Page Banner  United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service  Chronic Stress Can Get Under Your
Skin headline bar  Lisa Jahns  Everyone knows the holidays can
be stressful.  Now that they are over, take stock of how you
feel. Are you are you relaxed and happy they are over?  Or are
you feeling blue because the excitement is over, or because of
the darkness of winter?  A certain level of stress is good. 
That burst of adrenaline you get when you have a big task ahead
with a deadline, such as cleaning the house before family
arrives, is beneficial and helps you rise to the challenge.  It
even promotes and improves memory to help your remember not to
wait until the last minute next year.   The problems begin when
we experience prolonged or repeated stress.  Chronic stress over
time leads to wear-and-tear on the body, and is strongly linked
to chronic diseases such as heart disease.  Long-term stress
affects the brain.  It can cause anxiety, exhaustion,
depression, and decreased coping skil