Meditation for Stress and Anxiety

I have read much about meditation and stress and anxiety, but I'd like to have an experiential perspective from people on here. 1) What's the Buddhist view about stress? What are the solutions to stress? [I don't mean suffering as in *dukkha* but the physiological reaction of stress linked with cortisol, or just the feeling of being *stressed*.] 2) Same thing, but with anxiety. 3) How much are stress and anxiety, or their exacerbation, barriers to spiritual practice? Thank you.