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If you’ve got knots in your shoulders, a stiff neck or your lower back cramped up after a long day, it could be the constant of a job or personal situation, not just the position you sit in during the day. “Sometimes the most effective way a doctor can treat a patient is to teach them about their symptoms,” says Dr. So knowing it’s not some serious health problem may make a person feel better. People oftentimes feel worse worrying and trying to figure out what the cause could be. Knowing what your headache‘s coming from is helpful therapy. What to do: “When stress is the cause of your headache, the easiest thing to say is, ‘have less stress in your life.’ But that advice itself is stressful,” says Dr. You should visit a doctor immediately, advises Dr. Keep in mind, if your head pain feels like a “migraine headache,” “the worst headache of your life,” or a headache that wakens you from sleep, those are signs of a dangerous health problem. Oftentimes people point to particular troubles in their life that might be causing this pain, but lifestyle might be to blame instead. If you experience throbbing or feel pressure anywhere on the head or temple area, there’s a good chance it’s a tension or stress headache, says Dr. You have a constant headache that just won’t go away. RELATED: 3 Guided Meditations for Productivity, Sleep and Cravings 3. This type of breathing can help control the heart rate and blood flow, as well as muscle tension, she says.
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It also affects the bodily sensations that are experienced when faced with a high-stress situation,” says Tuit. “Deep, even breathing not only affects whether or not our thoughts control us or we control them. What to do: If you find that you’re experiencing this during the workday, taking a few long inhales and exhales can help.
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Studies have shown that long-term stress stimulates growth of the proteins that might cause Alzheimer’s disease. Research has connected long-term exposure to excess amounts of cortisol to shrinking of the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center, says Tuit. When you’re too overwhelmed to focus on what’s in front of you, it could be a sign you’re overworked. “A tired body is not well prepared to cope with stressful situations and ward off illness.” 2. Whether you recently spent time traveling or finalizing a huge work project, allow your body the time it needs to recover. What to do: Listen to your body when you feel tired or drained. “Stress can also slow wound healing, contribute to the reactivation of latent viruses and increase vulnerability to viral infections,” says Keri Tuit, clinical psychologist at Yale University. But when these hormones are withdrawn, we become more susceptible to sickness.Īnd the side effects don’t end there. “But if you’re stressed out constantly, these hormones aren’t as helpful and can become depleted over time.” Colgan says cortisol and other hormones are components of the immune system that help the body cope with stress. “When we are under extreme pressure, our bodies secrete a stress hormone called cortisol that can help us short-term,” says Richard Colgan, MD, professor of family and community medicine at University of Maryland School of Medicine and author of Advice to the Healer. If it seems like every week you’ve got a cough, sore throat or a fever, you might want to blame your workload and not just your sneezing coworker. You’re perpetually sick and just can’t seem to get over it. RELATED: What Mental Health Experts Do to De-Stress 8 Unexpected Signs You Have Too Much Stress in Your Life 1.
#Relax sign how to
Here are some not-so-obvious signs that you need to relax a bit more - and how to do it. Want more ways to get a handle on your stress levels? Catch the red flags. Take a walk, write in a journal or pull out a paintbrush. In honor of Mental Health Month, we encourage you to take time each day to de-stress and do something that makes you happy. But when you’re constantly in a state of tension and anxiety, it can have an effect on your body’s physical and emotional state.Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of all illness and disease is stress-related. There are times when stress can be a good thing - it can help you conquer fears or motivate you to get something done. Unless you surround yourself with Tibetan monks, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone in your life - including you - that wouldn’t say they’re stressed about something.
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