Stress is nothing but the body's reaction to a situation. Faced with a emotionally or physically challenging situation the body adjusts itself and releases certain chemicals like adrenaline etc to cope better with the situation. This results in manifestations like pounding heart, perspiration or a flushed or reddened face. Small amounts of stress are actually considered to be beneficial and productive towards work, where in the person puts the extra effort to achieve his/her accomplishments. But chronic stress can affect the normal physical and mental functioning of the body and may lead to break down of certain bodily mechanisms.