Stress is a word that has become a part of our everyday language. Stress is a real phenomenon and it can profoundly affect our health. Although there are many definitions of stress, it is best to think of it as our response to a demand. Life is full of demands—even if the demands are positive and fun!

Demands tend to deplete our resources, whether these resources are physical or psychological, or both. Stress begins to affect our health when our resources are depleted and we do not make time to replenish our resources. One of the most common sources of stress is change. The more drastic is the change, the greater the demands on our resources. Hence, the first few weeks of starting college can be especially stressful. But if you pay attention to the information presented here, you can do very well while making adjustments to college life.

Remember, by itself, stress does not cause any diseases or disorders, but as our resources become depleted we tend to manifest different symptoms, which in time, and if left unheeded, turn into serious conditions. For example, although a lack of quality sleep may not initially affect you, in time, you may develop a variety of physical and psychological symptoms and disorders. Poor sleep has been shown to significantly affect the immune system and contribute to more easily catching colds and becoming vulnerable to infectious diseases. Also, a lack of quality sleep can profoundly impair memory, concentration and problem solving capabilities.

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