Being stressed in these times is very common. The busy pace of life, work pressure, too much information flow, few hours of sleep and much more, are causing stress today. However, the biggest problem with stress is that many get used to living under it. They do not realize how they are living and they see it as something normal. The truth is that this lifestyle can have some negative consequences for your health. Not just physical, but mental and emotional. So, you need to know what are those signs that tell you that you are stressed out.
What are the signs that you are too stressed?
All of us have ever had stress. A love breakup, a job problem, the loss of a family member, or financial problems can make someone feel stressed. Although it is true that stress is a normal physical and psychological reaction of our body to various positive and negative situations.
Stress allows us to stay alert and avoid danger on certain occasions. The body reacts by tensioning and accelerating the pulse. These are positive responses that help us manage stress and it is in that way that the body protects itself.
The drawback is when the state of stress is prolonged for too long, turning into chronic stress that can harm health. When that stress level is reached, the body remains alert even when there is no danger. And it is then that health problems appear. So you need to know what those signs are that you are too stressed.
Suffer from diarrhoea or constipation
Our stomach is the one that receives all emotions, whether good or bad. Hence the “butterflies in the stomach” when we feel in love. Has not it happened to you? Well, those feelings of nerves or anger can cause the stomach to “loosen up” and lead to diarrhoea. They can also cause you to become constipated, not being able to evacuate regularly, and turn into a daily problem.
Also, if everything you eat falls ill, your body is probably alerting you that you are too stressed. Stress can also lead to intolerance to certain foods. It can also increase the body’s production of digestive acids, leading to heartburn, according to Dr. Deborah Rhodes of the Mayo Clinic in the United States.
Poor memory
This, together with the lack of concentration, is very common in someone that is too stressed. This is because their level of mental exhaustion is very high due to high levels of stress. Making it difficult to concentrate or forget things, something that never happened before. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of whether this “bad memory” is very marked, in order to take the necessary measures to lower stress levels.
Headaches
This is one of the signs that you are too stressed that is most often overlooked. Because, many people associate headaches with other causes, but very little with stress. We already told you to carry too much stress… literally.
Tension headaches and stress migraines stem from muscle tension, which affects everyone from head to toe. If you are having more headaches than usual and without any other possible medical cause, your body is probably sending you signals that you are very stressed.
Irritability
One of the most visible characteristics of stressed people is their irritability. Everything bothers them and they can explode almost for anything. Although it seems insignificant. This is because, when you are too stressed, the most primitive part of our brain takes over. This part of the brain does not think, it only feels, and when it is under levels of too much stress it reacts explosively.
Muscle tension
When stressed, the body is involuntarily and unconsciously tensed. This is because you are in a constant state of alert and danger. So without realizing it, you could be clenching your jaw and teeth, your neck, or constantly clenching your fists. This causes severe muscle aches and other discomforts, such as pain in the teeth, to begin to be felt.
If you notice that you are very tense, a lot of pain especially in the neck and back. Without any other apparent medical reason. Your body is probably telling you that you are too stressed.
Take a break, practice relaxation techniques…, if possible, perform self-massage or go to specialized centres to help you with massages to reduce that muscular tension and therefore decrease the amount of stress that you may be accumulating.
Fatigue
Fatigue, tiredness and lack of energy are other signs that you are very stressed. No matter how long you sleep or rest, you always have that feeling of physical exhaustion. This is because stress is one of the main energy vampires.
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
You are likely to spend the night tossing and turning without being able to sleep. That insomnia is a sign that you can be very stressed. This lack of sleep or inability to sleep, leads to increased levels of stress in our body.
Also, the opposite may happen. If you are always sleepy, you want to lie in bed all day sleeping, and have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. This can be caused by stress, which may be making you feel depressed. It is best to see a specialist doctor who will determine the reasons for your sleep disorders and can help you feel like yourself.
Urticarial
Skin problems are also a sign of being stressed. Many people, when they have high levels of stress, suddenly start to have eruptions, such as hives and a rash. It is important to be aware of the appearance of these eruptions. This way you can determine if they are derived from a stressful situation that you may be going through or if they are skin problems caused by other factors.
Weak immune system
When the body is too stressed, it secretes a quantity of hormones that weakens our immune system. This results in more vulnerability to viruses and infections. So they tend to hurt us more and make us constantly sick.
While being stressed, we go from one disease to another. Flu and colds are very common. This, in addition to the hormonal issue that we already mentioned, also stems from other consequences of stress, such as lack of sleep and poor diet. According to some studies, the immune system decreases up to 30 percent its ability to protect us when we are stressed.
In conclusion, our bodies always find a way to tell us that something is not right. Therefore, being under a lot of stress will cause our body to let us know it, and not in the best way. Just like these signs there are many others. Such as eating disorders or drug or alcohol abuse. Stress is capable of aggravating any illness or disease that a person has. Hence the importance of looking for effective ways to control stress, in order to lead a calmer, fuller and healthier life.
This article is informative and is not intended to serve as a diagnosis, prescription or treatment of any type of ailment. This information is not a substitute for consulting a doctor, specialist or health professional.
ALFA