All of us in the modern world know what it’s like to be stressed, and we all have various ideas about what it means to be stressed. Stress occurs when we have too much on our plates and are forced to handle more than we are accustomed to handling at a given time. Financial problems, fights with friends, family issues, job-related issues, school, illnesses and many, many other elements create stress in our everyday lives. When your body is under stress, it reacts in the same manner as it does when it’s in danger. It goes into “fight or flight” mode and releases hormones that raise heart rate, blood pressure and breathing and even causes bursts of energy
Stress isn’t always a bad thing, though. It is normal and even beneficial, for it can help you finish the race or that business project before the big deadline. It’s when you are under excessive amounts of stress that your body begins to feel its effects. Excessive stress causes headaches, stomach problems, back pain, sleeping issues, weakens the immune system and can even lead to depression, anxiety and panic attacks.
There are various ways to lessen the effects of stress including practicing relaxed breathing, listening to peaceful sounds/music, meditating and exercising. Progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tensing specific muscles and then relaxing them, is also a good way to alleviate the ill effects of stress.