Lesson 1 of 4 · 2 min read
What stress is doing in your body
Stress is a normal, physical response — useful in short bursts and tiring when it never switches off.
When your brain senses a demand, it prepares your body to respond. Heart rate rises, muscles tense, breathing quickens, and attention narrows onto the problem. This is a normal survival system, not a personal weakness.
The system works best when it switches on and then off again. Ongoing pressure — deadlines, exams, caring responsibilities, money worries — can leave it running in the background for days or weeks, which is exhausting.
Because the response is physical as well as mental, physical tools (breathing, movement, rest) can be just as useful as changing your thinking.