SERENE
Acute stress results from your body’s reaction to a new or challenging situation. It’s that feeling you get from an approaching deadline or when you narrowly avoid being hit by a car.
We can even experience it as a result of something we enjoy. Like an exhilarating ride on a roller coaster or an outstanding personal achievement.
Acute stress is classified as short-term. Usually, emotions and the body return to their normal state relatively soon.
SYMPTOMS
1. Pupil dilation. As part of the fight-or-flight reaction, our pupils dilate to allow more light to enter the eyes and enable us to see our surroundings more clearly.
2. Heart rate increases. This is another part of the fight-or-flight reaction that can be disconcerting if it feels like heart palpitations.
3. Perspiration. When we are stressed, our body temperature rises, which causes us to sweat more.
4. Fast and heavy breathing. This symptom is also part of the fight-or-flight reaction. This aims to introduce more oxygen into the body's systems so it can more effectively react to stress.
5. Anxiety. This is the feeling of worry and fear that results from exposure to a stressor.
6. Emotional ups and downs. In other words, irritability and mood swings.
7. Poor sleep. Our sleep is often disrupted by our anxiety and the cocktail of hormones produced by the fight-or-flight reaction.