The human body is truly amazing. It can handle pain, heal itself, and alert you of danger. More importantly, your body knows when it’s stressed out. All of that stress manifests in different ways, both emotionally and physically. Here are 7 signs you are stressed more than you think.
1. You Can’t Shake Your Headaches
Headaches are a normal part of life. Throbbing head pain, however, could actually be a stress headache. Stress is a common trigger for tension headaches. You’re more likely to get a headache during stressful times. If you ignore the stress, you may cause other kinds of headaches or make them worse. So, it’s important to take the steps to manage your stress.
2. Your Stomach Is Bugging You
Typically, your gut is one of the first places you feel anxiety and stress. Your body reacts to stress in funny ways. For example, your stomach will release acids and prepare itself for a meal at just the mere thought of food. So, it should be no surprise that your brain can directly affect your stomach. Your brain sends a signal to your gut when there’s stress. This causes an increase in stomach acids and can lead to digestive issues, such as nausea, bloating, or an ulcer.
3. You Aren’t Staying Hydrated
Do you find yourself constantly refilling your water bottle throughout the day? If not, you may be majorly stressed out. Hydrated bodies function at their best. If they can’t function properly, it can lead to stress. Basically, you aren’t giving your body enough fluids to flush out what it needs to. Your stress hormone levels can rise if you’re dehydrated by half a liter. Drinking plenty of water will help keep those levels down and prevent adrenal fatigue. Click here to learn how to hit your hydration goals.
4. Your Sleep Is Way Off
Stress can cause major havoc on your ability to sleep. For starters, too much stress can make you sleep poorly. In turn, this leads to physical and mental exhaustion. And when you’re physically and mentally exhausted, you become even more stressed. The cycle continues, causing more sleep problems. Beyond that, those same stress hormones mentioned earlier can cause your body to stay awake. And, when your body can’t wind down, your mind won’t either.
5. You Can’t Stop Sweating
Sweating a little is normal. Especially if you’re tense or anxious. Stress sweat, on the other hand, is a whole different ball game. Your body reacts to things like danger and excitement. When this happens, sweat is released from your glands. Like with sleep, a stress and response cycle begins. You start stressing over how much you’re sweating, causing more sweat, which ends up stressing you out even more.
6. You’re Losing Your Hair
Finding more and more strands of hair in your brush can be a sign that you’re stressed. There are 3 different kinds of hair loss associated with stress. The first is when hair strands are pushed out before they’re done growing. The next is when your body’s immune system attacks the hair. And the last is the urge to pull hair from your scalp or other areas of your body. The good news is that hair loss doesn’t need to be permanent. Managing your stress can restore your flowing locks in no time.
7. You’re Not Enjoying Life
Feeling unhappy or just ‘blah’ all the time is one of the most common symptoms of stress. You start dreading things that you once loved. Such as, spending time with friends and family, taking long walks, or working out. If you can’t seem to find that spark, you’re probably dealing with chronic stress. Not only that, you may even be suffering from depression as well. As you experience stressful situations, your body releases stress hormones that can affect your ability to find joy in daily activities.
Now that you’re aware of how stress can affect your body, be on the lookout for some of these symptoms in yourself or your family. Make your health a priority. Start managing your stress so you can get back to doing the things you love.
About The Author
