Archive for warning signs of stress
What Happens to Your Body When You’re Stressed – Part 1
Posted by: | CommentsHave you heard the phrase, “stress is a killer”. Surely, that phrase should be a wake up call to get a handle on stress. But, unfortunately, most of us wear stress like a 
comfortable pair of old shoes.
According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, two-thirds of office visits to family doctors are for stress-related symptoms such as fatigue, body aches, obesity and heart palpitations.
These are stressful times for all of us and coupled with our day-to-day stressors, we can easily become affected by stressful symptoms.
When you have a gazillion things on your to-do-list, you’re overwhelmed by the demands on your time, and can’t take a minute just for yourself, your body will respond to these stressors as though you are in danger. Your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes faster, and you get a sudden burst of energy. This is known as the fight-or-flight response. This response is fine if you are in actually in danger. But, just imagine feeling this way several times a day for days on end.
Consider traffic jams, deadlines, eating on the run, bills to pay, job changes, family and community obligations, endless chores and errands, and demands and more demands on your time, and energy. That’s the reality for most of us, most days.
How would you feel if you could take care of everything you have to do and still carve out some time for self-care?
You don’t have to let stress rule your life.
In the next post, I’ll share with you the four areas of your life where stress takes a serious toll.
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Gladys Anderson, founder of Coach for YOUR Dreams, is a certified life coach, licensed marriage and family therapist, writer and speaker. Gladys combines years of experience, training and a genuine commitment to helping nurses, teachers, therapists and other care giving women to set limits so they have more time, and energy to devote to self-care.
The Effects of Stress and How it Shows Up in Your Life – Part 2
Posted by: | CommentsI know you hear a lot about stress but unless you get a grip on stress, stress will get a grip on you and won’t let go.
The second article in this series is meant to give you concrete examples of how stress shows up in your life.
I’m sure you have either experienced or know someone who seems prone to accidents, often gets burned while cooking, is always tired or gets frequent colds during the winter. It’s not that you or anyone else is unlucky, unhealthy, clumsy or unfocused. These are all early warning signs leading to stress overload.
Let’s take a look at the effects stress has on your body.
Physical Stress – Do you often complain of a headache or wake up tired? Here are some signs of physical stress:
- Frequent headaches
- Insomnia
- Stomach, neck and shoulder pains
- Frequent colds
- Excessive tiredness
Watch for frequent colds, pain or excessive tiredness, all which can indicate that your stress level is rising.
Mental Stress – Symptoms of mental stressors may show up as;
- Confusion
- Poor concentration
- Boredom and a negative attitude.
Forgetting to turn off a light is a lot different from not remembering something as important as a doctor’s appointment you have had for months. Not being able to concentrate on something that you have no interest in is not the same as frequently losing your train of thought while reading your favorite magazine.
Emotional Stress – Lately, have you noticed that you snap at your children, partner, and co-workers more so than usual. Do you find yourself making remarks that you can’t believe poured from your mouth? Watch for these signs of emotional stress:
- Irritablility
- Overly sensitive
- Impatience
- Angry
- Frustration and Excessive Worry
Stress is most likely the culprit and is effecting your emotional state. Ask yourself, “what’s going on in my life that is influencing how I feel? Is it my work, home life, children, family members?”
Emotional stress effects not only your well being but also the people around you who depend on you.
Social Stress – You’re declining more and more invitations to engage with family and friends. You would rather just stay home and watch TV. You just don’t want to be bothered and would rather be just left alone.
- Isolation
- Avoidance
- Lowered sex drive
- Nagging
Read the final article to learn how you can keep stress at bay.
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Gladys Anderson, founder of Coach for YOUR Dreams, is a certified life coach, licensed marriage and family therapist, writer and speaker. Gladys combines years of experience, training and a genuine commitment to helping nurses, teachers, therapists and other care giving women to set limits so they have more time, and energy to devote to self-care.
Relax, Rejuvenate and Rest
Posted by: | CommentsTalk about an “aha” moment…I have had several the past couple of weeks as I lay coughing, sneezing and feeling like walked on dirt from some all-encompassing “bug”.
There’s nothing quite as enlightening as not being able to do anything but lie still and take time for reflection.
How often have I said, “take time for yourself”, “take care of yourself first”, etc. (you’ve heard it from me many times). Yet, there I was completely depleted mainly because I neglected to take care of the most important person – me.
We often ignore all the warning signs – exhaustion, disturbed sleep patterns, lack of energy – while feeling like we’re on a fast moving treadmill at top speed. Don’t ignore these warning signs. This is exactly the time to detach from the stress, stop, breathe deeply, and take the time for self-care. Your body is trying to tell you to rest, rejuvenate and restore your energy.
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Gladys Anderson, founder of Coach for YOUR Dreams, is a certified life coach, licensed marriage and family therapist, writer and speaker. Gladys combines years of experience, training and a genuine commitment to helping nurses, teachers, therapists and other care giving women to set limits so they have more time, and energy to devote to self-care.