Do you know what signs of stress
to look out for?

This page lists some of the major signs of stress; how can stress affect your overall health; and a number of stress indicators and warning signs of stress to watch out for.

Are you feeling stressed?

How do you know?

And, if you are FEELING stressed, does that always mean that you ARE stressed?

It's a significant issue as a continuing state of being under mental, physical or emotional strain can, and will, take a toll on your well-being, performance and overall health - both in the short and longer term.

So, we need to know and understand the signs and symptoms of stress, and indeed what is a definition of stress.

There are many stress indicators, of course, including mental, emotional and physical effects. Click here to see the biggest causes of stress.

The warning signs of stress listed below are broadly categorised into how stress effects body, mind and emotions but, as you will see, there are overlaps between these categories.

Take a look in the mirror, how many of these health effects of stress do you experience in a typical day?

* physical signs of stress:

* headaches, muscle tension, stiff neck or shoulders

* palpitations, rapid heartbeat

* sleep disturbances, insomnia

* fatigue

* breathing problems

* grinding teeth

* increased drinking or smoking

* sexual problems, impotence

* muscle twitches and tics

* emotional warnings:

* feeling isolated

* feeling scared

* crying for no reason

* preoccupied with misfortune

* feeling of impending doom

* feeling excessively or constantly pressurised

* feeling nervous or anxious

* feeling irritable or angry

* feeling jumpy, racing apprehensive thoughts

* mental stress indicators:

* procrastination, worry about making the wrong decision

* brooding on problems or inability to let go / forget them

* increasing feelings of pressure or failings related to time management

* being brusque, rude or sarcastic

* poor concentration

The more of the above symptoms you have, and the more often you have them, may be an indication that you are under stress.

If so, having raised your awareness of a possible stress and health issue, you will need to do something about it (e.g. start by checking out our, "how to deal with stress", and, "how to relieve stress", pages by clicking here).

Can stress affect your overall health? - absolutely. How does stress affect health? - re-read the lists above.

We can all feel down or tense sometimes, but, if you detect a pattern of any of the above stress indicators that persists through time, be proactive and take effective action.

For example, a simple and effective starting point is to boost your ability to relax at will and / or use mindful meditation or other types of meditation.

Don't ignore persistent signs of stress, you may be risking a negative stress and health problem that could prove troublesome in the future.
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