Microstress: what is it and how can you manage it?

New book explores the devastating effect of minor strains that add up and overwhelm

A woman reclining on a sofa with her hand clenched in a fist above her head and her eyes closed
Microstresses take a significant toll even though the original sources might be forgotten
(Image credit: Maria Korneeva/Getty Images)

People are usually adept at spotting the major causes of stress throughout their lives – whether bereavement, job loss, or shocks like Covid-19.

The same cannot be said for the relatively minor hassles and problems in our lives that we may just ignore but, over time, build up until we become completely overwhelmed.

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Keumars Afifi-Sabet is a freelance writer at The Week Digital, and is the technology editor on Live Science, another Future Publishing brand. He was previously features editor with ITPro, where he commissioned and published in-depth articles around a variety of areas including AI, cloud computing and cybersecurity. As a writer, he specialises in technology and current affairs. In addition to The Week Digital, he contributes to Computeractive and TechRadar, among other publications.