Dr. Tara Narula

And so it's really, again, our reaction to it.

So if you are able to take on the stress and then within a few minutes,

you feel the same way that you did, it's probably not an issue.

But that's not how it works for most of us.

And so for most of us, it is that that stress response stays on.

We sort of feel our muscles clenched.

We're not breathing as much.

Our heart rate is a little bit faster.

Our mind continues to cycle and think about it.

So it's when that's happening over and over again throughout the course of the day that it becomes an issue.

And I will say this, Mel.

I mean, there is such a thing as a stress-induced heart attack from an acute stress.

Women tend to be more prone to this than men.

So even acute stress can cause problems.

But yes, we think more about that chronic, low-grade, constant stress that's happening day after day, a couple hours during the day, on and off, on and off.

So I always tell people you need to find time to turn your stress response off.

And whether that is a walk, music, meditation, exercise, breathing exercises, meeting a friend, like those moments where you're dialing it down from 10 to zero, that is going to help your body on the inside be able to move through the stress.

You cannot stop what's happening around you from happening.

You can't change those stressors.

I tell people, you know, maybe you can't leave your job that's stressful.