Stress is a major issue in today’s modern living. The body sends signals when confronted by stressful situations and will try to protect itself. In the case of emergencies, this is a very helpful thing because the body’s reactions are increased. Stress that lingers for periods of time will begin to break the body down and cause physical problems over time.

An overabundance of stress in your life means that your body is constantly ready to help you escape from danger even though there is none. An excessive amount of energy builds up because of this and with no physical actions needed to protect you from danger, there is no place for the extra energy to be released. Now you end up feeling jumpy, nervous, fearful and generally wound too tightly.

Factors that Affect the Stress

Change in your life is a contributing factor to building stress whether it is a good thing for you or not. The manner in which you address the change can build as much stress as the physical aspects of the change. Everyone has different triggers and reacts differently to things in life. Changing jobs can be really exciting for one person while it can be devastating for another.

The empty nest syndrome is a stressful issue for some, while some find retirement stressful. Most people find being fired or laid off from work to be stressful even getting a promotion. Getting married or divorced, having a child, being injured or developing an illness, moving and problems with finances are also all stressful for most people.

Too many stressful situations and your health will be compromised. Don’t deal with the stress and any existing health issues will be made worse. So, it is wise to seek out the advice of a healthcare professional to get a proper diagnosis. The things that have been bothering you may be the result of stress or could be from a different health issue, but your physician will be able to analyze your symptoms so you can get the proper care.

Symptoms of Stress

There are certain ways to recognize the ill effects of stress. The signals are diarrhea or constipation, fatigue, back pain, headaches, anxiety, unable to sleep, stiff neck, relationship issues, hypertension, breathing issues, changing weight, and stomach problems.

How to Deal with Stress

Once you can understand when you are suffering from the ill effects of stress, you will be able to cope with your condition. The first thing that happens is you find yourself making fists or feeling a lot of strain on your neck and shoulders.

One good method of dealing with stress is to eliminate the thing that is causing you to be stressed which may or may not be possible. Or you can make changes in the way you handle stress. This takes some work but is the best solution. Exercise and meditation will do wonders.