National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Manage StressIf you are having difficulty coping with life's demands, we call this "stress." A life without some stress would be boring. Most of us like some challenges, but too much stress creates problems. People who are overly stressed often report difficulty concentrating, feelings of worry and fear, a sense that the body is wound up (for example, tense muscles, sweaty palms, and a pounding heart), irritability with others, or exhaustion. Too much stress over a long period of time can put your health at risk.