It is now widely accepted that stress and the resultant anxiety problems have reached epidemic proportions particularly in the industrialized west. Today's hectic lifestyle places increasing demands on our mind and bodies, demands that we are sometimes unable to meet leading to stress, depression and anxiety.

But what is stress and what are its symptoms?

Stress is caused by our bodies and minds responding to a physical or an emotional threat. This response involves the hypothalamus in our brains causing a flood of hormones to be released into the bloodstream to get us ready to either stand our ground or run away. This results in blood flow to the muscles increasing together with a rise in blood sugar levels rise giving us a boost of energy. In effect we go into overdrive.

This is known as the "fight or flight" response. This response is what helped our ancestors cope with the physical problems of stone-age life. But today our problems are mainly psychological rather than physical and the "fight or flight" response actually causes us harm by keeping us in a semi-permanent "overdrive" state. This can give rise to any or all of the following symptoms -

Anxiety

Muscle tension and stiffness

Feeling tense and "on edge"

Short temper

Restlessness

Trouble thinking clearly

Headaches or backaches

Loss of sex drive

Teeth grinding or jaw clenching

Sleeping too much or too little

Of course these symptoms could also have an underlying physical cause which is why it is important to check with your doctor.

What to do to relieve stress

Exercise

Exercise definitely has a lot of good effects in the body. It does not only make the body fitter, but it is also an effective therapy for anxiety conditions. Apart from regular exercises, aerobics and yoga are also perfect therapies to treat anxiety.

Get enough sleep

Sleep is important to help the body rest and recharge for another busy day at work or at home.

Avoid drugs and alcohol.

There are some people who think that alcohol and drugs can take away all their worries and problems. In fact, these only worsen a person's stress condition. Instead of freeing one from anxiety, too much alcohol and medication consumption will most likely lead to addiction.

Try relaxation techniques.

Another good technique on overcoming anxiety is to practice relaxation routines. The most commonly practiced relaxation routines are breathing exercises and meditation. These practices really help in reducing and even eliminating the feeling of anxiety.