5 Physical Signs of Stress

Stress is a mental and physical reaction to a perceived threat and has evolved as a helpful response. Our body's are quick to adapt to new situations and use stress to ignite the body to take action. Once the stress has gone away, the body & mind are able to calm down and function at a more balanced level. If the stress never goes away, such as pressure from society, the workplace, family, or just everyday life, this can lead to chronic stress and can be harmful for the body.

Stress can manifest in different ways, here are 5 signs that your body might be under chronic stress:

1. Trouble sleeping

Stress increases your cortisol levels which tell your brain when it’s daytime.

2. Muscle tension or jaw clenching

During times of stress, your brain sends signals to your muscles to be ready to run. This

can cause tense muscles and commonly results in a clenched jaw or clenched fists.

3. Rapid breathing

Sometimes stress can leave you feeling short of breath. This is because the brain sends

signals to your lungs to tense up during times of stress.

4. Digestive problems such as bloating, reflux, constipation, or diarrhoea

Stress downregulates the ‘rest & digest’ nervous system which can slow down your

digestion. In some cases, this results in a slower digestive system and undigested food

sits in the stomach and intestines; in other cases this can cause a rapid digestion to rid

the body of any food (even when not properly digested), causing diarrhoea.

5. Low libido

Your brain and body must feel safe for arousal to occur. If your body & brain are in a

state of constant stress, your libido may be lowered.

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in managing chronic stress. Our body's use nutrients to create complex chemical reactions; if our body is under constant stress stimulation triggering these reactions, it is common to see nutritional deficiencies such as vitamin C, magnesium & zinc. Additionally, as the digestive system is usually less effective when stressed, this may affect the absorption of several nutrients, such as vitamin B12 & vitamin D.