The body doesn't distinguish between physical and psychological threats. Whether you are stressed over a busy schedule, traffic jams, financial issues, or what you are hearing on the news, your body still reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life or death situation. If you have a lot of worries and responsibilities, your emergency stress response (fight or flight) may be on most of the time. The more this stress response is activated, the harder it is to shut off.

The fight or flight response causes cortisol levels to rise, and stay elevated for hours, even days after a stressful situation. High cortisol levels cause inflammation, insulin resistance, elevated blood pressure, and long term exposure can lead to serious health problems.

Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It elevates blood pressure, suppresses the immune system, increases the risk of heart attack & stroke, contributes to infertility, and SPEEDS UP the aging process. Prolonged stress (even a few months) can actually rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Many of our health problems today are caused or exacerbated by stress. Our current life styles have created a "stress epidemic" in our world as we know it.

The take away here....manage your stress ASAP! Make lifestyle changes, get enough sleep, and use adaptogens when needed