However you experience it, it’s not pleasant, and stress might not always manifest itself in the same way. Ultimately, stress is the feeling we get when too much mental or emotional pressure is put on us. When the pressure feels so high that we don’t believe we can cope, we are experiencing stress.

Causing a surge of hormones in your body, stress stimulates a part of the brain – the hypothalamus – which releases cortisol and adrenaline. Ever heard of the fight or flight response? It is these hormones which trigger that reaction, and they’re your body’s way of dealing with the inordinate pressure you’re facing.

Over time, stress – though not a medical diagnosis – can lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety. As such, it’s important to understand what it is, how it can affect you, and ways that you can help yourself to feel less stress. The prolonged release of hormones as a result of feeling stress can also lead to more physical problems, like headaches and higher blood pressure.

Increasing your awareness of your stress levels and the things that cause it are vital to improving your mental wellbeing, and that’s exactly what you’ll find in the Time4Sleep Relaxation Zone!