We all know life is stressful.  Yet it is how we perceive and respond to stressors that affect our health.  The consequences of stress are different for each and every one of us.  Your circumstances can often overcome your ability to cope, straining your stress response mechanisms to the limit.  Researchers have learned that most things that move us away from the normal expectations of life trigger a stress response. By managing stress and how it is perceived, you will move toward achieving the balanced and more fulfilling life you seek.  Take a moment to inventory your personal stress by asking yourself the following questions:

Are you easily overwhelmed by everyday tasks that once were a breeze?
Do you get angry over things that never used to bother you?
Are you having weight gain around the middle?
Is your sleep not as regular or as restful as it once was?
Is it difficult for you to concentrate on important tasks?
Do you crave foods that you know are unhealthy for you?
Are you catching more colds that before?
Is your libido what it once was?
Are you easily irritated by family members or co-workers?
Do you feel like you have no energy by the middle of the afternoon?
Are you using coffee or chocolate to make it through the day?
Are you drinking more alcohol to relieve stress?
Do aches and pains linger longer than they once did?

If you identify with several of these statements, your body’s system for adapting to stress is not responding optimally.  If you identify with more than 3 or 4 of these statements, your body is sending signals that life’s stresses are overwhelming its ability to keep up.  Our Adrenal Stress Questionnaires can help you calculate your current stress level.

Adrenal Stress Questionnaire 1

Adrenal Stress Questionnaire 2 - Female Hormone

Adrenal Stress Questionnaire - Male Hormone

Testing your Stress level by measuring cortisol. 
Because cortisol levels are a good predictor of the stress response in most individuals, measuring cortisol levels is a common tool to assess what level and type of stress you are experiencing.  When cortisol levels are very low, it is a sign of adrenal exhaustion or burnout.  When cortisol levels are very high, it may mean there is an uncontrolled acute stressor present (chronic inflammation) or that the feedback loops that should be lowering cortisol are not functioning properly. 

Got spit to spare? 
Cortisol can be measured from blood, urine or saliva samples.  Our HealthQuest Clinic provides saliva testing which is much more reliable and tests cortisol over a 2 hour period of time.  See our Adrenal Stress Index Testing handout for more information.
  
We are here to help you get back on track.  Call our HealthQuest Radio Hotline at 1-800-794-1855 if you are concerned about your stress level.