The occasional stressful workday is a part of everyday life. However, when you are under chronic stress, you will suffer a daily assault of stress hormones than can produce a range of subtler physical symptoms. For many people, stress is such a common feeling that is becomes difficult to realize when one is under too much stress. The physical symptoms of stress may often not be realized as such until they are taking a huge toll on life. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s important to take a break and contact a doctor for help managing your stress.
Weekend Headaches
If you are suffering chronic stress due to your job, a sudden drop in stress can bring on migraines and headaches. If you consistently suffer headaches during the evenings and weekends when you’re not dealing with the stress of your career, it’s a big tell-tale sign that you’re under chronic stress. To minimize weekend headaches, try to stick as closely to your weekday eating and sleeping routines as possible. You may also wish to speak to a doctor if the problem persists.
Painful Periods
Women who are under chronic stress are much more likely to suffer more painful periods than those who are not. If you are currently experiencing more painful menstrual cramps than usual, your stress levels may be too high. It’s important to address the issues that are causing this by contacting a doctor to help with your stress during the rest of the month. Regular exercise can also help to manage hormones and soothe your cramps.
Jaw Aching
Experiencing soreness in the mouth and jaw can be a symptoms of chronic stress. Jaw pain is most often caused by grinding of the teeth, which usually occurs during sleep and can be worsened by stress. If you experience this symptom, ask your dentist about getting a night time mouth guard – up to seventy percent of people who use one have reduced teeth grinding or even stopped it altogether.
Acne Breakouts
High levels of stress can increase the inflammation which leads to breakouts of acne in adults. If you experience acne out of nowhere, even if you’ve never had it before, it could be a sure sign that you are under too much stress. You can buy over-the-counter lotions and moisturizers to help ease the symptoms of acne. If the breakouts persist, you should see your doctor.
Sugar Cravings
If you’re craving sweet foods more than you usually do, stress could be a likely trigger. Whilst there are other reasons for sugar cravings – especially hormones in women – research shows that the majority of the time that you’re hankering for a chocolate bar, stress is the culprit. Satisfy these cravings with healthier foods such as sweet strawberries, apples or frozen yogurt.
Varicose Veins
If varicose or spider veins have begun to appear in your legs, it could be for a variety of reasons. However, don’t ignore stress as the cause – chronic stress results in muscular tissue damage and a raised blood pressure which can contribute to varicose veins. See a vascular doctor for more information.
Speak to your doctor if you’re under a lot of stress.