Stress And Anxiety : How Ayurveda Can Help Stress and anxiety are two emotions that have the power to sabotage our confidence and make our simple day to day activities overwhelming. Learn how to cope with your fears and uncertainties to protect and reclaim your lost vitality and well being.We are leading a busy life. Technology, workplace pressure, and career goals have made us so immersed in our professional life, that we hardly find time to pause and think about ourselves. Unless the situation becomes out of control, we never pay attention to how much we are exhausting ourselves. Everyone experiences stress and anxiety at some point in life. Although used interchangeably, there is a strong connection and overlap between these two emotions. Broadly speaking, stress is a response to a difficult situation, and anxiety is a reaction to stress. They are a part of human life and are not always bad. Feeling worried about a job interview you are about to face or getting tensed to take an examination; these emotions are temporary, keeping us on our toes, helping us overcome a situation, and even motivate us to be more responsible. But when these emotions become persistent, uncontrollable or, begin to interfere with multiple aspects of our normal day to day activities, it is time to address the situation and seek help. The Science Of Stress Stress is a normal fight or flight response to a challenge, while anxiety is excessive fear which manifests behaviourally in anticipation of a physical, emotional, real, or perceived threat. It is completely normal to feel stressed and anxious in uneasy situations: it ensures that we are ready and alert to deal with any imminent danger. When we face any danger or challenge, the hypothalamus, a small region at the base of the brain sends signals to adrenal glands, which releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones cause an increase in the heart rate, boost energy supply, and elevate blood pressure at the same time sharpening our senses. It is a very primitive homeostatic mechanism; which helped our ancestors to protect themselves from potential danger or predators. However, in the modern era, our threats are less physical and more psychological like the pressure to perform or coping with a difficult situation.The stress response is self-limiting and once the danger has ended hormone levels return to normal. But if you are constantly dealing with a difficult situation, you