Stress: Can you beat it? Unpacking the insights from ITV's ground-breaking show
Stress is often viewed as the enemy—something to avoid or fight against. But what if we told you that, when properly understood and managed, stress can actually work in your favour? ITV’s Stress: Can You Beat It?, which aired last week, highlighted this very concept. The program showed how stress, far from being purely destructive, can be harnessed for positive outcomes with the right mindset and tools. It also featured cutting-edge innovations like the Firstbeat Life™ HRV monitors,
which are helping people—especially leaders—reshape their relationship with stress.
At Business Health Institute, we’re thrilled to see these tools and concepts finally getting the attention they deserve. Through our Peak Performance Programme (PPP), in partnership with PEMFiT™ and Santé Group, we’re on a mission to transform the lives of leaders. Our approach combines tailored one-to-one coaching with pioneering, world-leading technology to provide precise, personalised insights and deliver measurable, impactful results.
Let’s dive into how understanding your body’s physiological responses to stress, like heart rate variability (HRV) and nervous system function, is key to transforming stress from a foe into a powerful ally.
Stress: Not the Villain We’ve Been Led to Believe
Let’s start with a myth-buster: stress isn’t the villain it’s often made out to be. Yes, chronic stress can wreak havoc on your body and mind, but stress itself is a normal physiological response. When harnessed correctly, stress can fuel high performance, sharpen focus, and drive motivation.
The key lies in understanding and managing your stress response, rather than ignoring or fighting it. Stress is your body’s way of signalling that something needs attention, and when we listen—through data and insight—we can make informed decisions that benefit our overall health and productivity.
Why Leaders Need to Pay Attention to HRV
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is one of the most important indicators of how your body is responding to stress. HRV is the measure of the variation in time between each heartbeat and is directly linked to the state of your nervous system. A higher HRV means your body is recovering well from stress and is more resilient, while a low HRV can indicate that your body is under stress or not recovering properly.
For leaders and C-suite executives, balancing stress and recovery is critical. You’re often navigating high-stakes decisions and a constantly shifting business landscape. Without actively managing stress, it can snowball, affecting your health, decision-making, and ultimately, your performance.
Why Everyday Wearables Don’t Cut It
By now, many of us have tried wearing a fitness tracker or smartwatch to monitor our health, but here’s the hard truth: everyday wearables don’t work long-term when it comes to fully understanding your physiology. They can be great for counting steps or calories burned, but they rarely provide deep, actionable insights into how your body is handling stress. Plus, let’s be honest—most of us get bored with the daily checks, and soon the novelty wears off.
This is where Firstbeat Life™ HRV monitors, as featured on Stress: Can You Beat It?, stand apart. These monitors are gold standard because they give a much deeper view into how your body reacts to stress and recovery, without requiring you to wear them 24/7. They’re worn strategically, at different times during the week, allowing you to gather meaningful data without the burnout of constant tracking.
And the best part? The insights gained aren’t just numbers on a screen—they translate into clear, attainable goals that you can work on with the help of personalised 1:1 coaching. This approach keeps you engaged, motivated, and continually progressing, rather than getting fed up with the grind of daily monitoring.
The Power of the PPP Model: Collaboration for Leadership Longevity
At Business Health Institute, our PPP model integrates the expertise of PEMFiT™ and Santé Group to drive transformational leadership development. PEMFiT™ delivers high-intensity cellular energy sessions to fuel the body, while we focus on channelling that energy for long-term well-being. Through the use of Firstbeat Life™ HRV monitors and personalised coaching, we empower leaders to sustain peak performance and resilience.
We’ve seen remarkable transformations in the leaders we work with:
∙16-49% reduction in stress levels
∙Up to 20% improvement in sleep quality
∙Enhanced cardiovascular health and increased VO2 max
∙8-13% reduction in heart rate
∙Boosted energy, mental clarity, and ability to sustain high performance
These are more than just numbers. They reflect how our clients are improving their ability to navigate stress, recover faster, and perform at their peak.
Why Stress Recovery and Balance Matter
One of the most common misconceptions we see is that pushing through stress is the mark of resilience. But true resilience isn’t about grinding yourself down—it’s about mastering the ebb and flow of stress and recovery. High performers, especially in leadership, need to understand that recovery is where growth happens.
When you actively calm your nervous system, your body can shift from fight-or-flight mode into rest-and-digest mode, which is essential for recovery. This not only improves sleep but also sharpens cognitive functioning, decision-making, and emotional regulation. In short, you can’t perform well without balancing stress and recovery.
Sleep Optimisation and Exercise: The Missing Links
Another critical aspect of stress management is sleep. We often underestimate how much poor sleep impacts everything—from our mood to our energy levels. The insights from the Firstbeat Life™ HRV monitors help us understand how our bodies are recovering overnight and provide a clear roadmap for improving sleep quality. Better sleep, in turn, enhances physical stamina, mental clarity, and emotional resilience.
When it comes to exercise, it’s not just about pushing hard at the gym. It’s about ensuring your body is moving in a way that supports recovery and balances your stress levels. Overtraining without adequate recovery can actually raise cortisol levels, keeping you in a perpetual state of stress.
Turning Insight into Action
At Business Health Institute, we believe that knowledge is power, but action is where the transformation happens. By using Firstbeat Life™ HRV monitors in combination with our PPP model and personalised coaching, we provide leaders with the tools to not only understand their stress but to actively manage it and use it to their advantage.
We don’t just give you data. We give you insights that are customised to your unique physiology and lifestyle, allowing you to set and achieve attainable goals for better stress management, improved performance, and long-lasting well-being.
Ready to Transform Your Leadership?
If you’re ready to take control of your stress, improve your resilience, and unlock your full potential, let’s have a conversation. Our programmes are tailored specifically for leaders and C-suite executives who understand that well-being is key to long-term success.
It’s time to stop fighting stress and start using it to your advantage. Connect with us today to explore how our Firstbeat Life™ HRV monitoring and 1:1 coaching can transform your leadership and well-being.