• SecondsCount Stress Quiz: How Much Stress Is Too Much?

    12/31/2014
    We all feel stressed at times. And a little stress serves a purpose. “Fight-or-flight” hormones get you moving and help you accomplish important goals. But life’s challenges, even positive ones, can quickly become overwhelming, particulalry when health issues are also present. When you feel overwhelmed by life’s demands of your time, skills or emotions, stress can become an ongoing problem, which can lead to health problems including heart disease.

    Identifying stressors (which is not always an easy task) can help you learn how to best deal with them - or know if you’re in over your head and need help. Take this quick Stress Quiz to size up your stress level.

    SecondsCount Stress Quiz

    1. Do you let “little things” bother you?
    2. Do you frequently get angry or annoyed?
    3. Do you often race against the clock to arrive at places on time and meet deadlines?
    4. Do you feel it’s easier to do things yourself rather than delegate or ask for help?
    5. Do you have trouble saying “no” to requests for your involvement in new projects or plans?
    6. Are you eating a lot more or a lot less lately than you usually do?
    7. Do you usually eat your meals on the run rather than sitting down to enjoy them?
    8. Do you often skip physical activity due to a lack of time or energy?
    9. Do you have trouble sleeping?
    10. Do you have more colds than usual?
    11. Do you have trouble thinking as clearly as you usually do?
    12. Do you feel sad, lonely or depressed?
    13. Do you frequently worry about your finances?
    14. Do you have a strained marriage?
    15. Have you recently had a big change in your life, such as loss of a loved one, a new medical diagnosis or surgery?
    16. Do you consider yourself a pessimist?
    17. Do you worry excessively about your heart health?
    If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, stress may be increasing your heart disease risk. SecondsCount can help you learn how to manage your stress by becoming a more positive, organized and relaxed person. You can learn more about stress and its impact on heart health, as well as stress management strategies, here.