Most people are more stressed and unhappier than ever before, a 2021 Gallup poll showed. In the poll, 44 percent of respondents said they frequently encounter a lot of worry or stress. And all that stress manifests in both physical and emotional signs. Here are just a few of the ways your body may exhibit the symptoms of stress. And this advice can’t completely cure your stress, but remember to stay well-hydrated every day. For one thing, drinking enough water is especially important during times of stress. And two, dehydration can trigger headaches too, so do yourself a favor and fill up that water bottle ASAP. RELATED: 5 Natural Headache Remedies, Backed by Science RELATED: The Best Foods for Fighting Stress, According to Doctors How do people get stuck in this chicken-or-egg cycle? The main reason is that the hormones responsible for stress are technically arousal hormones: They’re biologically designed to keep you awake and get your nervous system operating in fight-or-flight mode. If your nervous system isn’t able to quiet down, and the body and mind can’t return to a resting state, you’ll likely have trouble falling and staying asleep. On top of that, daytime stress may also trigger odd or anxious dreams. One of the best you can do is develop healthy habits for good sleep hygiene, especially around bedtime. RELATED: These Are the Best—and Worst—Eating Habits for Sleep As the body reacts to emotions like anxiety or stress, it releases sweat from the apocrine glands located in the armpit, groin, and on the scalp (versus the eccrine glands that produce heat sweat). This stress sweat is made up of fatty acids and proteins. Luckily, this type of sweat is usually odorless, though it can still be uncomfortable. It’s easier said than done, but the true solution is to get to the root of the issue (as in, the source of your stress) and find ways to bring your stress levels down, whether that’s meditation or prayer, exercise, therapy, leisure activities, paring down your schedule, or taking a few days off. RELATED: Sweating Is Healthy, but Are You Sweating Too Much? Here’s What Might Be Causing It While it’s typical for humans to shed anywhere from 50 to 100 hairs a day, anything beyond that could be due to hormones. “If you notice more-than-usual hair loss from your head, then it may indicate that you’ve been stressed,” she adds. Stress can also cause trichotillomania, a condition that causes a person to have an “irresistible” urge to pull hair from their scalp, eyebrows or other areas of the body. Still, hair loss can also be due to disease or another health condition, so it’s important to see a specialist if stress management techniques aren’t reducing hair loss. Chest pain and stress can also become a vicious cycle. While stress can lead to chest pain, the scariness of chest pain can increase stress in return. Therefore, managing stress is essential to avoiding getting trapped in a stress-pain loop. “Chronically high noradrenaline and cortisol levels [due to stress] take a toll on the brain and body,” Dr. Saltz says. “Brains bathed in high cortisol cause brain cell death over time, and constant stress and anxiety can lead to clinical depression or burnout.” Oftentimes depression is “precipitated by long-term, chronic exposure to stress,” write researchers in a 2012 study. They found that experiencing high-stress situations causes the body to release stress hormones, which can inhibit a person’s ability to experience joy in daily activities. This, in turn, can lead to development of depression or an experience of languishing (that sort of “blah” headspace between flourishing and full-blown depression). If you find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms, your best resource will be a mental health professional. That way, you have someone on your side to help you find ways to de-stress and get back to living your life your way. RELATED: 3 Low-Impact Types of Exercise That Relieve Stress While Building Strength
