Vibha Sachdeva, New Delhi: Could stress have killed Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer? The 58-year-old clearly had a demanding job, and a hectic lifestyle, with a grueling tour schedule. But was it stressful enough to kill him?

"We talk about certain neurochemicals and these kinds of chemicals if they go high can even precipitate sudden death," says Psychologist, Fortis Hospital, Dr Sameer Malhotra.

According to the Pakistan Cricket Board, Bob Woolmer had diabetes, and also suffered from a sleep disorder, called sleep apnoea. So were these conditions that played a role in his sudden death?

"Stress is definite trigger. And he being a diabetic and sleep apnoea patient. So he is more prone to cardiac," says Dr Suranjit Chatterjee of Internal Medicine, Apollo Hospital.

High levels of stress can prove to be a deadly trigger. While stress is a phenomenon everyone faces, it can lead to some serious medical conditions.

High levels of stress can eventually lead to high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, obesity, heart disease, and even diabetes.

Inflexible deadlines and intense pressure in regular jobs also take their toll. So what can you do if you're feeling overstressed?

"The focus should be on making life enjoyable rather making it so distressing for an individual," says Malhotras.

Stress is a silent killer. So it's imperative to learn how to manage it. And what is key, is learning to carve out breathing space and time for yourself especially when it feels like your work has taken over your life.