Stress: what is it, who has it and how do we talk about it?

Stress is our bodies’ natural way of coping with being frightened or challenged, releasing chemicals into our bloodstream that provide extra short-term energy and alertness. We’ve all had times when our bodies react to stress. We can feel it. It’s the sensation known as fight or flight.

Different things cause stress for different people. Some might think that an upcoming math test is a big deal, while others won’t give it a second thought. The same is true at different ages and stages of our lives. What bothers us at age 3 won’t be the same as what gets us riled up at age 12, 20 or 50. One thing is certain: we all experience stress at some point in our lives.

Being aware of what causes you stress is one step in learning how to handle it well. Watch the short video below to see how stress impacts our bodies and visit the Change to Chill website to learn more.

Chill Breaks provide a quick, easy way to reduce stress and get on with our day. Try one out yourself or share the experience with a friend!