewed them after watching part of a horror movie. But if they watched the happy clips before the scary stuff, they rated the horror clips as way more unpleasant.
Bottom Line On Worry
So there can be a silver lining to worry, but intense worry that interferes with your life isn’t something you should ignore. In those cases, you should talk with your doctor—he or she can help with treatment options that work for you.
“Extreme levels of worry are harmful to one’s health,” study author Kate Sweeny, Ph.D., said in a press release. “I do not intend to advocate for excessive worrying. Instead, I hope to provide reassurance to the helpless worrier—planning and preventive action is not a bad thing.”
