Stimuli, or situations that can trigger states of anxiety, are referred to as "stresses". These are many and varied and include for instance, the threat of job loss, marital disharmony, and dissatisfaction or frustration’s with one's lifestyle or circumstances. It is generally known that anxiety affects about twice as many women as men.

Individual reactions to stress range from mild nervous and physical discomfort, muscular tension, chronic anxiety to acute panic attacks that involve physiological changes and often great discomfort. Anxiety also plays an important role in contributing to the cause of many psychosomatic illnesses. Its involvement in tension and migraine headaches, peptic ulcers, asthma, hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders and dermatological reactions has often been demonstrated.

Anxiety is associated with a heightened level of physiological activity in certain brain structures. Increased activity in the part of the brain which responds to one's awareness of a "threat" situation leads to a discharge of adrenalin. This in turn causes a dramatic increase in oxygen consumption, faster pulse rate and rate of breathing. Associated with these changes is perspiration in certain areas and tensing of the muscles. Symptoms of stress can also include palpitations, excessive sweating, nausea, weakness in the legs, butterflies in the stomach, an urgent need to urinate, dizziness, breathlessness, faintness and insomnia.

We need to know how to recognize early symptoms of stress and learn natural methods to reduce the problem. We need to learn how to relax. The science of Yoga offers both methods of physical and mental training.

Hatha