Symptoms, remedies, treatments and care for Stress

Stress

Stress is a reaction of the brain and body to a stimulus that disturbs our physical or mental equilibrium. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, their bodies react by releasing chemicals into the blood which give people more energy and strength to cope with the condition. Every type of demand or stressor, such as exercise, work, school, major life changes, or traumatic events, can be stressful. When stress gets to be too much, it can take a toll on our health and well-being.

Stress can motivate people to prepare or perform, like when they need to take a test or interview for a new job. Stress can even be life-saving in some situations. In response to danger, your body prepares to face a threat or flee to safety. In these situations, your pulse quickens, you breathe faster, your muscles tense, your brain uses more oxygen and increases activity—all functions aimed at survival.

Health problems can occur if the stress response goes on for too long or becomes chronic, such as when the source of stress is constant, or if the response continues after the danger has subsided. With chronic stress, those same life-saving responses in your body can suppress immune, digestive, sleep, and reproductive systems, which may cause them to stop working normally.