Whether it is work, money, school, personal issues or some combination of the above, stress is something you will feel at some point. While stress is a subjective state, it is something that comes with very concrete and objective symptoms and potential health problems. When you feel that you are unable to meet the demands of a situation, your body kicks into protective action. This is known as the stress response; your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol which stimulate your body and temporarily enhance your ability to function. Over time, however, stress poses serious health risks. To manage your stress effectively, you need to watch for stress signs and symptoms.
Changes in Eating Patterns
You can break stress signs and symptoms down into different categories: behavior, physical, emotional and cognitive. Information provided by the Mayo Clinic and the non-profit mental health resources group, Helpguide.org both discuss changes in eating patterns as one of the most common high stress behavioral signs. If you find yourself eating much more food then you normally do or eating much less, you might be experiencing high stress.
Changes in Sleep Patterns
Are you lying in bed all night tossing and turning despite feeling exhausted? Or do you find yourself sleep more hours than you have ever needed to before but not knowing why? Changes in sleep patterns are another sign you are under stress. While you need to be aware that these sleep abnormalities can result from other conditions too, you should be aware of your stress level if you experience these changes.
Back Pain
You can also look for high stress signs and symptoms in your body. When you experience prolonged high stress, it can affect your body in a number of detrimental ways. Mayo Clinic notes that physical stress symptoms include back pain. If your back hurts after overdoing it in your weekend exercise or yard work, you may not be under stress at all. But if you find yourself with increased back pain and don’t have a good explanation why, stress may be what is causing your discomfort.
High Blood Pressure
Stress can increase you risk for serious health condition such as heart disease. One contributing factor for this is that stress increases your body’s blood pressure. The stress hormones that your body releases elevate your blood pressure. Tracking your blood pressure regularly gives you the ability to track changes and look for this potential warning sign.
