Look for signs
Sometimes the onset of stress is sudden because of, for example, a flat tyre at the end of a busy day or sometimes it can be ongoing, from say, a difficult pressured job. Everyone reacts to stress in a different way. It's worth noting your own reaction, then you can identify when stress is getting too much.
You may have become so accustomed to feeling a certain way that you didn't even realise it was linked to being too stressed. Do any of these symptoms apply to you?
- Tiredness or having difficulty sleeping
- Headaches or stomach upsets
- Feelings of constant exhaustion
- Frequent minor illnesses like colds or sore throats
- Feeling tense or experiencing palpitations
- Increase in smoking or use of alcohol
- Emotional changes such as crying fits, being quick to lose your temper, talking too fast, the inability to express your feelings
- Difficulty making decisions, poor performance and concentration, forgetfulness
- Blaming yourself, feeling inadequate
- Dwelling on past situations and problems - being unable to 'let go'
- Nervous reflexes - habitual touching of the face, biting of the lip, tapping of the feet, fist clenching, blinking and nervous tics
- Inability to relax, always feeling that something needs to be done
- Impatience or irritability at minor problems
If you answered yes to one or more of these, you may be suffering from stress. Don't panic - everyone suffers from stress sometimes!
