We need to be realistic. Stress is a part of life. It is essential to learning and healthy development, provides the building blocks of resilience. Things like hunger, thirst, being cold, working out, and big projects are all stressors. However, prolonged stress activation requires a tremendous amount of emotional and physical energy which, in turn, leads to exhaustion. You've probably noticed that you, and others, feel more fatigue, less capable of focus, and more irritable.