What we perceive as stressful has great bearing on how well we manage it. Women that are already overloaded will feel stress more keenly as well. In general, we feel stress when we experience: negative events, uncontrollable or unpredictable events and ambiguous events.

Many people with heart rhythm disorders are able to live normal lives because of the invention of the pacemaker. This device is implanted in the body, and it sends electrical signals to the heart to keep the heart beating at a normal rate. Not everyone with heart rhythm disorders needs a pacemaker; some people can be treated with drugs.

Our strategies for coping also vary. Some women like to avoid the stress and minimize the problem. This has short-term benefits but, over the long term, the stress does not disappear. Women who confront the stress right away will feel more anxious at first, but will probably feel relief in the long run when they have dealt with it. People who suffer fewer stress-related health problems use humor, spiritual support, and social networking to deal with stress.

If the following statements sound like you, you are probably not managing stress very well: I tend to imagine all the terrible things could possibly happen to me rather than just concerning myself with the stressful situation at hand. I stop what I am doing and devote all my energy toward fixing the problem immediately. I relieve my latest crisis in my mind over and over again, even after it has been solved.

An estimated 5 percent of adults, mostly women, have a condition known as mitral valve prolapse,which causes problems for only a small number of these individuals.

Some examples of bad stress include stagnant jobs or relationships, disability from terrible accidents or diseases, or long-term unemployment. These kinds of situations can lead to depression, low self-esteem, and a host of physical illnesses.