What happens when you are stressed?

Stress is what you feel when you have to handle more than you are used to. When you are stressed, your body responds as though you are in danger. It makes hormones that speed up your heart, make you breathe faster, and give you a burst of energy. 

If you already have a health problem, stress may make it worse. It can make you moody, tense, or depressed. Your relationships may suffer, and you may not do well at work.
 

What can you do about stress?

 
Find out what is causing stress in your life.
Look for ways to reduce the amount of stress in your life.
Learn healthy ways to relieve stress or reduce its harmful effects.

It's important to figure out what causes stress for you. Everyone feels and responds to stress differently. Get a notebook, and write down when something makes you feel stressed. Then write how you reacted and what you did to deal with the stress. Keeping a stress journal can help you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. Then you can take steps to reduce the stress or handle it better.

How can you avoid stress?
 
You may not be able to get rid of stress, but you can look for ways to lower it.

Learn better ways to manage your time. You may get more done with less stress if you make a schedule. Think about which things are most important, and do those first.

Take good care of yourself. Get plenty of rest. Eat well. Don't smoke. Limit how much alcohol you drink.

Try out new ways of thinking. When you find yourself starting to worry, try to stop the thoughts.

Let go of things you cannot change. Learn to say "no."

Speak up. Not being able to talk about your needs and concerns creates stress and can make negative feelings worse. 
 

Ways to relax your mind

Write. It may help to write about things that are bothering you. This helps you find out what is causing your stress and how much stress you feel. After you know, you can find better ways to cope.

Let your feelings out. Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when you need to.

Do something you enjoy. You may feel that you're too busy to do these things. But making time to do something you enjoy can help you relax. It might also help you get more done in other areas of your life. Focus on the present.

Meditate. When you meditate, you focus your attention on things that are happening right now. Paying attention to your breathing is one way to focus. 
 

Stress Management - Ways to Avoid Stress

Stress is a part of life, and you can't always avoid it. But you can try to avoid situations that can cause it, and you can control how you respond to it. The first step is knowing your own coping strategies. 

After you know what is causing your stress, try making some changes in your life that will help you avoid stressful situations. 

The choices you make about the way you live affect your stress level. Your lifestyle may not cause stress on its own, but it can prevent your body from recovering from it.

Start by looking at how you spend your time. Maybe there are things that you don't need to do at all. Finding a balance can be especially hard during the holidays.

Have a sense of purpose in life. Many people find meaning through connections with family, friends, jobs, or volunteer work.

Get enough sleep. Your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping. 
Adopt healthy habits. Eat a healthy diet, limit how much alcohol you drink, and don't smoke. Staying healthy is your best defense against stress.

Exercise. Even moderate exercise, such as taking a daily walk, can reduce stress.

All the best.