We all know the most common symptoms of stress:being irritable, eating, sleeping problems and more. But there are other more surprising signals that tell your body it's time to relax. You should not ignore the stress complaints below.
You get headaches more often
If you have severe headaches more often than usual, you may be stressed. (Although it could also be due to other external factors). Stress is one of the most common causes of tension headaches, which can be caused by everyday irritants such as traffic or work drama, and they can be exacerbated by other symptoms such as muscle stiffness and pressure on your forehead. To manage the pain for a long time, it is best to manage your stress, but you should also seek medical attention if the frequency lasts for three months or more, or if you need to take medication more than twice a week.
Your libido goes down
It's no surprise that long, stressful hours at work can put a damper on your sex life. But a change in sexual drive is another common stress symptom. It's not a problem if you occasionally feel like it, but if you have significantly less sex than usual, it could be a sign of stress.
You often suffer from skin rashes
You may already know that stress can cause acne, but it turns out that your skin can indicate that you're feeling stressed in other ways, such as having a rash seemingly out of nowhere. It usually appears as raised patches on the abdomen, back, arms, and face.
You have a pain in your neck
The pain in your neck that you think is from those long hours in front of the computer could actually be an indication that there is too much on your plate. Stress certainly affects our musculature, resulting in tight, contracting muscles and/or spasms. To help your muscles relax, take 5 to 10 deep breaths while concentrating on relaxing the area that feels tense. If your neck is giving you trouble, try rolling your head gently from side to side, then nod your head and shake yes and no.
Nail biting It's a classic stress-induced habit:biting your nails and picking at your cuticles. Nervous habits like this are the way we express our stress. It's a way to get out of that pent-up energy. Consider keeping a stress ball nearby. You can also put on a bitter tasting nail polish to avoid putting your fingers in your mouth.
You're starting to get cavities
We all know that little oral hygiene is the first way to get cavities, but stress can also be a culprit, especially if you have a tendency to grind your teeth. This can damage your teeth, making them more prone to cavities. And in chronic cases it can even lead to tooth loss.
You feel nauseous
Yes, it is entirely possible to be so angry about something that makes you physically ill. Stress can upset the stomach and nausea can be a byproduct of worry. It is usually temporary.
You want to stay in bed
When you're stressed, it's normal to want to curl up under the covers and go to sleep more often than usual. That's because stress hormones cause your body to flood with adrenaline, eventually crashing and making you want to sleep. It can also ruin the quality of your sleep, so you wake up tired and irritable.
You keep forgetting things
Research shows that chronic stress can literally shrink the size of the hippocampus, which is responsible for some memories. Fortunately, the size will return to normal once your stress level decreases.
You can't make decisions
If you're stressed, there's probably too much on your plate. So it would be helpful if you could make quick decisions to take those things off your to-do list. But stress is a tricky thing, and it causes distraction and lack of focus that can make decision-making much more difficult.
To restore focus, take time for a walk. Remove stress from your body by working large muscle groups, such as the legs, to regain clarity. Get outside – research shows that natural light can boost serotonin production to boost your mood, while vitamin D helps boost your immune system.
