Stress Symptoms and Consequences at a Glance
Persistent stress can have a negative effect on health. We explain how to recognise stress symptoms and what consequences stress can have.
What is Stress?
Generally speaking, stress is a reaction in which the body releases certain hormones to make us more efficient in the short term. However, if the stress continues for a longer period of time, this can have negative effects on body and mind because the stress hormones can no longer be broken down sufficiently. Therefore, a distinction is also made between acute and chronic stress – the latter is the variant that is dangerous for our health.
In general, every person has a different stress reaction – experts therefore speak of an individual stress tolerance, which is on the one hand biologically determined and on the other hand shaped in the first years of life. This is why some people become ill more quickly than others when under stress. But here too, chronic stress sooner or later makes itself felt in all people through various symptoms.
What Stress Hormones are There?
During stress the body releases the following hormones:
- Adrenalin
- Noradrenaline
- Cortisol
If these stress hormones are released in increased quantities, this also suppresses other hormones, for example those of the metabolism. This can cause the body to store more fat and break down muscle mass. In addition, stress weakens the immune system in the long term – making us more susceptible to infections.
What are the Symptoms of Stress?
If the body is under constant stress, this becomes apparent through various stress symptoms. There are both physical and mental signs of this, which often occur together. The following physical stress symptoms exist:
- Permanent exhaustion
- Sleep disturbances / chronic fatigue
- Headache
- Tensions, thereby e.g. neck pain
- Limb pain
- Skin rashes
- Gastrointestinal complaints, e.g. diarrhoea, constipation, heartburn or irritable bowel syndrome
- Crdiovascular problems, e.g. dizziness, high blood pressure, breathing difficulties or palpitations
However, chronic stress can also have mental effects. The following mental stress symptoms can occur:
- Inner restlessness
- Increased irritability
- Depressive moods / depression
- Burnout
- Concentration disorders
- Forgetfulness
- Anxiety disorders
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Eating disorders
Stress Management: The Best Tips against too much Stress
If you do not know your individual stress tolerance, you should pay close attention to possible signs of too much stress and react to it by avoiding, for example, a situation that triggers stress symptoms in you. The following stress management measures are useful:
- Relaxation techniques, e.g. autogenic training, yoga or progressive muscle relaxation
- Sports
- Delegate tasks when overstrained
- Maintaining social contacts
- Create moments of retreat in which you can pursue your hobbies, for example