The Upside of Stress: Why stress is good for you (and how to get good at it) by Kelly McGonigal

The Upside of Stress: Why stress is good for you (and how to get good at it) is written by health psychologist Dr Kelly McGonigal. It is presented as a non-fiction book exploring the science of stress and how mindset can shape your response to it.

Key details

• Author: Dr Kelly McGonigal
• Focuses on the science of stress and stress mindset
• Discusses embracing stress and reframing how you think about it
• References latest research and practical brain-training techniques

Synopsis

This book challenges the idea of stress as something to avoid, describing how it is often blamed for health problems, relationship difficulties, unhappiness and anxiety. Dr Kelly McGonigal sets out research that reframes stress, suggesting that changing your mindset can influence how stress affects you.

It introduces the “new science of stress” and argues that, when approached differently, the stress response can become an ally rather than an enemy. Drawing on research and practical brain-training techniques, it looks at ways to improve resilience and focus energy, while also addressing relationships and courage.