Stress is always connected to different aspects of the psychological functioning of a body. This is the reason why our immune systems suffer and there is a high risk of becoming sick or getting a bad ache in some parts of the body when we suffer from prolonged period of stress.
In the initial times, stress was supposed to last for a short period of time when there was a scary or confusing situation. But in today’s time, people are prone to experiencing stress for a long period of time also known as chronic stress which causes immense damage to the overall mental and physical well-being. It maintains stress hormones causing it to grow which impacts negatively on the body’s functions.
Life definitely has a lot of challenges but we tend to elevate problem for ourselves by worrying too much. When we are so accustomed to stress in our daily lives, we might miss noticing that we are always stressed while our health continues to weaken.
If you realized you could be one of the many people who experience this take a look at the signs below that can help in determining whether you are overstressed and don’t even know it.
Pain
Pay attention to your body more. You may be ignoring digestive issues, ulcers, muscular tension, strange pain or palpitations. Thus stay more aware of the dysfunctions of your body to address it as soon as possible. When there is a peak of stress in your life it can take a toll on your health. Perhaps you are facing constant tensing of your shoulder or neck muscles.
You can only step towards change with more awareness and acceptance. So if you are suffering from some consistent trouble contact your doctor, do take the necessary tests to find out the root cause.
Sleeping disorders
There are many people who suffer from insomnia but do not really pay attention to its severity. But insomnia (not getting enough sleep) and hypersomnia (sleeping too much) are evident disorders of sleep patterns and are both considered to have a negative impact on the health of a human being. People suffering from chronic stress may be very exhausted but find it hard to fall asleep whereas there could be some who sleep more than 12 hours and still feel quite beaten up.
Make sure you are relaxing before bed, perhaps do meditation, exercise or take a hot bath to get rid of all the worries and negative thoughts.
Eating disorders
Stress is known to decrease your metabolic rate, which makes you more vulnerable to weight gain. Make sure you monitor your appetite. Do you forget to eat? Do you end up overeating?
Eat healthy and wholesome foods, and make sure you have your meals properly and regularly.
Involuntary negative thoughts
Do negative thoughts surface your mind involuntarily? Perhaps you take your work tensions home or maybe you are worried about your finances. You need to always look at the bigger picture if you cannot find yourself relaxed or balanced. If things are affecting your health it will be difficult for you to carry out work. Your health is more important than the stress that manifests in your body.
Adopt healthier habits, focus on your accomplishments and your ambitions instead of the negative thoughts. Give yourself some ‘me’ time, involve more in things that you enjoy, spend time with nature and surround yourself with optimistic people.
Difficulting in calming down
If you cannot sit still for a longer period of time, like when you are alone with your thoughts or walking by yourself or waiting for someone and constantly keep checking your phone it might be a sign that you are overstressed. Overwhelming anxiety takes away the ability to relax.
It might be time for some introspection and asking you honest questions. Do not involve in catastrophic or judgemental thoughts.
Extreme mood swings and lack of patience
If you are constantly temperamental there is a chance of breaking down. This is the most common sign of being overstressed. Mood swings are caused mainly due to physical or mental health conditions. Most of the people experience some level of moodiness in their lives but stress oriented mood swings can cause drastic negative effects on health and daily functioning. The instability of mood can cause consistent conflicts among the person’s environment and loved ones.
Chronic stress can make people highly irritable and emotionally sensitive. They become unable to contain their discomfort. Thus they become impatient and cannot tolerate others. And they snap at people closest to them. To avoid such conditions one can start being vigilant about their moods and try to understand exact causes of their mood shifts and emotional dilemmas.
