Stress improves work efficiency Small doses of stress can help to keep you on your toes and spur you to perform tasks more efficiently. When stress hits, the resulting instant energy boost makes the entire body go on full alert, and it becomes highly productive and focused. You think faster and with more clarity.

Seven steps to help protect yourself from stress

1. Eat healthily. Eating healthily can reduce the risks of diet-related diseases39
2. Be aware of smoking and drinking alcohol. Try not to, or reduce the amount you smoke and drink alcohol.
3. Exercise.
4. Be mindful.
5. Get some restful sleep.
6. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Stress is more likely to result in positive outcomes if you see it as a challenge or something you can strive to overcome. It can help motivate you to work hard. Stress can also lead to positive effects if you respond with healthy behaviours that improve your situation.

Positive stressors (called eustress) may include an upcoming wedding, the holidays, or pregnancy. On the other hand, negative stress (called distress) results in the full-blown stress response. If continuous, negative stress can lead to loss of productivity, health problems, and exhaustion.

Causes of stress. The situations and pressures that cause stress are known as stressors. We usually think of stressors as being negative, such as an exhausting work schedule or a rocky relationship. However, anything that puts high demands on you can be stressful.

Try not to freak out. It’s normal miss a period once in a while. It could just be your body’s response to stress or changes in your eating or exercise habits. But sometimes, it can also be a sign of a larger issue.

Side Effects Sometimes, emergency contraception can change the length of your monthly menstrual cycle, making your next period come as much as a week earlier or a week later than usual. Some women also find that the hormones in the pills can cause unexpected bleeding, but this is not a common or serious side effect.

Most women produce just under a teaspoon, or 4 milliliters, of white or clear discharge every day. Discharge before a period tends to be cloudy or white, due to the increased presence of progesterone, a hormone involved in both the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

The white discharge you may see before your period is known as leukorrhea. It’s filled with fluid and cells that are being shed from your vagina, and it may even look slightly yellow at times. This part of your menstrual cycle is called the luteal phase. It’s when the hormone progesterone peaks in your body.