Control your
stress before
it controls you.
What is stress?
Stress is the experience of mental, physical or emotional strain. While most often thought of as a reaction to difficulty or negative
challenges, positive life events can also be stressful. For example, a new job or planning a wedding may cause physical and
emotional stress, just as a death of a loved one or a broken leg can.
How can it be harmful to my health?
Physically, stress signals in your body release hormones and chemicals to support moving fast —
­ increased breathing, blood flow
to muscles and organs, and other reactions to allow you to move quickly away from the cause of the stress. This is perfect for
outrunning a predator or getting out of the path of a car.
However, modern life stresses create the same physical response without the physical reaction, and tend to happen more often
because of what we’re thinking and feeling than in response to the world around us. The intensity of the physical changes that
respond to stress signals in the body can wear down an otherwise healthy person.
How do I know if stress is impacting my health?
Some symptoms that stress is impacting your health include:
• Rapid heartbeat
• Headache or stiff neck
• Rapid breathing
• Sweating and sweaty palms
• Upset stomach or nausea
• Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
• Increased irritability
What resources are available to me?
As part of your UT System Living Well: Make it a Priority program, you have an array of tools and resources to find a customized
approach to managing your personal stress level. These include:
• The UT Living Well Health Manager site, located on your UT benefits home page. Explore the Stress Health Management
Center, the Stress Management Program and the Stress Assessment. Visit the UT Living Well Health Manager at
www.webmdhealth.com/ut.
• The UT System institution’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides FREE confidential, professional assistance to
employees, retirees and dependents to access counselors, classes and other resources. For more information on your
institution’s EAP program go to www.livingwell.utsystem.edu/eap.htm.
• 24/7 Nurse line that offers around the clock access through a toll-free number to experienced registered nurses who
understand and can help you with your health care concerns. Call toll-free: 1-888-315-9473, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Living Well
Health Manager
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