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Stress is something that all of us have felt at one time or another in our lives.

What exactly is stress? Stress is a normal physical reaction that occurs when one feels threatened or overwhelmed.

Many factors may contribute to the onset of stress. Going through a divorce and planning one's life after that major change can certainly bring on stress. Dealing with the death of a loved one or caring for a sick child or relative are strong factors for stress as well.

When one moves to a new area for any reason, stress can easily occur. Leaving familiar places and people and having to start over again is difficult at best. Even if the move is a positive one, getting settled can be overwhelming.

Having financial difficulties may be a prelude to the feeling of being overwhelmed and stressed. Being a single parent and trying to cover all the bases, financial and emotional, is high on the hit parade of stress waiting to happen.

Stress can arise for a variety of reasons. It can be brought on by a traumatic accident, or emergency situation. Stress can also be an effect of a serious illness or disease. Stress is also associated with daily life in the workplace and with family responsibilities.

What does stress feel like?

Stress takes on different forms and so it feels different to each individual. Some symptoms of stress may be all or any of the following: headaches, sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating, upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, sadness, irritability, fatigue and skin problems (like hives). Stress can also make the problems you're dealing with worsen.

So the question is how can stress be dealt with or at least kept at bay?

One way is to get a good night of recuperative sleep. Most people need eight hours of sleep.

It is said that older people sleep less because they don't need as much sleep as younger people. Actually, older people are still in need of the same amount; however, they are lighter sleepers and awake more easily. That is why older people may take cat-naps during the day to catch up on their sleep.

However, sleep can't be treated like money in the bank and withdrawn when needed. It just doesn't work that way.

To help make your bedroom really conducive to a restful sleep make it a screen-free area. Watching television or being on the computer stimulates the brain right before bed. Watching the news or being online at an earlier hour will help signal your brain and body that it is time to slow down and relax before bedtime.

Another signal your body gets to prepare for sleep is darkness. It is helpful to keep blinds closed and if necessary use room-darkening shades or drapes. The purchase of a white-noise machine to muffle sounds may be helpful to those who live in a high-traffic area.

Stress can be held at bay by learning time management and setting limits.

Creating a to-do list can be extremely helpful. Just write down all the things you think need to be done. Just keep writing until you feel you are done. Now look at the list. You will see that there are time-sensitive things to be done. There are other things that have to be done, but, not right away. Everything doesn't have to be done in one day. Yes, making an appointment with the dentist on a certain day you have free should be done as soon as possible. However, doing major housecleaning because friends are visiting in two months can drop to the bottom list.

In other words, prioritize the importance of the items. A to-do list can hang around for a while to keep you on task.

Don't forget to pencil in time for yourself.

(Part II of Dealing with Stress will continue later this month.)

Marsha Goldstein, L.C.S.W., BCD, is a licensed clinical social worker, board certified diplomate. She has a private practice in Pahrump and can be reached at (775) 751-9579.