Stress is a biological and psychological response experienced on encountering a threat that we feel we do not have the resources to deal with.  Stress can have both a positive and negative effect on the body... Some amount of stress is good to push you just to the level of optimal alertness, behavioural and cognitive performance, however it is vital to keep a balance between good and bad levels of stress.

The 'fight or flight' stress response is a survival mechanism developed by the body during evolution, however in today's civilised society we have an excess of unwanted adrenaline in the body.

There are two systems which work opposingly to maintain balance within the body:

Our Sympathetic Nervous System controls the 'Fight or Flight' response and provides a burst of energy so the body can respond to the perceived threat.

Our Parasympathetic Nervous System controls the 'Rest and Digest' response and calms the body down into a resting state, after the threat has passed.

GAS is a term used by doctors to describe someone's long term and short term response to stress. It represents a three stage reaction to stress:

Alarm Stage - Fight or flight response. The body releases adrenaline and we see the physiological effects described above. Heart rate increases, muscles become tense and ready for action, breathing and perspiration increase and pupils dilate and the person may be easily irritated or suffer from digestive or stomach issues.

Resistance Stage - The body tries to adapt to the persistent stress by secreting hormones called corticosteroids which increase blood sugar levels and raise blood pressure. Over a period of time if the body continues in this state without a break, sufferers become prone to fatigue, irritability and even chest pains and chronic headaches and can experience loss of concentration and lethargy.

Exhaustion - The body has run out of reserves of energy and immunity. The person suffers mentally, emotionally and physically and feels 'burnt out'. Adrenal exhaustion occurs and blood sugar levels decrease as the adrenal glands become depleted which can lead to chronic illness.

It's never too late to try Reflexology if you are suffering from stress.

When we get stressed our bodies defences break down and we become more susceptible to illness and disease. Reflexology induces a state of deep tranquil relaxation which allows the body to restore and rebalance itself, and allows the healing energy to flow freely again.

Feel free to listen to the below guided meditation. 
It only takes 15 minutes so can be done quickly when you need a boost, but is so effective at reducing stress and anxiety and calming the mind.