Do You Know About These Surprising Symptoms of Stress?

If there's one aspect of our health that I would say definitely needs more of our attention, it's stress and stress management. Whether you personally get stressed out primarily from work, school, family, or in some other area of your life, stress can make itself known in a variety of physical symptoms and forms.

For example, some of us may experience sweaty palms or dizziness, while others may experience stomach cramps and other issues in the gut and the digestive system. I thought that I was pretty well versed in knowing the warning signs of high levels of stress and anxiety in the body, until I read an article by Care 2 about how there are some pretty surprising and even unusual symptoms that many people, not even doctors, know to look for. If you are prone to getting stressed out often, you may want to read on to learn about some unusual ways that your body may be letting you know to take a bit of a breather.

Do you ever find yourself waking up on Saturday morning ready to start the weekend, only to notice that your head is throbbing? You would think that headaches that are related to stress would only occur during the events that stress you out; for most of us, this means our nine to five jobs. Interestingly enough, the article reminds us that job-related stress can actually manifest during the weekend. This is because if you go four or five days in a row being constantly stressed, the sudden decrease in stress during the weekend can actually cause a headache or even a migraine. It's a pretty sneaky thing for your body to do, so bemindful of it. 

If you have been skipping time at the gym or any sort of fitness class or routine, this may be another sign of stress. Stress and anxiety can actually decrease a person's motivation, energy, and desire to work out. Ironically enough, exercise is a wonderful natural stress reliever, so be sure to push past this temptation. One more symptom to look out for is jaw pain or tightness. In your stressed out state of mind, you may be clenching your teeth without even realizing it; I know I've been guilty of this. You may also be grinding your jaw at night while you sleep, which will cause pain throughout the day.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may want to consider taking the time to destress with a walk, yoga, or even writing in a journal.

Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of davitydave