About a week and a half ago, the kids went back to school. That entire week, I started having annoying back pain, seemingly out of nowhere. It was really bothering me, especially when I started having sporadic pain down my arms and into my hands.

As your body perceives stress, your adrenal glands make and release the hormone cortisol into your bloodstream. Often called the “stress hormone,” cortisol causes an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure. Excessive stress can lead to anxiety and depression.