Hidden Signs Your Body Is Overstressed (That Most People Ignore)

 Hidden Signs Your Body Is Overstressed (That Most People Ignore)

Many people associate stress only with feelings of anxiety or worry, but there is another way to define stress. Stress has physical manifestations that are often apparent before there is any emotional associated with them.

Your body's over-stressed symptoms occur regardless if you think you are handling everything perfectly fine.

The over-stressed physical signs are usually subtle, have physiological implications, and are typically overlooked until they lead to significant adverse health effects.

If you're feeling "off" and have no clue of why you feel this way, this article will identify those subtle signs of over-stressed bodies, identify why these physical signs occur, and provide you with natural methods to recover.

What happens in an overstressed body?

When you encounter stress the body's fight or flight response is immediately activated.

As a response to stress in the body, multiple hormones are released, including but not limited to:

• Adrenaline
• Cortisol
• Noradrenaline

In the short term, these hormones are there to protect you.

However, cortisol is not designed to stay in your system for an extended period. Prolonged elevated levels of cortisol will ultimately cause you adverse health effects to the following systems: 

• Brain, 
• Hormonal, 
• Immune, 
• Digestive, 
• Heart Health, and 
• Sleep cycle.

Eventually, your body will start to produce warning signs.

Let's find them!

1. Persistent Weakness Despite Sleep

There's no denying that feeling tired for an extended time is the first hidden sign of overstress on the body.

You may:

• Get 8 to 9 hours of sleep at night
• Awaken with no energy
• Find that little tasks make you fatigued

This is because prolonged stress has a negative effect on the autonomic nervous system's ability to go through deep restorative sleep.

You won't fully recuperate from any of the three stages of sleep even when your body is functioning properly.

2. Frequent Headaches/Migrains

Stress causes neck and shoulder muscles to be tight, and as the body tries to cope with the constant tension, you may experience:

• Tension Headaches
• Migraines
• Pressure Behind the Eyes

If you experience frequent headaches without an obvious reason as to the cause, stress may be the underlying reason.

3. Digestive Issues for No Apparent Reason

Your brain is connected to your gut via the gut-brain axis. 

As such, when you experience stress, you may have any number of digestive problems including:

• Bloating
• Abdominal Pain
• Constipation
• IBS-like symptoms
• Diarrhea
• Acid Reflux

Many times an increase in production of cortisol caused by prolonged stress can cause the gut to not function effectively, resulting in digestive issues and the relative ratio of good to bad gut bacteria can also be disrupted.

4. Hair Loss 

A number of people who have hair changes due to stress fail to connect hair changes with their stress from work or their everyday lives. 

Long-term chronic and sustained stress can cause:

• Telogen effluvium - temporary or shedding phase
• Decreased hair growth
• Brittle or weak hair.

5. Brain Fog and Trouble Concentrating

Mental fog is another significant hidden sign your body has been exposed to excessive amounts of stress. 

You may start to notice you have the following signs: 

• Difficulty recalling simple information
• Increased difficulties with concentrating
• Difficulties finishing any task you've started

Your thought process or rate of thinking has significantly decreased

This occurrence is due to digestive problems in your body and how they can negatively impact your body's ability to function properly.

6. Enhanced Cravings for Junk Food or Sugary

With your body wanting fast energy, your cortisol levels will rise. You become longing for:

• Sugary

• Salty

• Processed Carbohydrates

This isn't a question of discipline it's simple stress related hormones.

7. Your Immune System is Suppressed

You may be getting sick more often because your chronic stress level may be contributing to that. Chronic stress:

• Suppresses the immune system's ability to respond

• Leads to frequent colds

• Causes slower healing of injuries

• Recurring

8. Muscle Pain/Body Aches

Stress causes your muscles to tighten. Three places your muscles tend to get tighter are:

• Neck

• Shoulders

• Back

• Jaw

Eventually when tight muscles become chronic, the person typically has no injury.

9. Palpitations/Chest Constriction

Adrenaline is released in response to stress. Physical signs you may notice include:

• Heart palpitations

• Chest constriction

• Rapid heart rate

If testing for medical problems is normal it may be because of stress.

10. Skin Problems

The skin mirrors what is happening inside you, and excess of stress can contribute to:

• Acne

• Eczema

• Dry Skin

• Rashes

• Premature Aging

Cortisol is responsible for causing inflammation within the body which affects the skin and its ability to heal.

11. Mood Swings Without Explanation

Additionally, excessive stress can lead to feelings of:

• Irritability

• Emotional numbness

• Overly sensitive

• Overwhelmed

This is due to an exhausted nervious system.

12. Sleep Issues - Trouble Falling Asleep / Sleeping Through Night

Even when you're tired, you may have issues getting your betime because of brain not being able to "switch off" from stress. Additionally, stress can disrupt:

• Melatonin

• Your sleeping cycles; and

• The length and depth of your REM sleep. All three contribute to a cycle where you have exacerbated poor sleep which creates more stress.

13. Decreased Libido

Chronic stress shifts hormones; therefore your libido will also shift.

14. Always Feeling Like You're "On Edge"

If your body constantly feels tense even in quiet, relaxed situations, it means that your nervous system has gone into high alert mode.

This indicates that your body is suffering from the effects of ongoing stress overload.

Why These Hidden Signs Are Harmful

The issue is not the stress itself.

The issue is that many people ignore these warning signs until it is too late.

If ongoing stress continues, some potential health issues that may occur are:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Metabolic conditions

When your body whispers to you that something is wrong, you need to pay attention before it becomes so loud that it comes out as a scream.

How to Recover from Overstress Naturally

Replenishing your body is possible.

Below are six methods that research has demonstrated will help reset your nervous system.

1. Improve Sleep Hygiene

• Have a fixed bedtime.
• Avoid screen time for one hour prior to falling asleep.
• Make sure your bedroom is dark and cool.

2. Get Regular Physical Activity

Even just walking for 20 minutes each day will decrease your cortisol (the hormone associated with stress).

3. Use Nervous System Reset Techniques

• Practice deep breathing.
• Splash your face with cold water.
• Meditate.
• Practice progressive muscle relaxation.

4. Minimize Stimulant Use

• Cut back on caffeinated beverages.
• Reduce sugar intake.
• Limit the use of energy drinks.

5. Consume Stress-Reducing Nutrients

Focus on consuming the following nutrients:

• Magnesium
• Omega 3 fatty acids
• B vitamins
• Protein

6. Establish Boundaries

Practice the following:

• Learn to say "no."
• Reduce your complete workload.
• Take breaks.

Final Thought

The hidden signs that your body is overloaded with stress can be very easy for you to overlook because they do not resemble anxiety or panic as the common symptoms associated with stress often do.

However, your body always signals to you when something is wrong with it.

If you are currently experiencing multiple signs associated with constant stress overload, it may be time to step away from your normal routine for a short period of time.