Hi, I’m Dr. Kristen Witte, Exhibit Content and Research Specialist, at @msichicago. The uncertainty of COVID-19 has many of us feeling stressed. I’ll be tweeting about how #stress occurs in our bodies and what we can do about it.

This time coincides with #StressAwarenessMonth, held every April since 1992. Stress is a normal biological response – in fact it is one of our oldest survival mechanisms! Known as the “fight-or-flight” response, it helps us rapidly respond to life-threatening situations. – KW

Unfortunately, our ancient bodies haven’t quite kept up with our modern lives. Our bodies can kick off the stress response to events that are not life-threatening, such as traffic, work pressures, or family difficulties. – KW