what are the causes of stress
â¢ Emotional Stressors. Physical stress factors include all those things that cause stress on the body. So chronic pain or illness, including allergies, can be a stress factor. Lack of sleep is one of the most common causes of stress on the body, as is poor nutrition. Being subjected to too much noise or overcrowded conditions can often produce stress. And then, of course, the many and varied substances we put into our bodies can cause physical stress.