Stress is something that everybody has to deal with at some stage in their life. People experience various levels of stress in their everyday life though, so it is to be expected to see different types of stress symptoms. Knowing how to recognize the basic symptoms of stress will help you cope better and prevent long term physical and psychological damage to your body caused by stress.
What exactly is stress, and what causes it?
Stress can be described as the body’s natural reaction to extreme or harmful situations. Some of these stress-causing situations are real, others are perceived – in both cases though, the negative effects of stress on the body are very real.
If you are wondering how stress can affect your life, just take a look at the many situations you have to cope with in an average day. Each of these instances can be a cause of stress – some are more stressful, others not so much.
Stress is also something that is perceived by the individual. Certain seemingly stressful situations for some might be just mundane occurrences for others. Individual perception of stress determines its symptoms and effects.
Some stress is good for the body, but how much exactly?
You might be aware of the many studies that have shown that small amounts of stress are not bad for the body. But how much stress is too much? Well, as you have gathered by now, stress is an individually perceived cause-and-reaction scenario, so each mind and body will react differently to the circumstances at hand.
As mentioned above, medical science now knows that small amounts of daily stress help keep you sharp and on point in many situations. A widely used example of ‘good stress’ is slamming on the brakes when the car in front of you does the same. Preventing a collision through your quick reaction is a genuine manifestation of so-called good stress.
Common symptoms of stress
Unfortunately when it comes to symptoms of stress, no part of the body is exempt. Stress symptoms, whatever the causes, can affect:
- normal behavior and wide range of emotions, not just positive or negative ones
- cognitive ability, physical health and normal sleep and eating patterns.
In many cases, stress symptoms mimic those of other physical or cognitive conditions, so if you are experiencing any of the symptoms speak to your doctor and be on the safe side. Stress-related symptoms can be effectively alleviated through natural stress relief supplements or another form of natural stress relief therapy such as essential oil treatments. Seattle-based Bodymune suggests a combination of stress relief supplements and essential oil treatments as the most effective therapy.
You might be experiencing different symptoms of stress. These fall within four main groups: emotional, physical, behavioral, and cognitive.
- Emotional manifestations: easy agitation and unnecessary frustration, moodiness, feeling overwhelmed or not in control, inability to relax (noisy brain), low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, feeling antisocial.
- Physical expressions: headaches, lack of energy, upset stomach (IBS flare ups), joint/muscle aches, irregular heart rate, broken sleep, colds/flus/infections (lowered immune powers), lack of sexual drive, jaw clenching, teeth grinding, ringing ears, etc.
- Cognitive Macular Degeneration : worrying, erratic thoughts, forgetfulness, lack of focus, poor judgment, pessimism.
- Behavioral changes: lack of appetite, avoiding responsibility, substance abuse, nervous behavior displays.
Our bodies are well equipped to deal with small amounts of stress, even on a regular basis. It is prolonged exposure to stress that does the real damage to mind and body. Knowing your body’s tell-tale signs of excessive stress exposure is important to keep everything healthy and in good working order.
