Residual Stress: What it is and How Residual Stress Can Impact Health

Residual stress is a tension that continues to persist, affecting individuals mentally, emotionally, and physically, sometimes long after the stressful situation has passed. For example, after completing a presentation in front of your peers, stress may remain in your system for some time. 

Recognizing the signs, symptoms, and causes of residual stress may help you move forward. Symptoms may affect your life and potentially lead to longer-term health issues. Cognitive impairment, strained relationships, and chronic conditions are among the problems that may occur if you struggle to recognize symptoms or choose to ignore them. After acknowledging residual stress symptoms, you can take proactive steps toward your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Residual stress: Psychology vs engineering

There are different meanings to the term “residual stress”. Residual stress acts as a descriptor in both psychology and physics. Often, residual stress formation is discussed in scientific environments based on physical materials and how they respond to certain transformations and changes. More research is required to assess the effects of residual stress on people and understand the types of residual stress that exist in the world. However, relating the residual stress of materials to that of people and how different external forces can affect individuals in various ways may be a way to understand this phenomenon. 

Tensile and compressive stress, and how residual stress shows up in daily life

In physics, tensile stress occurs when a single material is pulled apart. Individuals can consider two separate areas when looking for the equivalent in terms of psychological stress. Firstly, a person might experience this type of residual stress if dealing with an internal conflict. An internal conflict refers to a psychological struggle. For example, a person's thoughts and feelings might oppose their religious beliefs and cause internal conflict. Alternatively, residual tensile stress may be caused when a person is torn between difficult decisions. This stress may be exemplified by the pressure of having to make decisions during one’s work or home responsibilities. 

How residual stress forms in the body and mind

Residual stress forms when the body’s sympathetic nervous system (the fight, flight, or freeze response) remains activated after the initial stress passes. This activation can lead to the burnout of different systems and a variety of both mental and physical symptoms. In a sense, our body is a machine and can be impacted by the tension of stress in the same way any machine can. 

Prolonged stress and the nervous system

To continue comparing mental stress with physical stress, you can use a thermal loads analogy from engineering or physics. Thermal load occurs when a component is heated or cooled unevenly; differential thermal expansion creates internal pressure that remains after the temperature becomes uniform and can lead to premature failure. In the same way, when mental stressors are not addressed or get out of hand, internal pressures can remain even after the stressor no longer exists. 

When stress exceeds your ability to recover

Another physics comparison is the elastic limit metaphor. When you pull a rubber band too tightly for too long, the rubber becomes warped and is unable to spring back to its regular elasticity. When a person experiences maximum residual stress, it may exceed the body’s ability to recover, leaving them physically and mentally burned out. 

Physical signs of residual stress

Residual stress can lead to emotional, cognitive, and even physical symptoms. When stress resides in the body in the long term, it can impact how our body functions. Again, just as a material’s function and durability can be impacted by residual stress in engineering. 

Muscle tension and lingering activation

The lingering activation of the stress response can cause chronic muscle tension in the body. Using a shear stresses analogy, your body is like a sheet spread out on the ground. If you were to sit or stand on this sheet and then step off, the impression of your body will remain as wrinkles in the sheet. In the same way, long-standing tension in the body can impact the “typical shape” of the healthy body. Some physical symptoms of residual stress can include:

• Muscle aches and pains
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Reduced immunity to illness

Fatigue, sleep disruption, and concentration issues

Another negative impact of residual stress on the body is trouble resting or sleeping. Sleep disruption can not only be distressing in itself, but lead to a cycle of further stress and physical dysfunction over time. Lack of sleep can be compared to the fatigue life metaphor in physics in which residual stress is considered a pre-loaded stress that impacts how the material handles an operation load. When our body is not getting the rest it needs, our reactions to external stressors can be impacted. 

Is residual stress good or bad?

Stress in and of itself is not necessarily a bad thing…it is a normal reaction found in everyday life, and has its uses. The stress response in human beings evolved to keep us safe and offer motivation for tasks, and it continues to do so to this day. However, short term stress and long term residual stress can be two different things. 

Short-term stress vs long-term residual stress

Only a small amount of stress experienced over the short-term generally has no ill effect. We can use these bursts of stress in positive ways. However, when the stress response goes into overdrive and becomes a chronic state, we may begin to see an increased risk for long-term mental and physical health effects. 

When stress contributes to burnout or breakdown

We can see the effects of burnout in the body through the brittle fracture metaphor. In a material such as glass, internal stressors can be a hidden load that goes unnoticed until the glass experiences cracks or premature failure. In some cases it may shatter altogether. An individual burdened with residual stress may be able to function in a seemingly normal way until they suddenly are not. This hidden imbalance can wear away mental protectors until the person feels overwhelmed, or experiences burnout or exhaustion. 

What influences residual stress?

The development and persistence of residual stresses are often due to environmental factors. Like materials are affected by external loading forces and the support of surrounding material, humans are affected by the surrounding environment, from the community to the home and the workplace. Below are factors in the environment that influence daily life stress: 

• Social interactions: Social community can involve the community of friends, family, and co-workers you associate with daily, and how they contribute to your health and well-being. 
• Work conditions: From workplace hygiene to the workload you are responsible for, every professional situation can impact the everyday stress you are exposed to. 
• Living situations: Because a lot of personal time is spent in the home environment, a warm, supportive, and safe space is conducive to overall health and well-being.
• Financial concerns: Financial stressors can be overwhelming and cause people to take on longer, more challenging shifts in their workplace.
• Mental health: Mental health conditions and stress are interrelated. Stress is a risk factor for developing anxiety and depression, while also being a response to an anxious episode.

While positive environmental factors can be conducive to health and well-being, negative factors, such as having to work overtime, can exacerbate residual stress. Try to create a stress-relieved external atmosphere while working on your inner space with a therapist.

Ways to reduce stress over time

For your machine (your body) to continue to function optimally, it can be important to release stored tension regularly. There are short-term strategies that may help to address stress in the moment, as well as long-term protective lifestyle habits that support mental health and wellness. 

Stress management techniques that help release stored tension

Some effective stress management tips that can help to release stored tension in the moment include things like: 

• Deep breathing exercises, like box breathing, or the 4-7-8-4 method
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Seated or walking meditation
• The 5-4-3-2-1 method, in which you identify five things that you can see, four things that you can hear, three things that you can feel, two things that you can smell, and one thing that you can taste
• Short bursts of intense activity, such as dancing or jumping
• Talking out your problems with a trusted loved one

Lifestyle changes that support recovery

Certain healthy lifestyle habits can support recovery from residual stress, as well as protect you against future stress. Some of these habits that can help manage stress effectively include:

• Prioritizing good sleep and sleep habits
• Getting regular physical activity
• Engaging in activities that you enjoy
• Spending quality time with loved ones
• Getting outside in nature on a regular basis
• Limiting or avoiding illegal substances or alcohol
• Hydrating and eating a variety of nutritious foods

Getting support through BetterHelp 

In physics and materials science, addressing problems with materials early can be beneficial. The same is the case for early intervention in therapy, as a therapist may help you prevent the development of stress. After identifying stressors early on, therapists can offer guidance, support, knowledge, and treatment. 

If you face barriers to in-person therapy due to challenges like financial insecurity or inaccessibility, you may also find online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp beneficial. Similarly to how a physicist has expertise in materials, online therapists may provide clients with specialized care and attention, all from the comfort of their homes. Online therapy platforms also offer clients unique tools, such as journaling prompts, worksheets, and the option of weekly support groups. 

How therapy helps to process and release residual stress

During an initial session with an online therapist, you may receive a mental, physical, and emotional assessment while getting to know your therapist on a more personal level. This assessment may be useful for residual stress measurement and building a supportive therapeutic relationship with your therapist. Research shows that internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective method of treatment for chronic stress. During online therapy sessions, you can develop personalized therapeutic plans for targeting stress to mitigate the impact of stress on your day-to-day life.