The Physical Symptoms of Stress

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Most people have some kind of stress that they need to deal with. But most of the time, when stress levels are kept under control and lowered through physical activity, diet, and a range of mood management techniques – everything can maintain its balance. 

However, unless you are taking care of the stress levels by doing things that you enjoy, make sure you are taking enough rest, and not taking too much on you might find the stress becomes unmanageable. It is important to know that stress has physical symptoms too.

Here are 5 examples of physical symptoms of stress.

Headaches

There are many studies that have found a strong link between stress and headaches. Although some headaches can be attributed to dehydration, others are due to stress. Typically the headaches associated with stress are called chronic headaches, and they are more intense and experienced over a number of days per month. 

Illness

If you often feel like you have cold and flu symptoms, or generally achy, this can be a symptom of stress. Stress takes a significant toll on your immune system and can increase how often you are susceptible to even the smallest cold. It’s important to know that stress is only a tiny part of what can impact the immune system, so if you aren’t sure about stress, but you find you are ill quite a lot, then you should discuss this with your doctor.

Heartburn

Stress reduces the prostaglandins in your system, which protect the stomach from the effects of acid. If you constantly have medium to high-stress levels, you will have lower prostaglandin levels, which will increase your discomfort. There are several things that you can take, it is essential to seek heartburn treatment as it can be very uncomfortable, and cause you to have a lack of sleep, which will then increase your stress levels.

Rapid Heartbeat

Increased stress levels can cause a faster heartbeat. Many people describe these as heart palpitations, and it can often be what precedes an anxiety attack. Playing relaxing music and taking deep breaths can help slow the heart rate back down to normal. 

Appetite Changes

It is often the case that when a person feels stressed, they will either eat more or less than average. Changes in appetite are very common during times of stress. The knock-on effect of this appetite change is fluctuation in weight, which can make the stressful situation more difficult to deal with.

There are several things that you can do to lower your stress levels. Ensuring that you have plenty of rest or a good night’s sleep can be difficult during stressful periods. But starting your bedtime routine two hours before you hope to go to sleep can make a lot of difference. And putting down those electronics will have a positive impact too. 

Try to read a book, with a tea designed to help you sleep, and try to make sure that your bedroom is a few degrees cooler in the evenings. As these will all contribute to a better night’s sleep.