When it comes to stress, your body can’t tell the difference between running a Fortune 500 company or running from a bear — the chemical reactions are the same: Your brain sends the Ahhhhhggggg! signal to the adrenal glands, which then release adrenaline and cortisol, the hormones responsible for the fight-or-flight reaction. These chemicals hit your brain and cause elevation of heart rate, rapid breathing, increased blood pressure and a surge of energy — all useful when trying to escape that bear. But if you’re continually on high alert, this chronic stress can cause immune system suppression, inflammation, decreased libido, weight gain, insomnia, mood swings, and even heart attacks and strokes.