Signs of Stress in your Body, Mood and Behaviour

Stress can show up in your life and affect your health in many different ways. Some of the signs of stress are also not as obvious, and you may not even connect the dots and realise that they are stress-related.

That’s why it really useful to become aware of the different symptoms of stress, so that you can notice warning signs and take steps to manage it better before it gets worse.

Stress in the body, mind and behaviours.

Stress can show up in your body, your thoughts, your mood, and even in your behaviours. And when it’s not dealt with, it can have a bigger impact on your health and wellbeing.

Below are some of the most common symptoms of stress to look out for.

Signs of stress in your body

Stress shows up in many different ways in the body. Some of the most common include headaches, digestive problems and insomnia.

Do any of the symptoms below show up regularly in your body?

Headaches

Chest pain

Muscle tension

Aches and pains in the body

Fatigue and low energy

Lower sex drive

Digestive issues like IBS and an upset stomach

Struggling to sleep

Frequent colds and infections

Hair loss

Teeth grinding and jaw clenching

Cold and sweaty hands or feet

Shaking

Ringing in the ears

Signs of stress in your mind and mood

Stress not only affects our bodies, it also affects our mental state and moods.

Do any of the symptoms below show up regularly in your moods?

Anxiety

Overwhelm

Restlessness

Lack of motivation

Feeling scattered and unfocused

Irritability and moodiness

Anger

Depression

Feeling more negative and down than usual

Unbalanced emotions

Loneliness and isolation

Forgetfulness

Constant worrying

Unable to relax

Signs of stress in your behaviours

As stress affects our bodies, minds and moods, it can also affect our behaviours. Because of stress, we can develop unhealthy eating habits, irregular sleeping habits and so much more.

Do any of the behaviours below show up in your life?

Emotional outbursts like anger or crying

Nervous habits like nail-biting and pacing

Overeating and binge-eating

Under-eating

Emotional outbursts

Excessive use of stimulants like coffee, sugar

Drinking, smoking and taking drugs to unwind

Withdrawing socially and isolating

Not exercising even if you know it'll help

Wanting to switch off from the world

Insomnia or oversleeping

Fidgeting and struggling to sit still

Procrastination and avoidance

Conflicts in relationships

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Managing the stress in your life

And so, which symptoms above show up in your life?

And could they be related to stress?

From this place of awareness, you can start to take small steps to manage the stress in your life better, so as to reduce it and prevent any further negative effects on your health and wellbeing.

Some simple strategies that can help reduce stress include regular exercise, eating a more balanced diet, taking more time out to relax and do fun activities, spending time with family or friends, and practising relaxation techniques like deep breathing, yoga and meditation.

Regardless of whether you’re already signed up to my newsletter or not, click here to signup and you’ll receive a free “10 Ways to Reduce Stress & Overwhelm” PDF guide.

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Are you ready to build more awareness of the stress in your life and takes steps to manage it better?

I hope that this post has helped you identify some of the signs of stress showing up in your life. Sometimes the signs aren’t that obvious and we can completely miss that they are in fact a result of stress.

With this awareness, you can start taking action to reduce and manage it better. And over time you’ll be able to shift from feeling stressed-out and highly-strung, to much calmer and more balanced.

After reviewing the signs of stress above, did you recognize any that show up in your life? Share in the comments, along with one action you’re going to take to help manage it better.

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And of course, if you’d like extra support, visit my Less Stress, More Joy coaching page or book a complimentary one-hour session with me. As a holistic health coach, I’m here for you.

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Keep shining
xoxo Sian

If you found this article useful, here is another one just for you: ‘Normal’ Stress vs Chronic Stress