Stress symptoms can be tricky; they can manifest in both the physical and psychological realm, so it’s essential to be aware of them, to identify when you’re feeling stressed and take steps to manage your stress effectively.
What is Stress?
Stress is a response to a real or perceived threat. It’s the body’s way of preparing to face a challenge. The stress response is also known as the “fight-or-flight response”. When you perceive a threat, your nervous system releases a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tense, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed up your reaction time, and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee the perceived danger.
Stress types
There are two main types of stress: acute and chronic.
Acute stress is the stress we feel in response to a specific event, such as an upcoming presentation or a difficult conversation. It’s transitory and usually goes away once the event has passed.
Chronic stress, on the other hand, is ongoing and can be caused by factors like job insecurity, financial problems, or relationship difficulties.
While a certain amount of stress is necessary for survival, chronic stress can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones can impact your physical health by weakening your immune system, increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke, and contributing to anxiety and depression.
How stress can make you feel?
Stress can manifest in both physical and psychological ways, causing you significant health problems. So, it’s important to be aware of both the physical and psychological symptoms of stress to identify when you’re feeling stressed and take steps to manage your stress effectively. These effects might include the following;
Physical symptoms
- Headaches
- Muscle tension
- Chest pain
- Fatigue
- Sleep problems
- Changes to the menstrual cycle
- High blood pressure
Psychological symptoms
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Poor decision making
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Mood swings
Causes for stress
Many different factors can contribute to stress. Some common stressors include:
- Work: job demands, workload, job insecurity, work/life balance
- Money: financial pressure, debt, bills
- Family: caring for a family member, relationship difficulties
- Health: illness, injury, chronic health conditions
- Major life changes: moving house, starting a new job, retirement
Managing stress
It’s important to manage your stress effectively to protect your physical and mental health. There are a lot of things you can do to manage your stress levels, including;
- Identifying your triggers: What causes you stress?
- Practising relaxation techniques: Many relaxation techniques relieve stress, such as meditation.
- Exercising regularly: Exercising makes the body produce more endorphins, which make you feel good and positive.
- Eating a healthy diet: A balanced diet improves your immune system and can give you extra energy so you’ll be able to cope with stressful events.
- Getting enough sleep: A good night’s sleep makes you less stressed during the day.
- Emotional support: Having supportive friends and family can reduce stress a lot.
- Seeking professional help: Talking to a professional can help you deal with stress and learn to understand yourself better.
If you’re experiencing any of these stress symptoms, it’s important to take steps to manage stress effectively. So, if you’re struggling to manage your stress on your own, contact us at (02) 9358 5221, make an appointment and get a proper consultation from our expert doctor.
References
Sleep deprivation and stress: a reciprocal relationship
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsfs.2019.0092
Stress Can Increase Your Risk for Heart Disease
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=1&ContentID=2171
Chronic Stress, Cortisol Dysfunction, and Pain: A Psychoneuroendocrine Rationale for Stress Management in Pain Rehabilitation
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4263906/