We’ve all felt stress at one point or another. This year, in particular, has been a stressful one; so if you’ve been feeling stressed lately, you are not alone. Let’s take a closer look at what stress is, how it affects our body, and ways to reduce it. What is Stress? Stress is the body’s physiological response to danger or a challenging situation. When faced with danger, our body has a natural ability to get away from the danger. Your body is equipped with a sympathetic nervous system, also known as your body’s “fight or flight” mechanism, that defends you from danger. When you’re stressed, your sympathetic nervous system will.