10 Stress Symptoms That Every Working Individual Should Be Aware Of

You are about to finish a task just before the deadline, the client is calling continuously, team members want your help and the boss wants you to discuss a new project. How does it feel? You might start sweating, heart rate spikes and you burn up with everyone. These may be the symptoms of stress.

We all experience stress in our everyday life. It is an emotional or physical tension created by some situations. However, an unhealthy amount of stress can be harmful to our mental and physical health. 

We go through some challenging situations that make us feel uncomfortable, tense and threatened. Such situations are known as stress triggers. Every person reacts differently to these situations. Therefore, it is called a stress reaction.

How to know if you are stressed? Here we have compiled a list of stress symptoms that you should be aware of. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

• Anger and irritability – the first sign and symptom of stress is too much anger and irritability. You must have heard of the phrase, ‘anger does not solve anything, but destroys everything’. Do you also get angry about minor issues or behave rudely to people around you? This sudden change in your behavior can be the result of stress. There is a relationship between stress levels and anger levels in people. Relaxation and anger management techniques can help you manage your anger level. 

 

• Mood swings – the rapid and intense fluctuation of someone’s mood is known as mood swings. There are various reasons for a person facing mood swings. It is also one of the common traits of those who are stressed. People feel a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes they might feel happiness and the next minute they get angry or sad. This sudden change in their mood because of stress can be problematic. 

 

• Anxiety and nervousness – people often get confused between anxiety and nervousness and there is a thin line between both concepts. Nervousness is emotional tension. On the other hand, anxiety is a feeling of fear, uneasiness and worry. It can be a stress reaction. If you get nervous and start feeling anxiety in a challenging situation, it can be a symptom of stress.

 

• Lack of concentration – facing difficulty concentrating in studies or work is a regular occurrence. However, the reason for the lack of concentration may differ. Stress also causes a change in hormones and tiredness. All these problems mean it can be difficult to focus on a particular task, which affects work productivity. Sometimes, people are unable to complete daily tasks because of a lack of concentration. Staying focused is essential for completing any task.

 

• Difficulty sleeping – the body needs rest to perform better. Improper or lack of sleep can lead to various health-related issues and when stressed, a sound night’s sleep feels like a challenging task. Stress impacts sleep quality as well as sleep duration. So, when people don’t have a fixed sleeping timing or cannot sleep properly, stress can be the reason. According to experts, 7-8 hours of sound sleep is necessary for the human body. 

 

• Fatigue – the mental and physical state of feeling extreme tiredness and experiencing a lack of energy is known as fatigue. Stress affects sleeping and eating schedules. All these things result in low energy levels. When people feel tired, it also affects their passion and enthusiasm for work. They don’t feel like working, which affects their work quality and productivity. 

 

• Increased blood pressure – people eat a healthy diet and take various precautions to maintain their blood pressure. High blood pressure and low blood pressure are both harmful to human health; stress can also increase blood pressure. Whenever there is a challenging or stressful situation, the heart starts beating faster. If stress turns to anxiety and depression, it may even result in a severe heart-related disease. 

 

• Weight gain – did you know there is a link between weight gain and stress? According to experts, the rise in the stress hormone, cortisol, leads to weight gain. So, it is another physical symptom of stress. If facing sudden weight gain issues, it could be because of stress. When feeling stressed, the adrenal glands release adrenaline and cortisol, which slows down the metabolism and makes losing weight more difficult. 

 

• Dry mouth – it is believed that breathing through the nose is a healthy and efficient way. But when feeling anxious or stressed, people have a tendency to breathe through the mouth. Opening the mouth to breathe results in a dry mouth. When breathing rapidly through the mouth, it is known as hyperventilation, which also results in a dry mouth. It is a common stress symptom and that is why it is said that taking a deep breath through the nose is a relaxing technique.   

 

• Headaches – stress is one of the most common reasons for headaches. Even if suffering from a headache because of any other reason, stress and tension can make it worse. When stuck with various problems at the same time, it can make people’s heads hurt. Sometimes they start feeling a fever, weakness and numbness, along with headaches. Simplifying the problems and getting enough rest is the only solution to this problem. 

The bottom line

These are some physical and emotional symptoms of stress. Most working people find it challenging to maintain a work-life balance. As a result, they face difficulty in managing their personal and professional life. On the other hand, some people don’t like their work or office environment. All of these situations may lead working people to stress. If experiencing the symptoms mentioned above, it could be stress.  

We all are so busy in school, college, work, with kids and other responsibilities that avoiding stress is complex. But it is not impossible. Going through a stress management ebook can be helpful. In addition, adopting good habits and some positive lifestyle changes can help fight stress.