Stress diffinition :

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel
frustrated, angry, or nervous.

Stress is your body's reaction to a challenge or demand. In short bursts, stress can be positive, such as when it
helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline. But when stress lasts for a long time, it may harm your health.

https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/stress-statistics/
Stress isn’t technically a disease, although it can have lasting effects on an individual’s mental health. Rather,
it’s a response. Specifically, it’s one of the body’s natural physical, mental, and emotional reactions to an
external stressor. Frequently the source of stress is rooted in change—a big move, a new project, a wedding,
etc. But it can also stem from a person’s surroundings, like an aggressive boss or a tense conversation.

When the body faces a perceived threat, stress levels rise and hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, and
norepinephrine are released to increase alertness, tense muscles, and heighten blood pressure. This is the
evolutionary “fight or flight” response. But in most cases, the cause of stress isn’t a physical attacker, so it can
result in headaches, extended muscle tension, lack of sleep, indigestion, and other symptoms.

In short bursts, stress can actually help someone increase productivity or maintain focus. But chronic stress
can contribute to health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety disorders, and
gastrointestinal disorders.

What’s the difference between stress and anxiety ?

https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/anxiety-difference
There’s a fine line between stress and anxiety. Both are emotional responses, but stress is typically caused by
an external trigger. The trigger can be short-term, such as a work deadline or a fight with a loved one or long-
term, such as being unable to work, discrimination, or chronic illness. People under stress experience mental
and physical symptoms, such as irritability, anger, fatigue, muscle pain, digestive troubles, and difficulty
sleeping.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is defined by persistent, excessive worries that don’t go away even in the absence
of a stressor. Anxiety leads to a nearly identical set of symptoms as stress: insomnia, difficulty concentrating,
fatigue, muscle tension, and irritability.

Both mild stress and mild anxiety respond well to similar coping mechanisms. Physical activity, a nutritious
and varied diet, and good sleep hygiene are a good starting point, but there are other coping mechanisms
available.

https://jedfoundation.org/resource/understanding-anxious-feelings/
There are two main types of stress :
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm
 Acute stress : This is short-term stress that goes away quickly. You feel it when you slam on the
brakes, have a fight with your partner, or ski down a steep slope. It helps you manage dangerous
situations. It also occurs when you do something new or exciting. All people have acute stress at one
time or another.
 Chronic stress : This is stress that lasts for a longer period of time. You may have chronic stress if
you have money problems, an unhappy marriage, or trouble at work. Any type of stress that goes on
for weeks or months is chronic stress. You can become so used to chronic stress that you don't realize
it is a problem. If you don't find ways to manage stress, it may lead to health problems.

https://anticancerlifestyle.org/3-types-of-stress-and-how-the-body-
responds/
 Episodic Stress : Episodic Stress is a type of stress that happens frequently. People who experience
this type of stress are often those who overload their schedule, take on too many responsibilities, and
then find themselves unable to fulfill their commitments. Episodic stress is common in those who
frequently worry about all the things that could go wrong, and who fear the loss of control. For
example, let’s consider Marcy. Marcy’s mother and grandmother died from breast cancer, so she is
very careful to get checked annually. Every year, when she has a cancer screening test, her anxiety
level shoots up as she waits for the scan report from her doctor. Marcy always imagines the worst,
trying to prepare herself for bad news. Her muscles tense, she paces, and she can’t concentrate on
anything else. She knows it may be several days until she learns the results of her scan. She doesn’t
want to go to work, she doesn’t want to be social with her friends, and her heart jumps every time the
phone rings.

What causes stress?

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-
health-problems/stress/causes-of-stress/
Feelings of stress are normally triggered by things happening in your life which involve:

 being under lots of pressure

 facing big changes
 worrying about something
 not having much or any control over the outcome of a situation
 having responsibilities that you're finding overwhelming
 not having enough work, activities or change in your life
 times of uncertainty.

There might be one big thing causing you stress, but stress can also be caused by a build-up of small pressures.
This might make it harder for you to identify what's making you feel stressed, or to explain it to other people.
Why do certain things make me feel stressed ?
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-
health-problems/stress/causes-of-stress/
The amount of stress you feel in different situations may depend on many factors such as:

 your perception of the situation – this might be connected to your past experiences, your self-esteem,
and how your thought processes work (for example, if you tend to interpret things positively or
negatively)
 how experienced you are at dealing with that particular type of pressure
 your emotional resilience to stressful situations
 the amount of other pressures on you at the time
 the amount of support you are receiving.

We're all different, so a situation that doesn't bother you at all might cause someone else a lot of stress. For
example, if you're feeling confident or usually enjoy public speaking, you might find that giving a speech in
front of people feels comfortable and fun. But if you're feeling low or usually prefer not to be the centre of
attention, this situation might cause you to experience signs of stress.

"I get stressed when things get out of perspective – too much work, thinking too far ahead."

What kind of situations can cause stress ?

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-
health-problems/stress/causes-of-stress/
Stress can be caused by a variety of different common life events, many of which are difficult to avoid. For
example:

Personal

 illness or injury
 pregnancy and becoming a parent
 bereavement
 long-term health problems
 organising a complicated event, like a group holiday
 everyday tasks such as travel or household chores.

Friends and family

 getting married or civil partnered

 going through a break-up or getting divorced
 difficult relationships with parents, siblings, friends or children
 being a carer for a friend or relative who needs lots of support.

Employment and study

 losing your job

 long-term unemployment
  retiring
 exams and deadlines
 difficult issues at work
 starting a new job.

Housing

 housing problems such as poor living conditions, lack of security or homelessness

 moving house
 problems with neighbours.

Money

 worries about money or benefits

 poverty
 debt.

Social factors

For example:

 experiencing stigma or discrimination - including racism, homophobia, biphobia or transphobia

 living in an area with poor access to services such as medical care, green spaces or transport
 living through a stressful community, national or global event, like the coronavirus pandemic.

Can happy events cause stress ?

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-
health-problems/stress/causes-of-stress/
Some of the situations listed above are often thought of as happy events – for example, you might feel expected
to be happy or excited about getting married or having a baby.

But because they can bring big changes or make unusual demands on you, they can still be very stressful. This
can be particularly difficult to deal with, because you might feel there's additional pressure on you to be
positive.

Stress and your body

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm
Your body reacts to stress by releasing hormones. These hormones make your brain more alert, cause your
muscles to tense, and increase your pulse. In the short term, these reactions are good because they can help
you handle the situation causing stress. This is your body's way of protecting itself.

When you have chronic stress, your body stays alert, even though there is no danger. Over time, this puts you
at risk for health problems, including:

 High blood pressure

 Heart disease
 Diabetes
  Obesity
 Depression or anxiety
 Skin problems, such as acne or eczema
 Menstrual problems

If you already have a health condition, chronic stress can make it worse.

SIGNS OF TOO MUCH STRESS

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003211.htm
Stress can cause many types of physical and emotional symptoms. Sometimes, you may not realize these
symptoms are caused by stress. Here are some signs that stress may be affecting you :

 Diarrhea or constipation
 Forgetfulness
 Frequent aches and pains
 Headaches
 Lack of energy or focus
 Sexual problems
 Stiff jaw or neck
 Tiredness
 Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
 Upset stomach
 Use of alcohol or drugs to relax
 Weight loss or gain

Tips to menage your stress

https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/mindful_breathing
We often ask ourselves how we should manage stress because These days it’s hard not to get overwhelmed
once in a while. Between juggling work, family, and other commitments so menaging your stress need a
daily routine and some habits like for example :
1. Practice deep breathing and meditation

meditation is a great way to distract yourself from the stress of day-to-day life.it doesn’t take much of your
time you can do it in the morning or at night before you sleep
2. Manage social media time

Spending time on social media can become stressful, not only by what we might see on them, but also
because the time you are spending on social media might be best spent enjoying visiting with friends, being
outside enjoying the weather or reading a great book.or just doing something that we like and feel
comfortable
3. Take time out

Take time to relax and Strike the balance between responsibility to others and responsibility to yourself, this
can really reduce stress levels just Tell yourself that it is okay to prioritise self-care
Emergency Stress-Stoppers
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/stress-
management/3-tips-to-manage-stress

Here are some stress relievers:

- Think 10 s before you speak or react.
- Take a few slow, deep breaths until you feel your body un-clench a bit
- Walk away from the situation for a while, and handle it later once things have calmed down
- Break down big problems into smaller parts. Take one step at a time.
- Work out or do something active

SITUATE YOURSELF
I’ll share with you how i identify my stress because it is so important to know this signs it helps to tackleand
managing your stress as soon as possible
 difficulty concentrating
 mood swings or changes in your mood
 difficulty relaxing
 depression
 low self-esteem
 eating more or less than usual
 changes in your sleeping habits

so when i feel this signs on me i start doing my daily routine to menage my stress and being productive and
feeling good