How to Win Control Over the Stress in Your Life

In the middle of the 20th century physiologist Hans Selye labeled our reaction to life's challenges with a simple word: stress. Now, 50 years later, there's a conversation you hear so often, it's almost a chorus: You ask a friend, "How are you?" and she replies, "I'm OK, but I'm feeling a little stressed."

In the 21st century, stress has become synonymous with life. Stress is associated with almost every aspect of our lives, personal and professional alike. Stress does however become a danger when it goes unrecognized, is poorly managed or becomes pent up over long periods of time.

For most women, stress ranks at the top of the list of daily problems.

What is the natural stress response?

Whenever we perceive we are physically or psychologically threatened an inbuilt, alarm-system in our brain triggers the adrenal glands to release complex hormonal cascade of over 30 stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol giving us the extra strength and speed we need to deal with the threatening situation. This reaction is known as the "fight-or-flight" reaction, or the stress response.

Stress isn't always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best.

The problems start when you're constantly running in emergency mode, and you are unable to cope well with the stress in your life, your mind, body and overall health and performance may pay the price.

If you frequently find yourself feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, it's time to take action to bring your life back into balance.

What can you do about stress?

The good news is that you can learn ways to manage stress.

To get stress under control Take Action:

- Find out what is causing stress in your life.
- Identify your own stress symptoms.
- Find out your habitual ways of responding to stress.
- Look for new ways to reduce the amount of stress in your life.
- Learn healthier and more effective ways to relieve stress.

Dealing with stress is about dealing with change. I encourage everybody to consider working with a coach in order to reach the permanent stress management results.

Inese Millere is an action-oriented life coach who will assist professional women in creating stress management strategies, healthy lifestyle routines and finding a right life balance based on their priorities and values.

She runs a highly popular and comprehensive Stress Management and Balanced Life web site. For more articles and resources on stress symptoms, stress relief, stress reduction, anxiety treatments, balanced life,wellness and longevity solutions and much more visit her site.