Recognize the Symptoms of Stress

Stress is a very common occurrence when we are faced with a troublesome situation. There is stress in all facets of everyday life, some of which can be more detrimental to your health than others. With the hectic pace of life filled with demands, deadlines, meetings and travel, it is almost impossible to completely eliminate it from your life.

However, if you learn to recognize the symptoms of stress and how to deal with them, you will realize that you can live a healthier and happier life. Stress is not always bad for you because it will help you perform better and give you the motivation that you need.

In recognizing the symptoms of stress, you should realize that this is the body\'s normal reaction to what it perceives as dangerous situations. When you do have this response, you know that your body is working the way it should to keep you alert. In some cases, the body\'s response to stress can save your life in an emergency situation.

Since the body cannot tell the difference between a real and a perceived threat, it prepares the body for fight or flight in all situations where stress is involved. This causes a rise in your blood pressure and decreases the strength of your immune system. The symptoms of stress that you experience can be mental or physical depending on the situation.

Mental symptoms of stress include:

· memory problems

· inability to concentrate

· making poor decisions

· focusing on the negative rather than the positive

· having a constant feeling of worry

· being irritable or short-tempered

· moodiness

· inability to relax

· feeling lonely or depressed

Some of the physical symptoms of stress are:

· muscle aches and pains

· bowel problems

· stomach upset

· chest pain

· rapid heartbeat

· frequent colds

· loss of appetite

· sleeping too much or not getting enough sleep

· neglecting responsibilities

· resorting to alcohol or drug abuse

· nervous habits

It is quite common to experience some of these symptoms of stress on occasion, but when you have a large amount of stress in your life, this can lead to many different kinds of illness. You need to keep a check on how often you feel stressed and consider whether you may be suffering from an overload of stress.

There are signs and symptoms of stress overload of which you should also be aware. If you are quick to anger in common situations where anger is not warranted this could be a sign that you are really stressed out and that you should remove yourself from the situation. The opposite reaction could also be a symptom if you withdraw from a harmless situation for fear of it developing into something that you are unable to handle.

There are both internal and external causes of stress and once you recognize what these triggers are, you will be in a better position to cope with the symptoms of stress when they arise. Major life changes are one of the leading causes and they do take some time for you to adjust.

Work related stress is the leading cause of employee illness and sick days. Financial difficulties and problems in a relationship are also common causes of stress. When you feel that you are overwhelmed and can no longer deal with ordinary issues, you should consider asking for professional help.

In recognizing the symptoms of stress, you should realize that this is the body\'s normal reaction to what it perceives as dangerous situations. When you do have this response, you know that your body is working the way it should to keep you alert.