Updated 2 October 2026
Stress is the mental and physical strain we feel when life puts us under pressure. The pressure itself, such as a deadline, an exam, money trouble or a family crisis, is called a stressor. Some stress is normal and even useful. It becomes a problem when it's constant, overwhelming or stops you functioning, and then it can lead to burnout, anxiety or depression.
What stress is
The World Health Organization describes stress as "a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation". Everyone has it, and how we respond makes a big difference to how we feel.
When you're under pressure, your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Your heart beats faster, your breathing quickens and your muscles tense, ready to act. In short bursts this helps: it can sharpen your focus for an exam or a hard conversation. Psychologists call this helpful kind "eustress". The harmful kind, when demands feel bigger than your ability to cope, is "distress".
People differ. A workload that energises one person can flatten another, and the same person can cope well one month and badly the next.
What is a stressor?
A stressor is anything that causes stress: an event, a situation or a demand. It can be:
- One-off or ongoing: a job interview, or months of caring for a sick parent.
- Outside you or inside you: a difficult boss, or the pressure you put on yourself.
- Unwanted or welcome: job loss, bereavement and debt are stressors, but so are a wedding, a new baby or a move.
Common stressors include exams, heavy workloads, job insecurity, money problems, relationship conflict, illness, caring for someone, and big life changes. Our glossary has a short definition of a stressor.
Acute and chronic stress
Short-term (acute) stress is the body's fight-or-flight response to a pressure in front of you. It usually settles once the pressure passes.
Chronic stress is stress that goes on for weeks or months, from a pressure that doesn't let up, or from memories of one that keep it going. It keeps the fight-or-flight response switched on, and that's when it starts to wear you down. See our glossary entry on chronic stress.
Two related terms are often misused. "Toxic stress" describes what severe, ongoing adversity does to children who don't have supportive adults around them; it isn't a term for adults. And the shock people feel after a frightening event, such as a robbery or an accident, is a normal reaction at first, not a disorder.
Stress or anxiety?
They overlap, but they're not the same. Stress is usually a response to something outside you, and it eases once the situation is resolved. Anxiety is more internal: a feeling of dread that carries on even when there's no current threat. If worry keeps going after the pressure has passed, or starts to run your life, read our anxiety page.
Signs that stress is becoming a problem
Watch for these, especially if they last or keep getting in the way of work, study or relationships:
- finding it hard to relax, or feeling irritable, tense or anxious;
- trouble concentrating or making decisions;
- headaches, body aches or stomach upset;
- sleeping or eating much more or less than usual;
- avoiding people or places;
- drinking, smoking or using other substances more.
A simple test: is the stress constant, is it overwhelming, and is it stopping you doing what you need to do? If the answer to any of those is yes, it's time to act on it.
How stress affects your body
Stress shows up in the body as headaches, tight muscles, stomach trouble, a racing heart, poor sleep and changes in appetite. Over time, ongoing stress can make existing health problems worse, and it's one of several things that can raise blood pressure, alongside age, family history, salt, weight, smoking and alcohol.
Two common beliefs go too far. Stress hasn't been shown to cause cancer. And stomach ulcers are mainly caused by an infection called H. pylori and by regular use of some painkillers, though stress can make the symptoms worse.
If you have chest pain, see a doctor. Don't assume it's stress.
Common stressors in Nigeria
There's no national measure of stress in Nigeria, but studies of particular groups show where the pressure comes from:
- Money and the cost of living. Rising prices squeeze almost everyone. In a survey of Nigerian civil servants, those on very low incomes, and those supporting many dependants, were more likely to report depression or anxiety. Our guide to financial anxiety deals with money worries.
- Work. The World Health Organization lists heavy workloads, long hours, low control over your work, job insecurity, low pay and bullying as risks to mental health at work. In a study of Lagos bank workers, most were moderately or highly stressed, and in a study of doctors and nurses at a trauma centre in Enugu, about 7 in 10 had signs of burnout. See workplace burnout in Nigeria.
- Exams and study. In a study of more than 800 pharmacy students in northern Nigeria, about 3 in 4 reported moderate stress, mostly from their studies. Our exam stress guide has practical help.
- Family responsibilities. Supporting parents, siblings and children can be a source of strength and of strain. Having more dependants was linked with more distress among Lagos small business owners.
- Insecurity and displacement. Violence and displacement cause some of the heaviest stress of all. Studies in conflict-affected areas have found very high rates of distress and trauma symptoms.
- Big moves and the daily grind. Relocating abroad, long commutes and caring for a sick relative all add up. See japa stress and caregiver burnout.
When stress turns into something more
Ongoing stress can lead to conditions that need more than self-help:
- Burnout comes from long-term workplace stress that hasn't been managed. It has three parts: exhaustion, feeling distant or cynical about your job, and doing your job less well. The World Health Organization treats it as a work problem, not a medical condition, and the term applies only to work.
- Adjustment disorder is a reaction to a specific stressor, such as a divorce, job loss or illness, that takes over your thoughts and makes it hard to function. It usually starts within a month and eases within six months of the stressor ending. Our adjustment disorders page explains more.
- Anxiety and depression are often triggered or made worse by stressful experiences. See our anxiety and depression pages.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can follow an extremely frightening event, with flashbacks, avoiding reminders and feeling constantly on guard. Most people who go through such an event don't develop it. See our trauma page.
What helps
These are the approaches with the best evidence, starting with the strongest:
- Move your body. Physical activity reduces stress, anxiety and low mood, and helps you sleep. The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults, such as brisk walking. It won't make the stressor disappear, but it takes the edge off.
- Protect your sleep. Keep regular sleep and wake times, keep the room dark and quiet, and cut down on screens, heavy meals, caffeine and alcohol before bed. Better sleep means less stress. Our guide to sleeping better has more.
- Tackle the problem in steps. Name the problem, list your options, pick one small action and do it. Break big tasks down and plan ahead. Structured problem-solving like this is also used in therapy, with good evidence behind it.
- Talk to people you trust. Sharing the load with family, friends, a faith leader or a counselor helps. Prayer and faith are a real source of strength for many people, and recognised as a way of coping.
- Practise a calming skill. Slow breathing, mindfulness and relaxation all ease stress. The World Health Organization's free illustrated guide, Doing What Matters in Times of Stress, teaches five simple skills in a few minutes a day; see also our guide to breathing techniques.
- Don't lean on alcohol, cigarettes, drugs or gambling. They give quick relief but create new problems. Drinking to cope is one of the strongest predictors of drinking problems.
- Keep a routine, eat regular meals, and limit how much news and social media you take in.
- Set boundaries where you can, at work and at home. Our guide to healthy boundaries shows how to say no without guilt.
When to get help
Get help if stress keeps going, keeps getting in the way of life, or if what you're trying yourself isn't working. A doctor can check for physical causes, and a therapist can help you manage the pressure, untangle what's driving it and spot early signs of anxiety, depression or burnout. Talking therapy can be in person or online.
You can find a therapist who works with stress and burnout on Mytherapist.ng and book by video, voice or chat. Our guides to the cost of therapy and free and low-cost options can help you plan.
If stress has left you thinking about harming yourself or ending your life, get help now. In immediate danger, call 112, or 767 in Lagos. To talk to someone at any hour, Safe Place Nigeria is on 0800 800 2000. It's toll-free and answered 24 hours a day. More numbers are on our helplines page.
This guide is awaiting clinical review. It's based on published research and health guidelines, and we'll update it once a clinician has reviewed it.
