Stress is the anxiety, tension or pressure that you experience throughout your daily life. It is a normal part of life. Without some stress life would be extremely boring. A certain amount of stress can be good. It motivates us and helps keep us on track. But too much stress damages you physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Stress is your body's natural reaction to danger. Called the "fight or flight" response, it prepares your body for attack. The attack can be caused by traffic, the boss, a deadline, a troubled marriage, etc. The body doesn't know the difference. Stress hormones are released which speed up the heart rate and constrict blood vessels (high blood pressure). Emotionally you feel tense and irritable. When you are under unrelieved stress the brain turns on the body and these physical symptoms become part of daily life.

Stress has been linked to cancer, asthma, allergies, ulcers, and high blood pressure to name a few. It can also suppress your immune system leading to increased viral, bacterial and fungal infections. Stress can cause these same symptoms in children.
To take our free stress quiz (test), click here
Here is a list of common symptoms related to excessive stress levels:

Physical symptoms: