4 Signs You Might Be Too Stressed
August 6, 20181. You’re sick all the time
“When we are under
extreme pressure, our bodies secrete a stress hormone called cortisol that can help us short-term,”
says Richard Colgan, MD, professor of family and community medicine at
University of Maryland School of Medicine and author of Advice
to the Healer. “But if you’re stressed out constantly, these hormones aren’t as
helpful and can become depleted over time.” It’s important to listen to
your body, if you’re showing physical symptoms of stress you need to give
yourself time to rest and regain your strength.
2. You can’t concentrate
Cortisol can also affect your brain’s memory centre. If you’re finding it too hard to concentrate on what’s in front of you, you might be experiencing an overflow of stress hormones. Take time out and try meditation or deep breathing exercises to relax. Keri Tuit, clinical psychologist at Yale University says: “Deep, even breathing not only affects whether or not our thoughts control us or we control them. It also affects the bodily sensations that are experienced when faced with a high-stress situation.”
Feeling stressed? Try one of the meditation apps we recommend!
3. You have a constant headache
If you’re experiencing a
throbbing tension in the head or temple area it very likely could be a stress
headache. As long as the headache isn’t intense, or feels like a migraine, it
likely won’t be serious. The only solution to this is to acknowledge your
stress levels and take time out to relax.
4. You have a sore back and neck
“High levels of
stress and tension create discomfort and muscle pain by tightening muscles and
causing muscle spasms,” says Dr. Colgan. The best way to combat this is, again,
leaning relaxation techniques. “Many relaxation techniques can help with stress
reduction, including guided imagery, taking deep breaths from the diaphragm,
meditation, massages and yoga,” says Tuit.
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