Stress is how you feel when you are facing demands that you are not sure you can meet. It is a normal part of everyday life and can be both positive and negative. Many things can trigger a stress response - relationships, money, work, exams, the expectation you put on yourself or the expectation you feel from others – the list is endless.

Stress can affect how you feel; how you think and behave; how confident you feel; and your energy levels. A small amount of stress can be healthy as it can motivate us and help prepare us for challenges in life. However, when this balance tips into high stress levels it can cause you to feel unwell. It is very difficult to measure stress levels as different people react to events in their lives in different ways – so what you find stressful may be motivating for someone else.

Stress symptoms can include:

Different people will feel the effects of stress in different ways so it is important that you develop a picture of what you feel like when you are stressed. This will help you to recognise the symptoms of stress early, so that you can find ways of reducing stress. Recognising and managing stress early will help prevent it leading to more serious problems such as anxiety, depression or high blood pressure.

Stress management tips