Stress Symptoms

A normal day in the lives of most people is so fast-paced and chaotic that stress symptoms go unnoticed until a person literally has a mental or physical meltdown. Stress in moderation is actually a good thing. Stress enables you to perform under pressure and motivates you to be your best. When stress is 24-7, it’s time to make some changes to restore balance in your daily routine. Like high blood pressure, stress can also be a “silent killer” if left uncontrolled.

Stress is the body’s physical response to situations or events that disrupt your emotional, mental or physical balance or make you feel threatened. Your body’s defenses shift into high gear, known as a stress response or “fight-or-flight” reaction. Your heart rate and blood pressure increases and your senses sharpen. Physical strength, stamina and reaction time increases in preparation for you to either fight or flee from the threat at hand.  Stress is how the body protects you in situations that require you to be focused, alert and energetic. Stress can also save your life in an emergency situation.

Many people have daily demands that push stress levels to the point where it does more harm than good. Stress symptoms that linger over a long period of time can adversely affect every system in your body and cause serious health problems. Stress increases blood pressure, increasing your risk for heart attack and stroke. It weakens the body’s immunity and makes you age faster. It also affects your mental health and can lead to depression and anxiety.

Some people manage and handle stress better than others, so there is no exact measurement of how much stress is too much. The key is learning to identify stress symptoms and make lifestyle changes to better manage and reduce stress. This is especially important, because oftentimes a person grows accustomed to stress symptoms, accepting it as a normal part of life. Most people don’t realize they are overstressed until it has taken an unhealthy toll.

Stress symptoms vary among individuals, but the affects are equally detrimental. Emotional and mental stress symptoms include poor concentration and judgment, impaired memory, a negative outlook on life, anxiety, constant worrying, moodiness, irritability, inability to relax, depression, feelings of being overwhelmed and feelings of loneliness and isolation. Physical stress symptoms include constant aches and pains, minor gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and constipation, chest pain, low libido and frequent colds due to lowered immunity.

Stress symptoms can also be a result of undetected medical and psychological problems. You should seek medical advice if you are experiencing stress symptoms that are cause for concern. Your doctor can evaluate if your stress is due to stress or a medical condition.

Reducing stress and alleviating stress symptoms is simply a matter of rearranging your daily priorities and workload and carving out some relaxation time for yourself to recharge.  Taking a walk, enrolling in a yoga class, meditating or doing deep-breathing exercises or just relaxing in a nice warm bubble bath can do wonders to reduce stress.

Find out more about Stress Symptoms in Men and read about Stress Symptoms in Women