We often think of stress as something happening in our minds, but sometimes our bodies tell us we are stressed before we even realise it.
Most of us know the feeling. You have too much to do, you are rushing from one thing to another, your phone keeps buzzing, and your mind is already thinking about tomorrow before today is even finished.
Stress has become such a normal part of modern life that we often don't pay much attention to it. We might say, “I'm stressed”, have a coffee and carry on.
But while stress may start with a deadline, an argument, financial worries, or simply having too much on our plate, our bodies react to it too.
And sometimes the signs are surprisingly physical.
What happens when we are stressed?
Stress itself isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, our body's stress response is there for a reason.
When we find ourselves in a stressful situation, the body releases hormones including adrenaline and cortisol. Our heart may beat faster, our breathing can become quicker, and we suddenly feel more alert.
This is often called the “fight or flight” response.
It once helped humans react quickly to physical danger, but today what triggers it might be very different: an overflowing inbox, being stuck in traffic when we are already late, worrying about money, or dealing with a difficult situation at home.
For a short period, this response can actually be useful. It can help us concentrate before an important meeting, react quickly to a situation or get through a particularly demanding day.
Once the stressful moment has passed, the body is designed to settle down again.
The bigger problem can come when that feeling doesn't really go away.
When stress becomes part of everyday life
There is a big difference between feeling nervous before an important event and spending weeks or months feeling as though you are constantly under pressure.
When stress continues for longer periods, we may start noticing it in ways that we don't immediately connect with stress.
Perhaps you are struggling to fall asleep despite feeling exhausted. Your shoulders always seem tense. You are getting more headaches than usual, or your stomach feels unsettled. According to the British Heart Foundation, longer-term stress can be accompanied by symptoms including headaches, unexplained aches and difficulty sleeping. Smithsonian Magazine also points to muscle tension, digestive problems, and disturbed sleep as ways stress can affect us physically.
Our eating habits can change too. Some people lose their appetite when they are stressed, while others find themselves reaching for comfort food more often.
And then there is sleep.
Stress and sleep can easily become an unpleasant circle. We worry, so we don't sleep well. Then we wake up tired, which can make an already busy day feel even harder.
Your heart feels it too
One of the most noticeable reactions to stress is often a racing heart.
During a stressful moment, adrenaline temporarily increases heart rate and blood pressure. This is a normal part of the body's immediate response and, once the situation passes, things usually settle again.
When it comes to long-term stress and heart disease, however, the picture is more complicated.
The British Heart Foundation says research has found a link between stress and a small increased risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, but it also stresses that researchers are still trying to understand exactly how the relationship works.
There can also be an indirect effect.
When life feels overwhelming, healthy habits are often among the first things to disappear. We might exercise less, eat differently, drink more alcohol or smoke more. Over time, some of these habits can have their own impact on our health.
Sometimes the answer really is to slow down
Of course, telling somebody who is stressed to “just relax” rarely helps.
Most of us cannot simply remove everything stressful from our lives. There will always be work deadlines, family responsibilities, bills to pay and unexpected problems.
What we can sometimes change is how much time our body spends in that constant state of alert.
And it doesn't necessarily require completely changing your life.
Going for a walk, exercising, putting the phone away for a while, spending time outside, seeing friends or simply giving yourself a quiet half an hour can all create a break in a busy day.
Even something as basic as slowing down our breathing can help during a stressful moment. When we are stressed, our breathing often becomes faster and shallower. Taking a moment to breathe more slowly can help the body move towards a calmer state.
The important thing is finding something that genuinely works for you. For one person, it might be running; for another, gardening, reading, cooking, swimming or simply walking along the beach.