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Nearly one-third of adults report experiencing extreme levels of stress. According to the American Psychological Association's annual Stress in America poll, more people reported physical and emotional symptoms due to stress in 2008 than they did in 2007. Specifically, as a result of stress, 60 percent reported feelings of anger or irritability compared to 50 percent in 2007; 53 percent reported feeling fatigued compared to 51 percent in 2007; and 52 percent reported sleeplessness compared to 48 percent in 2007.

Working mothers, in particular, are among the people most likely to experience stress, particularly when they do not have a lot of support from others.

Stress takes a toll on your body. One way this may happen is because it can cause stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to flood your system. These hormones cause your heart rate and blood pressure to rise, your muscles to tense, your blood sugar levels to increase and other physical symptoms.

The effects of stress may lead to actual medical illnesses, including heart problems, stomach problems and headaches.

While stress doesn't cause mental illnesses like depressive disorders or anxiety disorders, it can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. It can precipitate mental illnesses in people predisposed to them, particularly if left untreated.

Symptoms of stress include irritability, sleep disturbances, appetite changes, muscular tension, apathy, fatigue, headache and frequent illness.

Stress can be brought about by external factors such as conflicts in your relationships, job pressures and even traffic. In addition, internal factors—such as a desire for perfection, a feeling of helplessness, blaming yourself for things that are out of your control or intense worry—also cause stress.

The ways you react to stressful situations can be relearned. You can use cognitive-behavioral approaches in which you identify sources of stress and work to minimize them and adjust your responses to the stresses you can't eliminate.

Relaxation techniques help dispel stress and can cause adrenaline and cortisol levels in your blood to decrease. These techniques include deep breathing, muscle relaxation, stretching, visualization, meditation and biofeedback.

A nutritious diet and regular exercise not only prepare your body to withstand the physical affects of stress, but strengthen your mind to cope with stress and stay on an even keel.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the U.S. agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illness and injury, 40 percent of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful.