10 Signs You are Experiencing Too Much Stress

Stress, a tension we feel emotionally and physically, has infiltrated all of our lives at one point or another. It is your body's response to a challenge stemming from a disruptive or upsetting event. From this, you can feel angry, nervous, or frustrated, to name a few.

Stress can cause many physical and mental symptoms and affect how people think, act, and feel. This article will focus on the 10 common signs and symptoms of dealing with too much stress.

Ten Symptoms of Feeling Over-stressed

1. Anxiety
   

   Anxiety is a feeling of fear or panic. This can be a normal response in stressful situations like being around new people for the first time, speaking in public, or going on a job interview. All of these can cause a certain amount of fear. You may experience a rapid heart rate, fast breathing, sweating, or a feeling of tiredness. Once the stressful event is over or a problem is resolved, these symptoms should go away on their own. When these feelings become intense with excessive worry about everyday situations, the anxiety begins to interfere with your daily activities. This is a sign you are experiencing too much stress.

   Click here to learn more about managing and reducing anxiety!

2. Depression

   Depression can be clinical or situational. Stress overload would fall under the situational category. There are several physical signs of depression, including headaches, lack of appetite, and fatigue. These signs and symptoms can also be accompanied by a feeling of worthlessness and having difficulty sleeping. You may be dealing with depression from a recurring stressor if you have any of these feelings regularly. At this point, it is suggested you talk with your doctor.

3. Physical Pains

   We all get headaches now and again. However, if you find you are getting regular headaches or, even worse, migraines, you could be experiencing too much stress. Too much stress may also cause pain in other parts of your body.
   
   As we get stressed, our bodies release the hormone cortisol. This can negatively impact us with eventual chronic pain until we determine how to rid ourselves of the stressors. This chronic pain can take over many different parts of our bodies.

   A specific study comparing patients with chronic back pain to those without chronic back pain had higher cortisol levels.

4. Anger

   While it is normal to feel angry at times, if you find that you are constantly angry or have trouble relaxing, there may be a problem. You may also have problems controlling your anger, and it becomes excessive. There are many different causes of anger and stress — they can range from work and family issues to health concerns. No matter the reason, it can be successfully dealt with with help. Anger is not healthy in any extreme form or for extended periods. If this sounds like you, it is a good idea to assess your stress levels.

5. Lack of Sleep

   Many people experience insomnia because of stress. Sometimes, stressors prevent us from being able to turn our minds off in the quiet of the night. If you regularly take naps during the day or cannot sleep for long periods, this can be a sign of stress. It is essential to schedule regular hours of sleep to stay well. An unrested body can become an even more stressed body.

6. Changes in Eating Habits

   Stressful circumstances leave us without an appetite, and sometimes, it may leave us unable to control how much we eat. You may even swing between the two. If either of these goes on for an extended period, you may have reached your limit with stressors.

   These fluctuations in eating habits could also cause changes in weight during stressful periods. A study with 1,355 participants found that stress and weight gain are highly correlated with overweight adults.

7. Memory Recall Issues

   Do you find yourself regularly forgetting where you placed your keys or forgetting names or other things that used to come naturally? Your memory is what helps keep you functioning. If you are stressed, more often than not, you will be more likely to have memory problems in some capacity. Some experts believe stress itself can damage the brain to the point that memory can be affected.

8. Isolation vs. Socialization

   Do you find yourself saying no to invitations from your friends when you once said yes? When life becomes too stressful, we can find ourselves not wanting to be around others. Even if you are an extrovert at heart, being around others may drain you more if too stressed. If you notice you are now socializing less with others than you did in prior months, it could be a sign of over-stress.

9. Tiredness and Energy Loss

   Stress may cause you to become tired and lose energy, feeling as though you drag yourself through the day. You may lack the motivation even to get mundane tasks done like dishes or laundry. Instead of pushing ahead with your day, you may feel like giving up and lying down. Too much stress can also make you feel like you need to get a lot of sleep to feel good and function.

10. Increased Illness

    Heavy stress can burden our immune systems. We are prone to increased illness and infection when this happens. When you once never got a cold or other virus, you now notice that you are getting sick more often. Stress may be the culprit.
    
    Sixty-one older adults participated in a study and received the flu vaccine for it. The ones who reported chronic stress had a weakened immune response to the vaccine. This indicates a potential relationship between stress and decreased immunity.

Stress can wreak havoc on our minds and bodies if we allow it. None of us are immune to it, so it remains essential to note the signs when our stress has gone too far and do something to help it.

Luckily, once excess stress is identified, you can do many things to help manage it - Pilates, yoga, exercise, meditation, or even journaling. 

Do you want to learn more about how to relieve stress? Check out our blog, "11 Healthy Ways to Ease Your Stress".