Chronic stress usually silently but constantly affects our organism, which experiences and remembers everything. It can contribute to high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, headaches, muscle tension and pain, indigestion, decreased immunity that leads to more frequent illnesses, as well as sleep problems and fatigue.
Stress can also cause or worsen symptoms of mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, irritability, and concentration problems.
Learn to recognize the symptoms that warn that it's time to change your lifestyle.
1. You are tired regardless of the adequate amount of sleep
You sleep regularly and enough, but even after a good night's sleep you feel very tired and would prefer to go right back to bed.
2. It's hard to wake up in the morning
Due to exposure to long-term stress, the adrenal gland does not release enough of the hormone cortisol in time, which usually stimulates the production of energy in our body in the morning and helps us wake up.
3. Restless dreams and nightmares
With the amount of sleep, the number of positive and beautiful dreams increases progressively. But, when we are nervous and tense, we wake up more often, which reduces the possibility of reaching the stage of sleep in which tired and burdened dreams are replaced by positive and relaxed images.
4. You have a strong craving for salty foods
Chronic stress leads to an imbalance in the amount of electrolytes in the body, so every now and then we need something salty.
5. You feel dizzy when you get up from a sitting, lying, or crouching position
And this is a direct consequence of the lack of electrolytes.
6. Severe PMS and irregular periods
An excess of stress hormones is secreted in the body, which affects the imbalance of sex hormones. All of this results in strong PMS symptoms and an irregular cycle. Painful menstrual cramps occur twice as often in women under stress than in those who are not under its influence.
7. You often have a cold
Chronic stress leads to a drop in immunity, due to which our body has a hard time fighting against the bacteria and viruses we are surrounded by and loses its resistance to them.
8. Suddenly you don't know how to handle stressful situations anymore
You used to welcome them readily and quickly find your way after facing a problem, but now you just don't know where to start and how to reduce the feeling of panic. This happens because after a long exposure to stressful situations, our ability to tolerate and resist stress decreases significantly, he writes Satisfactory.
9. You can't get through the day without caffeine or energy drinks
Do you have to make coffee or drink energy drinks to feel less tired and clear your mind? Your natural energy reserves have been depleted due to stress.
10. Weekend headaches
Weaker headaches or more intense migraines can appear during the weekend, when the level of stress and tension drops.
11. Sudden appearance of acne
Inflamed skin can also be a sign of a stressful lifestyle. If you are troubled by such pimples, treat your skin with preparations containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide or a non-comedogenic moisturizer that will not dry out the skin. If the skin does not react positively after several weeks, definitely visit a dermatologist.
12. Skin diseases
Itching, atopic dermatitis or seborrhea are skin diseases that are based on the emotional burden of chronic stress.
13. Appearance of new allergies
Stress hormones stimulate the secretion of immunoglobulin E, a protein in the blood that is responsible for allergic reactions in the body.
14. Stomach aches
Although the connection between anxiety and stomach pain is still not sufficiently medically investigated, it has been proven in many studies that abdominal cramps are stimulated by nervousness and other stress symptoms such as anxiety and fear.
15. Sudden weight gain or weight loss
You haven't made any changes to your diet, but suddenly you gain weight or suddenly lose weight. Stress can cause hormonal changes that also affect your weight. It especially affects the work of the thyroid gland, and inexplicable weight gain and weight loss are one of the signs that your thyroid gland is causing problems.
16. Heartburn problems
It is most often caused by the food and drinks we consume, but heartburn can also be a result of stress, which also encourages excessive secretion of stomach acid.
17. You often feel anxious
Stress affects not only our physical condition but also our mental condition. Prolonged exposure to stress can cause panic attacks, which we usually cannot deal with without the help of experts.
18. You can't focus
You used to be meticulous, punctual, fast and efficient, but now you just can't focus on your work and responsibilities? The stress took its toll.
19. Forgetfulness and loss of acumen
Do you need a long time to clear your head, can't organize your thoughts and often forget? These are all consequences of stress.
20. You exaggerate your vice
Instead of a few cigarettes a day, smoke the whole pack at once without any problems. Due to the feeling of pressure in stressful situations, most seek solace in vice.
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