As women, we can't help it: We worry, fuss and generally obsess far more than is necessary or productive. But there's sometimes a fine line between routine feminine fretting and the kind of paralyzing, pointless dread that makes simply getting through the day seem overwhelming. "All of us worry," says Jerilyn Ross, president of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America. "But there's normal anxiety -- and then there's anxiety that interferes with your life." To see if you've crossed into life-damaging terrain, check out our dread levels below -- and then decide on an appropriate course of action.

Dread Level 1:
You're restless and having trouble sleeping
According to Margaret Wehrenberg, psychologist and author of The 10 Best-Ever Anxiety Management Techniques, even the calmest among us get anxious when the situation warrants it -- say, during a major life-change like starting a new job or moving to a new state.

Quash It: Reroute your circuits by taking a 20-minute walk several times a week, or as often as possible. The feel-good endorphins your body releases during exercise will "beat back" surging stress hormones, says Vatsal Thakkar, M.D., professor of psychiatry at New York University Medical Center.

Next page: Dread Level 2: Certain activities are triggering feelings of fear