• • Aches and pains: Your muscles may tense if your body is constantly looking out for danger. In response, your body might become painful, stiff, and tense.
  • Acne: Hormone-related breakouts do not just go away once you are an adult. Stress is a hormonal change that makes your skin oiler, so it can cause a breakout.
  • Feeling tired: You expend a lot of mental energy if you are nervous or worried. Research has found that mental fatigue often results in physical exhaustion.
  • Flu-like symptoms: During stressful times, your body releases adrenaline, a hormone. That adrenaline rush prepares your body for danger and may also cause symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and weakness.
  • GI problems: Your GI system houses millions of nerve cells that communicate with your brain. You might feel like there are “butterflies” in your stomach or have constipation, diarrhea, and nausea.
  • Graying hair: Some evidence suggests that stress damages the cells that regenerate hair pigment.
  • Headaches: Tension headaches occur when your scalp and neck muscles contract and become tense. These headaches often result from anxiety, depression, head injuries, and stress.

• Heart problems: Significant stress may raise your blood pressure and cholesterol, significant risk factors for heart disease. Stress might even mimic cardiac events, such as an abnormal heart rhythm or heart attack.
• Missed periods: You might notice that your periods come irregularly, or you may skip them altogether if you are stressed.
• Weight gain or loss: You might overeat or skip meals to deal with stress. Those changes in appetite may result in gaining or losing weight.

Cognitive Symptoms

Research has shown that your brain expends so many of its resources dealing with perceived danger when you are stressed. As a result, there’s not enough energy to support cognitive functions like learning, recalling memories, and thinking.

A review published in 2017 found that stress may cause structural changes in the brain that affect cognition. For example, stress can reduce the number of new nerve cells that form in your brain, which affects your memory.

Other ways stress may affect you cognitively include:

• Difficulty focusing
• Feeling pessimistic
• Forgetfulness
• Mood changes (e.g., anger, anxiety, irritability, and sadness)
• Racing thoughts
• Trouble making decisions

Behavioral Symptoms

Stress can be helpful, giving you an adrenaline rush that helps you work through a busy schedule or meet a due date on time. In contrast, too much stress over long periods can be overwhelming. Built-up stress can be difficult to deal with and take a toll on other aspects of your health, such as your appetite, mood, and sleep.

Research has found that physical and cognitive symptoms of stress may lead to negative behaviors, which cause more stress. For example, stress is a common risk factor for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Some people might consume alcohol to alleviate negative feelings.

Behavioral symptoms of stress include:

• Alcohol and drug use
• Changes in appetite
• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
• Neglecting your responsibilities
• Nervous habits (e.g., cracking your knuckles, fidgeting, and nail-biting)

Symptoms of Chronic Stress

Chronic stress is stress that persists for long periods, usually weeks or months. You might have an ongoing stressful event, such as a toxic work environment or financial troubles, that causes long-lasting negative feelings. In contrast, acute stress comes and goes away quickly, such as running late or slamming on your brakes.

Some people with chronic stress become so used to stress that they do not notice how it affects them. Still, chronic stress can cause significant symptoms like:

• Chronic pain
• Digestive problems
• Fatigue
• High blood pressure
• Low sex drive
• Missed periods
• Skin problems (e.g., acne and eczema)
• Trouble focusing
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Weight gain or loss

Too much stress might increase your risk of several chronic illnesses if untreated. For example, chronic stress is a risk factor for anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

How To Manage Stress

Acute stress that occurs from time to time, usually in the face of a difficult situation, can sometimes be helpful. In contrast, chronic stress can have significant negative impacts on your health. It’s essential that you take steps to manage your stress levels and keep yourself healthy.

Ways to manage stress include:

• Accept what you cannot change: You might be unable to change things that cause you stress. Instead, you can change your outlook on the situation. Try thinking positive thoughts or find ways to relax. For example, listen to your favorite playlist while working on a big project.
• Eat a balanced diet: Nutritious foods help fuel your body and mind. Limit sugary snacks, and instead opt for fruits, lean proteins, low-fat or nonfat dairy, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Find time for your hobbies: Try carving out some time each day for the things you enjoy. Listen to music, read a good book, watch your favorite movie or TV show, or try something new.
• Hang out with friends and family: Chronic stress may feel isolating. You might find it helpful to confide in friends and family about what’s stressing you out.
• Limit stressful situations: Remove yourself from difficult situations if possible. Take a breath, go for a walk, and then return to the situation once you cool down.
• Prioritize sleep: Getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night helps revitalize your body and mind. Sleep helps you focus and think clearly.
• Say no if you need to: Set healthy limits if you are taking on too many responsibilities that use up all of your energy.
• Stay active: Physical activity releases feel-good hormones that help reduce stress. Dancing, running, swimming, walking, and other types of exercise help release pent-up energy.
• Talk to a mental healthcare provider: You might consider talk therapy with a mental healthcare provider. They can help you identify stressors and teach you how to control your stress levels.
• Use relaxation techniques: Try deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or tai chi. Those activities help slow your heart rate and control your blood pressure.

Related: 7 Best Mental Health Practices To Cultivate Resilience

How To Prevent Stress

Eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and staying active help manage and prevent stress. Other ways to keep your stress levels under control include:

• Ask for help: It can be difficult to manage all of your responsibilities, whether it be school or work, on your own. Do not hesitate to reach out to your peers if you need help.
• Do not avoid problems: Your stress levels might worsen if you avoid or put off unavoidable problems that cause you to worry. Instead, try handling difficult situations as they come up.
• Harness your stress: There’s such a thing as “good stress.” That pressure sometimes gives you an energy boost to finish work, such as when you near a due date. Use that spark to motivate you.
• Make a plan: Use a planner or digital calendar to plan your school and work. Make sure that you leave time for your hobbies.
• Turn off your phone: Social media can distract you, especially before bedtime. Limit your screen time to about one or two hours before bed. Try reading a book or taking a warm shower or bath to wind down.

When To Contact a Healthcare Provider

You may consider contacting a healthcare provider if you have trouble managing your stress levels at home for two weeks or longer. Contact a healthcare provider if you have:1

• A feeling like you are unable to get out of bed
• A loss of interest in things that typically bring you joy
• Alcohol or drug use
• An inability to fulfill your responsibilities
• Change in appetite that results in unintended weight loss or gain
• Difficulty sleeping
• Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
• Thoughts of self-harm
• Trouble focusing

These emotional and physical symptoms might be warning signs that you need to minimize your stress levels.

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