Stress is anything that activates or turns on your nervous system. Activation can be thought of as pressing the gas pedal of a car. Our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing increase; our pupils dilate; our digestion slows; blood moves to our arms and legs for quicker movement. Stress can help us respond to an emergency, like moving our car away from another one to avoid an accident. However, long-term stress is harmful and causes damage to our brain and body. Changes (like a divorce, moving to a new home, having a baby, or a change in job responsibilities) can lead to stress. 

For an inventory of your stress level, take the interactive Life Change Quiz here.