Stress is the feeling of pressure or tension you experience when facing challenges or demands. When you have a big test tomorrow and haven't studied enough, that worried, tight feeling in your chest is stress. When you're trying to finish three homework assignments in one night, the rushing sense of “too much to do, not enough time” is stress.

Your body creates stress as a natural response to difficult situations. Your heart might beat faster, your muscles might tense up, and your mind might race with thoughts about what could go wrong. This response helped our ancestors survive real dangers, like encountering a wild animal, by preparing their bodies to fight or run away. Today, our bodies respond the same way to modern pressures like deadlines, performances, or conflicts with friends.

Not all stress is bad. A little stress before a soccer game can sharpen your focus and boost your energy. This kind of stress, sometimes called good stress, can help you perform your best. But when stress lasts too long or feels overwhelming, it can exhaust you and make it hard to think clearly or feel happy.

People handle stress in different ways. Some find that exercise helps them de-stress, while others feel better after talking to someone they trust. Learning to recognize when you're stressed out and finding healthy ways to cope with that feeling is an important life skill that helps you face challenges without burning out.

As a verb, stress means to make something feel more important by emphasizing it. A teacher might stress the need to show your work in math, or you might stress that you didn't mean to hurt someone's feelings.