7 Warning Signs You’re Extremely Stressed

On By Yukito

A woman sits at a desk and looks stressed, staring at her laptop and holding glasses in her hands

Feeling stressed? (Photo: Getty Images)

According to the Mental Health Foundation, 74% of adults in the UK admit to feeling stressed from time to time.

Furthermore, it usually leads to feeling “overwhelmed” or unable to cope. Stress can manifest itself in different ways depending on the person, and if left untreated or recognized, it can have a detrimental effect on our mental health and overall life.

So we talked to Jane Ollis, medical biochemist, environmental scientist, thinker, speaker and founder of MindSpire, about how to recognize stress and what causes it.

What is stress and how does it affect the brain?

A scientist analyzes the composition of the brain on the screen

Stress causes our body to sense danger (Image: Getty Images)

“Stress triggers a cascade of responses in the brain, starting with the amygdala, which senses danger and signals to the hypothalamus,” explains Ollis.

“This activates the body’s fight-or-flight response, releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.” In the short term, this response is helpful because it prepares the body to deal with immediate challenges.

A white man lies with his head on the sofa, holding his face and looking stressed

Stress releases cortisol (Image: Getty Images)

However, chronic stress causes a “continuous release of cortisol,” the expert adds, which can have a negative impact on the brain and body.

In the brain, “excess cortisol can lead to changes in the hippocampus, a region responsible for memory and learning.”

While it does not physically destroy the hippocampus, “long-term exposure to cortisol can impair hippocampal function and over time contribute to hippocampal shrinkage.” Basically, this means that chronic stress can make it harder to learn new things and recall memories.

A scientist analyzes the composition of the brain on the screen

Cortisol regulates inflammation (Image: Getty Images)

On the other hand, Ollis notes that the amygdala, which is “responsible for processing emotions, especially fear,” can become overactive under long-term stress.

This can lead to feelings of anxiety, being on edge and being constantly on alert.

Additionally, Ollis explains that cortisol plays a role in regulating inflammation.

He says, “Under normal circumstances, cortisol helps control inflammation, but with chronic stress, the body can become resistant to the effects of cortisol.” This can increase inflammation, “contributing to a range of health problems, including cognitive decline and other stress-related diseases.”

What are the signs that you are stressed?

A man sits on a sofa and talks to a therapist

Under stress, the body produces cortisol (Photo: Getty Images)

Here, Ollis details 7 different signs of stress, along with the impact they can have on your physical and mental health…

1. You experience irritability and mood swings

Stressed woman holds her head in her hands while arguing with her male partner

Feeling fast? This is a classic sign of stress (Image: Getty Images)

We all know that stress can make you more irritable than usual. But why? “If you get upset over little things or feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster, this is a clear sign that stress may be creeping into your life,” states Ollis.

According to the expert, mood swings often result from the tension the brain experiences as it constantly processes stressors, “leaving little room for emotional regulation.”

2. You don’t sleep

Woman in bed covers her eyes with her hands, trying to fall asleep

Stress can often affect sleep quality (Image: Getty Images)

Stress and good sleep rarely go hand in hand. Ollis explains that stress can cause your mind to speed up and make it harder to fall asleep.

Plus, you may end up waking up frequently during the night. Hands up: When you’ve been stressed, how many of you have woken up at night, mulling over a problem in your head, lifting your spirits even more, at a time when there is literally nothing you can do about the problem?

Essentially, without adequate rest, the body has a hard time recovering, “creating a cycle in which both stress and sleep deprivation feed off each other,” Ollis details.

3. You feel muscle tension and stress headaches

A woman wearing a pink sweater and white jeans holds her hands to her head with stress

Stress can also appear in the body (Photo: Getty Images)

“Muscle tension, especially in the neck, shoulders and jaw, is a common physical symptom of stress,” writes Ollis.

This tension can lead to frequent headaches – especially tension headaches – caused by tight muscles in the head and neck. “It’s your body’s way of dealing with stress, often without you even realizing it.”

4. Your intestines are twisted

Woman wearing orange sweater, cream top and white jeans holds her stomach and feels stressed

Stress can also appear in our digestive system (Photo: Getty Images)

Ollis explains that the brain and gut are closely connected through the gut-brain axis.

This combination means that stress can wreak havoc on your digestive system and you may experience bloating, indigestion or sudden changes in your bowel movements such as constipation or diarrhea.

“Stress diverts energy from digestion, causing indigestion in the gut,” he adds.

5. Your HRV has taken a dive

A running woman analyzes her heart rate using a fitness watch and smartphone

Your nervous system may also be imbalanced (Image: Getty Images)

“If you use a wearable device that monitors heart rate variability (HRV), you may notice a drop in HRV when you are stressed,” warns Ollis.

For those unfamiliar with this acronym, it basically means the difference in time between heartbeats, with a lower HRV indicating that your body is in fight or flight mode and trying to recover.

Ollis continues: “Chronic stress leads to lower HRV, which shows that the autonomic nervous system is out of balance.” (Fun fact: HRV can also drop after a night of drinking, so pay attention to these patterns, adds the expert).

6. You catch colds more often

A woman wrapped in a blanket sits on the sofa and struggles with a cold

Chronically stressed people are more likely to catch colds (Image: Getty Images)

Chronic stress weakens the immune system, increasing susceptibility to disease. Ollis points to research by Sheldon Cohen at Carnegie Mellon University, which found that people exposed to chronic stress “are more likely to catch a cold when exposed to viruses.”

He adds: “His research shows that stress impairs the body’s ability to regulate inflammation, making it harder for the immune system to fight common illnesses like colds and flu.”

This is because stress “reduces the efficiency of immune cells, making us more susceptible to infections.”

7. You have difficulty concentrating

A man with glasses and a red shirt sits at his desk at work, putting his hands to his face in stress

Stress can also affect your ability to concentrate (Image: Getty Images)

As anyone who has been stressed knows, it doesn’t just affect your body; it also affects your ability to think clearly.

Ollis explains that when you’re stressed, your brain “prioritizes survival, making you less able to focus, concentrate, and retain information.”

Additionally, you may find that your attention span decreases and tasks that were once simple seem overwhelming.

What to do if you are stressed?

A woman in pajamas sits in an unmade bed and looks stressed and sad

Feeling stressed? Don’t worry, there are ways out (Image: Getty Images)

If you are struggling with stress, the first thing you need to do is take a step back from everything and just breathe.

Often, when you take the time to gain a clearer perspective, things are never as bad as they seem.

However, if you still feel like you can’t cope and stress is consuming your daily life, the NHS has prepared a list of steps that can help you. Some of them include:

  • Talk to friends, family or a health care professional about how you feel.
  • Other stores, such as Samaritans, are also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Use calming breathing exercises
  • Use time management techniques to help you take control
  • Plan stressful days or events in advance
  • Listen to free audio guides on mental wellbeing.

You can find the full National Health Service stress help page here.

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