Stress has been widely reported in the news as a health epidemic for more than twenty five years now and the situation is continuing to get worse as an increasing number of workers report they are suffering increasing stress at work. Indeed the workplace now constitutes the main environment for stress in American adults. But levels of stress have also been rising for children in the past few years and a lot of people believe that this is linked to a loss of family and religious values, too little social support and simple corporate greed.

Today, stress is more of a danger than it was just ten years ago and seems to be more widespread and more insidious than before with a greater degree of stress arising out of psychological rather than physical threats.

Stress produces a rise in heart rate and increased blood flow leading to higher blood pressure. Blood sugar levels also rise to provide the body with the extra fuel it requires to combat stress and our body is designed to push blood away from the stomach when under stress to provide extra strength in our legs and arms as part of what is usually referred to as our "flight or fight" response.

Stress also produces anxiety and chronic depression as well as to gastrointestinal and skin problems and disrupts the working of many of the body's main organs. It also causes impairment of the body's immune system which in unable to fight viral disorders from the not particularly serious cold to very serious diseases such as cancer and AIDS.

Stress related to a work environment directly influences things like productivity and absenteeism and the business climate gradually worsens with competition these days at an all-time high. The pressure which is placed upon workers to produce and the continual worry about job security can cause several conditions including back pain, neck pain, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, ulcers and heart attacks.

Many different things can cause stress including simply sitting in front of a computer for six hours each day or more, meeting deadlines or having somebody continually monitoring you. In these situations the results are frequently seen as depression and a host of physical complaints which result in lost working days.

Taking the necessary steps to manage the stress in your life may be the nicest gift you can give yourself and your family and a few quite simple alterations to your lifestyle can make a huge difference to how you handle stress. For instance, taking a mere 20 minutes out of your day to walk will lower your stress as will talking to friends and colleagues, meditation and following a healthier diet. Take the time necessary to learn several relaxation techniques because breathing and relaxation exercises can considerably reduce your stress levels.