If you have been suffering with a lack of energy, complaining about muscle ache and feeling moody, emotional, unmotivated and extremely tired then it is quite possible that you are suffering from stress.

The physical and emotional symptoms of stress can interfere with not only our quality of life and enjoyment, but that of our family and loved ones also.

So what can you do if you are feeling stressed?

WHAT MAKES YOU STRESSED?

Stress affects each and every one of us to some degree, whether it's the minor stress we feel when trying to get to the train station on time or the more major level when we hear that we have lost our job or that a loved one has passed away.

Regardless of our individual stress tolerance level, it is important to identify the symptoms of stress and learn how we can adapt to help reduce it.

While we may all have different tolerances for stress it is also true that certain lifestyles or changes in lifestyle can lead to stress - marriage, divorce, death of a loved one, job change, job loss or debts are all major stresses.

Other factors such as allergies, shift work, strained relationships and too much work are also stresses that in combination can add up to stress.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I'M STRESSED?

Increased stress levels lead to a number of chemical imbalances in our systems. These imbalances can lead to over tiredness due to a lack of restful sleep, sore muscles due to a lower pain tolerance and a negative mood due to a lack of energy and 'feel good' chemicals in our system.

If you don't think that you've been feeling the physical effects of stress perhaps you should look at your lifestyle. Are you handling tiredness with caffeine and sugar? Are alcohol or drugs helping you sleep or providing you a 'feel good' high? Are you relying on the adrenaline of working too much for the positive energy your body and mind needs?

HOW DO I RELIEVE STRESS?

The first thing to do when handling stress is to identify your personal tolerance level. As different people have different levels, only you can read your body's signals and respond to them accordingly.

It is important to reduce your responsibilities by simplifying your life. This may simply mean saying no to some extra activities or duties, or it may mean having a complete change in job or lifestyle. If you are expecting a large change in your life such as a new baby or moving house, then maybe you need to remove other obligations to make room for these changes.

Exercise is a great stress reliever. Try exercising at least 20 minutes three times per week and reducing or totally eliminating crutches such as alcohol, caffeine, sugar or drugs.

We are living in a world that encourages highly driven, 'type-A' personalities. For the good or bad we are not all made equal and to lead the most contented life it is important to set limits for ourselves based on our personal abilities. Having a low tolerance for stress is no more a fault than needing glasses or being shorter than average - it does however require us to accommodate our tolerance and take on only as much as our bodies can adequately handle.

By learning to your stress tolerance level and responding to it in a positive way you can greatly change your entire outlook on life. By reducing your stress level, you will find that life becomes more enjoyable that you ever thought possible.