6 warning signs you may be TOO stressed
| 2 min read
Facing the occasional manic Monday is pretty normal, and even considered good for your health. A little amount of stress, like meeting a tight deadline at work, has proven to be beneficial and can boost your cognitive function. But too much stress and it could backfire. The adrenaline that rushes through your body, sharpening senses and causing your heart to beat faster, comes in handy in a scary moment, but it’s meant to be short-term.
Suffering from a high amount of stress hormones day in and day out as a result of a demanding personal life or job can have damaging long-term effects on your body, including upping your risk of heart disease, obesity, headaches and gastrointestinal issues. That’s why, if you notice any of the below six common signs, it’s your body’s way of telling you that you need to relax.
- Sore, bleeding gums. Overly stressed people have a higher risk of periodontal disease due to an elevated amount of hormones that decrease your immune system and allow bacteria to latch onto your gums.
- Memory loss. With chronic stress, your body alters the connection between your nerve cells and your brain making things such as names and directions harder to retain.
- Odd dreams. Heightened anxiety and pressure causes you to wake up more often throughout the night because your mind is overloaded and needs a way to digest it.
- Out-of-nowhere hives. Stress is one of the most common causes of hives or acne in adults. (Although don’t forget that the hives could also be due to an allergic reaction!)
- Jaw pain. If faced with a lot of tension, most people clench their jaw muscles or grind their teeth, causing an achy feeling and migraines or headaches.
- Overpowering fatigue. The emotional toll and lack of sleep your body faces when fighting stress on a regular basis can destroy your energy quickly, similar to your body fighting a cold.
Photo credit: marsmet549
