You’ve spotted another unexplained purple blotch on your thigh. Or maybe you’ve noticed your shins look like a connect-the-dots puzzle of bruises in various healing stages. If you’re constantly ...

Understanding the Context

HELLO! on MSN: Do you bruise easily? Why this common sign could be a brain health warning after 40 Do you bruise easily? Why this common sign could be a brain health warning after 40 Stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior.

Key Insights

Knowing common stress symptoms can help you manage them. Stress that's not dealt with can lead to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes. Stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures, but can become unhealthy when it upsets your day-to-day functioning. Stress involves changes affecting nearly every system of the body, influencing how people feel and behave. Stress affects all systems of the body including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous, and reproductive systems.

Final Thoughts

Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands of life. A small amount of stress can be good, motivating you to perform well. But many challenges daily, such as sitting in traffic, meeting deadlines and paying bills, can push you beyond your ability to cope. Your brain comes ... Stress can be brief, situational, and a positive force motivating performance, but if experienced over an extended period of time it can become chronic stress, which negatively impacts health and well-being.