We all go through times in life where we experience more stress than usual. Knowing how to identify that stress and how to deal with it means taking a holistic and healthy approach to life – it’s not all about exercising and eating right – emotional health is important too. When you’re body and mind are all in sync and everything is operating like a well-oiled machine, stress often falls by the wayside. But when you’re caught up and dwelling on certain issues, stress can show itself in pretty ugly and very physical ways. If you’re feeling like something is off and you’re not sure why, here’s a look at signs of stress and how to deal.
20 Signs You’re Stressed & How to Deal
- You feel anxious about work and life.
- You’re grinding your teeth.
- You have frequent headaches.
- You have unexplainable rashes.
- You’re struggling with an upset stomach daily.
- You’re nervous all the time.
- You can’t sleep.
- You’re shaky and fidgety.
- You find yourself easily overreacting.
- You’d rather be by yourself when you’re typically pretty social.
- You can’t concentrate.
- You feel like you’re not doing your best at work.
- You cry at the drop of a hat.
- You’re sweating and blushing all the time.
- You’ve gained or lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time.
- Your eye is twitching.
- You lost your appetite.
- You’re super tired all of the time.
- You don’t really care about your appearance.
- You’re just generally unhappy.
All of these (and many more) can be signs of stress – and knowing how to manage that stress can easily help resolve some of these symptoms. No matter why you’re experiencing stress: tough times at work, family issues, financial hardship – it can be really tough, but you can get it under control. Here are a few things to think about.
Try meditation. For many people, meditation sounds daunting and kind of scary, but it can be so helpful for balancing the mind and body during times of stress. Meditation can be as simple as closing the eyes and taking ten deep breaths, to following a fully guided meditative process. An easy way to start? Download a meditation app like Calm or HeadSpace to get started.
Get some fresh air. Sounds so simple, right? It’s wild, but fresh air really does do a body good – it simply helps to clear the mind both physically and emotionally – it’s amazing how it works. Just head outside and take a quick walk. You’ll come back feeling clear-headed and calm.
Put it into perspective. When it comes down to it, stress often makes things seem worse than they actually are. If you’re overwhelmed at work, for example, make a list – you soon realize you can get it all done – you just need a plan.
How do you handle stressful times?
*Remember, stress is a serious thing. When and if you feel like things are too much, call your doctor and talk it out.
