Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure and is your body’s reaction to help you deal with pressure or threats, this can be known as our “fight or flight” response. When you are stressed your body releases hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Your stress hormone levels usually return to normal once the pressure or threat has passed.
A small amount of stress can be useful as it can motivate you to take action, get tasks completed and can also make you feel alive and excited. But too much stress can cause negative effects such as a change in your mood, your body and can sometimes cause issues in your relationships.
Common Warning signs for stress
Mental:
- Worrying about the past or future
- Imagining the worst
- Forgetfulness
- Finding it difficult to concentrate
- Feeling irritable
- Finding it hard to switch off
- Going over things in your mind a lot
- Feeling down
Physical:
- Headaches
- Sweating more than normal
- Muscle tension or pain in your body
- Stomach problems
- Feeling tired and dizzy
- Sexual problems
- Short breath and fast heart beat
