Anything that causes a change in your life whether good or bad, causes stress. Even imagined change is stress. (Imagining changes is what we call "worrying".) The well known fight-or-flight response serves us well in emergencies, however, a heightened heart rate isn't much use when stuck in a traffic jam.

Environments, especially modern office workspaces can cause stress, in fact job related factors are said to be the number one culprit. Cramped cubicles, bright artificial lights, constant high noise levels, and toxins are stressful. We subject our bodies to overloads of sugar, cigarette smoke, caffeine and wonder why we are tense and seem to have constant headaches.

Physically stress is caused by too little sleep, working long hours, even maxing out at the gym after work. Nervous tension is not a disease in itself, it is symptomatic of a physical problem in the body. Neck tension may also be associated with eyestrain, which may result from a certain type of work which requires much concentration with the eyes, or simply a growing weakness or tension in the eyes.

Before you reach for the pill bottle, or try to drown the pain with alcohol, or eat chocolate until you fall into a sugar induced stupor (my personal demon) try some of these herbal and essential oil remedies to help you cope.

Using Aromatherapy

Essential oils can be deployed very effectively against stress. Your favorite aromas calm and soothe booth on the emotional and physical levels. Sandalwood reduces stress, is very calming and grounding, and helps to achieve meditative state. Its sedative action will help those who find sleeping difficult because of worries and tensions. Juniper has a strengthening, tonic effect on the nerves, and is indicated in nervous disorders, states of stress and anxiety.