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Signs & Symptoms of Excessive Stress

Excessive stress not only affects the quality of life, but can pose serious long-term health risks. Everyone experiences some stress from time to time, but sustained or excessive stress must be relieved or eased in order to avoid physical harm, such as heart problems, adrenal fatigue or ulcers. It is important to understand the signs and symptoms of excessive stress so that you can know when it might be time to start a stress-reduction plan.

  1. Heart Palpitations

    • Heart palpitation can be felt as a fluttering of the heart muscle, or the feeling that the heart has skipped a beat. When stress levels are very high, the nervous system can cause the heart to become overwhelmed, and can therefore cause heart palpitations.

    Insomnia

    • Lack of sleep, or insomnia, often accompanies long bouts of stress and anxiety. When stress is excessive, it can be difficult to calm the mind enough for the body to fall asleep. Over time, lack of sleep can cause mental difficulties, such as depression and hallucinations.

    Muscle Aches

    • Stress can cause the muscles in the body to tense up. Over time, this constant tensing of the muscle tissue can cause aches and pains, and can lead to fatigue.

    Stomach Pains

    • Excessive stress can cause acid in the stomach to become agitated, which can be felt as an upset stomach or stomach pains. When stress is experienced for long periods of time, or when stress is intense, these stomach aches can lead to stomach or duodenum ulcers.

    Illness

    • Stress, when sustained for extended periods of time, can weaken the body's natural immunities. When the immune system is weakened, it is easier to catch illnesses, such as the flu or colds.

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