Any time we find ourselves in a position where we feel the demands being put on us are greater than our ability to handle them, we experience stress. This includes demands at work, demands from our children and families, and demands that threaten our health and well-being.

These experiences trigger a stress response that occurs on a chemical level within your body.  The body floods with stress hormones that cause the heart to beat faster, breathing to quicken, and muscles to become tight. These physical responses are very useful if you need to swerve to miss a dog in the street, move away from a snake while walking in the woods, or make a stand against an injustice. They are our fight or flight responses that help us respond to challenging situations.

Unfortunately, if our bodies are constantly flooded with these hormones, physical and mental health problems can arise.  You see, your body is designed to use the hormones to manage the stressful situation. Once the stressful situation has passed, hormone levels are supposed to return to normal.

In times such as this, we are likely living with a near-constant feeling that the demands being put on us are greater than our ability to handle them. If your body is constantly flooded with stress hormones, you may be experiencing chronic stress, which is harmful and requires remediation.

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