Is your body trying to tell you something?
Are you losing hair? Gaining weight? Getting less sleep? There’s a chance that the culprit behind these seemingly unrelated symptoms can be traced back to one thing: stress.
The body’s fight-or-flight system releases stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, that cause the body to stay alert and ready to react to potentially dangerous situations.
While stress is a normal part of everyday life, it can sometimes trigger a range of unpleasant symptoms that we’re quick to attribute to other ailments. Here are key ways your body might be telling you to relax.
Your hair falls out.
While the average person loses 100 to 200 strands of hair per day, heightened stress levels can cause hair loss in clumps for up to three months, says Dr. Richard Granstein, the George W. Hambrick, Jr. Professor and chair of the Israel Englander Department of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and dermatologist-in-chief at New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell.
This phenomenon, medically referred to as telogen effluvium, triggers multiple hair follicles to simultaneously enter a “resting phase” and suddenly fall out of the scalp, Granstein says.
“Some people think that it’s a neuroendocrine effect, and that hormones released by stress cause it,” Granstein says. “But the truth is that nobody really knows why it happens.”
Your digestive system feels out of whack.
Severe stress can wreak havoc on the digestive system and send you running to the restroom, thanks to the brain-gut connection, explains Dr. Maged Rizk, a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
For instance, strong emotions — such as fear and anxiety — impact the brain’s limbic system, which sends signals to the organs within the gastrointestinal tract. The result can be diarrhea, nausea, irritable bowel syndrome and even vomiting, depending on which organ is roused.
You’re not getting enough sleep.
“Stress often disrupts sleep, leading to difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep or experiencing restful sleep,” says Michelle Turk, a marriage and family therapist with the virtual health platform PlushCare.
In turn, those sleep disturbances can lead to mood changes, including feeling more irritable or fatigued.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get seven or more hours of sleep a night, which may be hard to come by if you’re feeling stressed. Not getting enough sleep can raise your risk for a surprising number of health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, among others. That higher risk is just one of the reasons you should get enough shut eye.
Your skin breaks out.
Stress is known to instigate a variety of skin ailments, ranging from acne and hives to rashes, Granstein says.
Acne is caused in part by the stress hormone cortisol, which sends the skin’s oil-producing glands into overdrive. Stress is also linked to hive outbreaks and skin conditions, such as psoriasis and rosacea, thanks yet again to the stress-related hormones our bodies release when we’re under pressure.
You heal slowly.
When we’re stressed, cuts and scratches tend to stick around longer than usual. That’s because the body draws moisture away from the skin’s outer layers during periods of stress, which hampers the healing process.
As a result, a wound that would usually get better in about a week may take an additional few days or longer. For most skin wounds, you should clean them with mild soap daily and then cover them with petroleum jelly and a clean bandage.
See a health care provider if the wound is getting worse instead of better or if it’s red or painful.
You have trouble concentrating.
It’s easy to blame your lack of focus on today’s fast-paced world and never-ending distractions. We all seem to have the attention span of a gnat. However, stress can actually affect your brain’s ability to concentrate and focus, Turk says. In turn, problems concentrating can lead to further feelings of frustration and make your stress-related mood changes even worse.
If you’re having trouble concentrating, it may be helpful to try stress-reduction techniques in addition to focus and concentration techniques, like the pomodoro method or leaving your phone in another room while you work.
You’re really low on energy.
Having the occasional low-energy day is normal. Feeling that way about every day isn’t. Chronic stress can lead to physical and mental fatigue.
“The exhaustion associated with stress can make it harder for individuals to engage in activities that typically bring joy and satisfaction,” Turk says.
If you’re feeling like you’re constantly low on energy and getting enough sleep isn’t helping you feel energized, you might want to consider that constant stress could be affecting your energy levels.
You have difficulty breathing.
High stress levels are linked to asthma and other breathing difficulties, says Dr. Stephen Tilley, an associate professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who specializes in pulmonary diseases. Patients hospitalized for asthma attacks often report feeling stress before the episode.
If you have unexplained trouble breathing, seek medical help right away.
Your vision changes.
If your eyes feel parched or your vision is suddenly blurred, pause before blaming a change in your eyesight. Stress could be the offender as it can hamper your body’s circulation. That can lead to decreased blood flow to areas including the skin, brain and eyes, says Dr. Cynthia Ackrill, a primary care physician turned stress management coach based in Asheville, North Carolina.
Meanwhile, stress can also cause your pupils to dilate — your body’s way of preparing you to stare down a predator — which can result in hazy vision. Stress may also cause your eyelids to twitch, but these involuntary eye movements, called myokymia, normally disappear on their own as your body calms down.
You gain weight.
“In evolutionary times, one of the big risks was famine,” Ackrill says.
The minute we’re under stress, our bodies tend to hold onto fat, particularly in the abdomen. As abdominal fat increases, Ackrill says, it starts to create inflammation in the body, and also releases hormones that affect our ability to feel full.
At the same time, stress hormones slow down our metabolism, while making us crave fatty foods and sugar.
“It’s this catch-22,” Ackrill says. “You’re stressed, so you eat more. You don’t get (full) because your body is stressed and thinks it’s time for the Great Famine. Then, you have this abdominal fat that sits around and makes the situation worse.”
Here’s how to better cope with stress
We all experience stress in our life, many of us on a daily basis in today’s crazy world. But the key is learning how to manage it so it doesn’t become overwhelming.
Here are a few tips for how to cope with stress:
— Have a support network of friends and family who can provide positive support and encouragement.
— Make getting enough sleep a top priority.
— Aim for regular physical activity. Federal guidelines recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate, heart-pumping exercise, which you could break down into 30 minutes, five times a week. If you’re new to exercise, you can start small. Even 10-minute walks after meals can make a difference in your physical and mental health.
— Practice deep breathing and relaxation exercises, including meditation and guided imagery. Even a warm shower may help you relax.
— Try to organize things you need to get done by prioritizing them. Be realistic about what you can get done, and schedule time for self-care.
— Set boundaries to avoid overcommitting. It’s fine to say no to something if it will put too much on your plate.
When to seek help for too much stress
There are times when you should seek professional help for too much stress, like from a health care provider or a mental health professional:
— Stress is having an effect on your everyday activities.
— You no longer enjoy things you used to enjoy.
— You’re having physical symptoms like chest pain or difficulty breathing (seek immediate medical help for these, Turk advises).
— You have a pre-existing mental health condition like anxiety or depression, and your symptoms are getting worse.
— Stress is causing a strain on your relationships at home and work.
— You’re having thoughts of self-harm or suicide. The National Suicide Prevention Helpline can be reached by dialing or texting 988.
Here are 10 unexpected signs that you’re stressed:
— Your hair falls out.
— Your digestive system feels out of whack.
— You’re not getting enough sleep.
— Your skin breaks out.
— You heal slowly.
— You have trouble concentrating.
— You’re really low on energy.
— You have difficulty breathing.
— Your vision changes.
— You gain weight.
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10 Unexpected Signs That You’re Stressed originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 02/23/24: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
