8 Signs Someone Is Too Stressed (And Doesn’t Know It)

High level of stress can have an effect on all aspects of your life, such as behavior, emotions, the ability to think and the physical health. Each part of the body is affected…prolonged chronic stress often leads to a lot of serious health problems.

Many people accept the fact that stress is inevitable nowadays with the modern way of life. We can feel this on our own skin, since we can’t go a day without facing up with a stressful situation. If the level of stress is low, it can even be a good thing. It positively affects our motivation and serves as a strong self-preservation agent. On the other hand, high levels of stress on a daily basis can lead to serious problems with mental and physical health.

High stress levels affect the whole body, because the brain releases adrenaline and cortisol into the bloodstream. If a real threat is present, this can be a good thing because we will be able to handle a fight-or-flight situation.

However, if we are overexposed to cortisol and adrenaline, it can harm almost every system inside our body. According to the doctors, if the body is continuously exposed to high levels of stress, it can lead to many health problems like depression, anxiety, problems with digestion, heart disease, headaches, insomnia, weight gain and problems with the memory and concentration.

In this article you will read about the most common physical effects caused by an increased level of stress. We’ll also give you some advices on how to successfully handle with the stressors in our lives.

READ THE EIGHT PHYSICAL INDICATORS OF TOO MUCH STRESS:

FREQUENT HEADACHES

Headaches usually appear when we are extremely stressed. What is more, stress is the main cause of tension headaches. This type of headache is very common among people who are stressed out and can lead to mild, moderate or intense pain in our head, neck or behind our eyes. Stress can lead to other types of headaches too, such as migraines.

PROBLEMS WITH DIGESTION

When the body is flooded with the hormones of stress, the digestive system suffers from a “shock”. The brain and the digestive systems are thought to be interrelated. This is why we experience so much digestive problems when we are stressed. Chronic stress often leads to more serious problems, like bowel syndrome (IBS)

INCREASED COLDS AND INFECTIONS

Stress increases our heart rate and it makes our circulatory system to kick into overdrive. This can negatively affect the immune system. Since the immune system is weakened, it cannot neutralize the bacteria and other agents.

WEIGHT GAIN

Most of the people experience weight gain when they find themselves in continuous stressful situations. However, there are also people who tent to lose their weight in these during these situations.

STOMACH PROBLEMS

As we mentioned above, the reactions of stress can negatively affect the digestive system. In that way, stomach issues are very common with high stress levels. Indigestion, nausea, cramps and stomach aches can all indicate that your body is overloaded with stress hormones.

FATIGUE

The pressure and tension levels increase with the presence of stress. This makes the body prone to fatigue and sometimes it can be manifested as mental or physical exhaustion.

PALPITATIONS OR CHEST PAIN

Stress can lead to anxiety and anxiety can lead to stress. This is a never-ending circle. This mental cycle usually causes chest pain or chest tightness.

If you feel stressful very frequently, it can be a potential risk for heart attack or heart disease. Recent studies have proven that there is a link between stress and blood clotting, which can lead to moderate and severe heart issues.

LOSING THE SEX DRIVE

Stress can decrease the desire of engaging in sexual intercourse for both men and women. The reason for this is simple – the stress eliminates chemicals in the brain that stimulate sex drive. Chronic stress can lead to ovulation problems in women and men can experience lower sperm count and fertility problems.