How to Manage Stress: 4 Signs Your Body Is Saying It's Tired

Stress occurs when you are feeling overwhelmed, causing worry or mental tension due to challenges. How to manage stress?

It’s a natural reaction prompting us to address life’s difficulties.

Everyone experiences stress, and how we manage it significantly impacts our well-being.

Recent research highlights that major stressors in daily American life include finances (52%), current events (37%), health (37%), and relationships (29%), per the NY Post.

When our bodies perceive a threat or feel overwhelmed, they enter fight-or-flight mode, releasing cortisol and adrenaline, reducing insulin production, and constricting blood vessels.

Sad woman sitting on a dock by the lake — Pexels

In short-term crises, our bodies respond to threats and recover from heightened cortisol levels.

Yet, prolonged periods without relief make these spikes normal, preventing our bodies from recovering fully.

This can significantly impact health, contributing to conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and weight gain.

Jennifer King from Case Western Reserve University highlighted in TIME that ignoring stress signs prompts our bodies to escalate warnings until we notice.

“The problem is, we become conditioned early on to stop listening to our bodies,” she said.

Many may miss important signs of prolonged, repetitive, or unpredictable stress.

King explains that continuous activation of the stress response triggers a series of bodily changes.

When stress is overwhelming and lacks clear starting or stopping points, it wears down the body over time.

With this in mind, it’s important to be aware of changes in our relationships, physical sensations, and mental well-being and to be open to feedback from others.

Here are four signs that your body needs a break:

1. You’re having a bad stomach and low-quality sleep.

Man sitting on bed, looking at his clock — Pexels

Stress can manifest in digestive problems such as upset stomach, constipation, or indigestion, and it may affect appetite, leading to weight changes.

Indianapolis therapist Ashley Fields notes that stress often causes muscle tension, contributing to headaches, jaw pain, and back and shoulder discomfort.

Fields emphasizes the importance of being aware of bodily sensations to recognize tension.

Stress can also impact sleep, causing fatigue even after a full night’s sleep.

Fields advises prioritizing relaxation and rest to address these symptoms effectively.

Stress, written by a crumbling red colored pencil — Pexels

2. Troubled relationship.

Feeling overwhelmed in your relationships can make you more irritable and short-tempered.

King notes that increased crankiness and a desire to isolate may indicate stress.

If someone close to you mentions changes in your mood, don’t dismiss their concern, as others often notice stress signs before we do.

3. You’re becoming too emotional.

Sad man standing by the seashore — Pexels

If you haven’t taken a break when you need one, you might experience increased gloominess and anxiety.

Dr. Gerda Maissel emphasizes that your mood can be significantly impacted, with thoughts repeating and difficulty remembering or finding words.

Stress can also make you lose interest in activities you once enjoyed and neglect basic self-care.

Chronic stress often leads to feeling overwhelmed and struggling to cope with daily issues.

“I call it tipping,” she says. “If you’re like a plank on a seesaw, and you’ve got stuff weighing you down and you’re trying to keep everything in balance, eventually a lot of things will slide down with you.”

Maissel notes that this can result in tearfulness, outbursts, and difficulty making simple decisions.

4. Your immune system weakens

Stress affects all body systems and can weaken the immune system, making you more likely to get sick, says Fields, a specialist in women’s issues and perinatal mental health.

She notes that her grad students often get sick after graduation because their bodies need to heal from prolonged stress.

Furthermore, the American Psychological Association states that stress reduces virus-fighting cells and raises cortisol levels, which hinders the body’s anti-inflammatory response.

Constantly getting sick could be your body’s way of demanding a break.

How do you take a break when you’re feeling overwhelmed?

Happy woman sitting on the grass — Pexels

Fields recommends a daily self-check for thirty seconds to assess feelings and needs, fostering a routine to monitor well-being and make lifestyle adjustments.

She advises against feeling pressured to take a long break if you need rest, suggesting brief moments throughout the day instead—like turning off your phone, coloring, or connecting with loved ones.

Fields also suggests a quick breathing exercise: inhaling and exhaling intentionally for three to five counts each.

Maissel incorporates movement breaks into her day, such as climbing stairs or tending to plants, to reduce stress.

King suggests avoiding the need for big relaxation sessions by integrating small, stress-reducing activities throughout the day, especially during transitions or daily routines.

She emphasizes choosing enjoyable activities to effectively manage stress.

King incorporates one-song dance parties into her day to refresh and energize.

These short breaks help her body process daily stressors, providing a way to soothe and prepare for upcoming tasks.

Here’s a quick video on how your brain is affected by constantly feeling overwhelmed or stressed:

Disclaimer: This article is provided solely for informational purposes and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or opinion. It is strongly recommended to consult with qualified professionals for any health concerns or issues.