What is Stress and How Can You Manage It?

Your body is brilliantly designed to respond to a threat. Thousands of years ago, that threat might have been a lion - and your body would instantly prepare you to run or fight.

Heart rate rises. Breathing becomes shallow. Digestion slows down. Muscles tense. Focus sharpens.

This is your body’s stress response and it’s incredibly effective in short bursts. Once the danger passes, your system calms. You take a deep breath, your heart rate lowers, digestion restarts, and you feel safe again.

But modern stress isn’t usually life-threatening. Instead, it’s chronic.

What Triggers Stress Today?

Stress can come from things as ordinary as:

• Traffic jams

• Overflowing inboxes

• Juggling family responsibilities

• Caring for kids or elderly parents

• Workplace tension

• Financial worries

• Prepping for a presentation

• Even trying to eat a meal in peace

Some of these are major stressors, others are micro-stressors: the little things that stack up during the day until you hit a wall and don’t even know why.

How Stress Shows Up in Daily Life

Ever notice how, when you're stressed or overwhelmed, you might:

• Struggle to fall or stay asleep

• Feel snappy or irritable

• Experience brain fog

• Crave sugar or make unhelpful food choices

• Feel indecisive or distracted

  
  

That’s not weakness — that’s your nervous system trying to keep up.

The Role of Stress Management

Some stress is actually useful. It can help us focus, get things done, and rise to a challenge. But when stress becomes chronic and we never give our bodies the chance to recover it can take a real toll on both physical and mental health.

The good news? Stress management is a skill and it can be learned.

You may not be able to eliminate every stressor, but you can reduce the impact they have on your body and mind.

Try This Quick Reset Technique:

The next time you're feeling tense, before stepping into your home or workplace, try this simple practice:

1. Sit still and close your eyes

2. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and out through your nose

3. As you inhale, gently say to yourself: “I am okay.”

4. As you exhale, let your muscles relax and soften - sink into your seat

5. Repeat for a few breaths -

   just 30 seconds can shift your state

   
   

This is just one of many tools you can use to reset your nervous system and feel more in control.

Stress doesn’t have to run the show. You can learn to respond — not just react.

Be N of One - find your unique formula for healthy living.