Can You See these Hidden Signs?
Stress management is, unfortunately, a necessity in today’s hectic world. Stress happens to everyone, and it is a part of normal life. It comes and it goes. However, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, this can become a long-term issue that can cause problems with your health, your family, social life, and your work. Many people have massive amounts of stress in their daily lives. Stress can cause arguments, and many people have actual emotional and physical symptoms that manifest because of the stress.
There is no single cause of stress. Each person will have their own stress triggers, but you will find that there tends to be quite a bit of overlap. There are some of the big stressors out there that are easy to see and understand, such as financial issues, problems with a living situation, or being overwhelmed at work. However, there are also hidden signs and stressors that you should be aware of.
5 Hidden Signs You Need Help with Stress Management
When stress is stored in the body, it can show up in unexpected ways. Although more commonly associated with depression and panic attacks, stress can manifest itself through less obvious signals. These 5 hidden signs of indicate that something in your life is placing stress on your body and you may need help with stress management.
1. A locked or tight jaw.
When stressed, many people subconsciously clench their jaw or even grind their teeth, which can lead to more serious health issues such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
2. Uncommon muscular contractions.
People commonly experience shrugged shoulders or tension in the upper-back muscles. Other examples of unnatural muscular contractions include gripping toes, clenched fists or scrunched facial muscles.
3. Pain without pathology.
People experience pain in different parts of their body for many reasons. For example, someone who broke their arm as a kid may later experience pain to that specific area during stressful situations.
4. Abnormal bowel movements.
Stress can impact digestion, the nutrient absorption process, and how fast food moves through your body. Constipation and diarrhea can be caused by a stressed-out digestive tract.
5. Holding your breath.
Most people hold their breath or do not concentrate on a deep, elongated breaths when they are stressed. Holding your breath while stressed causes your heart rate to increase and stronger contractions from your heart.
If you have ever experienced any of these body signals, it is essential for you to pinpoint where the stress is emanating from in your life.
Most Common Stressors
Below, you will find some of the stressors that most people are going to feel at some point in their life. Many people struggle with these stressors on a daily basis, and often, it’s not just one that is causing the stress – it’s multiple problems that are building onto one another and making the stress management even worse.
Financial Problems
Unless you are an expert in the finance industry, many of us want to learn how to manage our money so that we can spend less time worrying about it. Take a few seconds to see if any of the statements below apply to you:
I have credit card debt or more than $10,0000
My rent/mortgage is more than 1/3 of my salary
I have less than 3 months of expenses in my savings/checking account
I have ongoing medical expenses
I sometimes use my credit card to pay my regular monthly expenses
If you are like most people and answered “Yes” to one or more of the statements above, you likely feel or have previously felt stressed about your personal finances.
However, money stress is often related to work stress because of salary and benefits.
Problems at Work
There could be any number of different types of issues at a workplace that could be causing stress for a person. Below are a few of the common sources of work stress:
Low salary
Overwhelmed with workload
Limited opportunities for growth or advancement
Lack of support
Unclear expectations
Poor leadership
The less control you have over your work, the more stressed you are likely to feel.
Personal Relationships
Your family and friends can also cause stress management inefficiencies even though they are important parts of your life. A few common sources of family and friend stress are:
Having more than 1 child younger than 5
Primary caregiver for a sick family member
Single parent
Going through or recently divorced
Having a family member or friend who is a steady source of stress
As much as friends and family can be a source of strength, they can also be quite stressful at times.
Being Too Busy
Today’s world is extremely busy and it can be difficult to find any actual downtime. When you aren’t working, you might still be thinking about work. You have errands to run and places to go, you take on tasks and jobs outside of your regular work to help make ends meet. You are taking the kids back and forth to school and practice, giving people rides… it seems like you are on the go 24/7 and that there is no way to get any actual rest or “you” time. It’s only a matter of time before the stress starts to build up.
Loss
The death of a loved one is one of the most challenging changes that people go through in their life. There is stress that comes along with the feelings of grief and disbelief. Additionally, death often forces you to reflect upon your own life and what you want out of your life.
Major Life Changes
When a major shift happens in our lives, it might make stress management more difficult, even if the major shift in our life is a source of happiness. Major life changes often force us to create new routines, which can be both exciting and stressful.
A few examples of major life changes include:
Becoming a parent
Marriage
Moving to a new city
Career change
Attending college
Hidden Stressors Challenging Your Stress Management
In addition to the more common stressors, there are also a number of hidden stressors that you might be contending with as well. Often, people do not understand just how much of a problem certain factors in their life might be. Below are some of the most common hidden stressors that might be affecting you.
Internal Stressors
In addition to external stressors, there are internal stressors. Internal stressors are exactly what they sound like, stressors that are inside of us and are often the most common sources of stress. They are the thoughts and feelings that pop into your head and cause you to feel on edge, these can include:
Inability to accept uncertainty
Pessimism
Negative self-talk
Unrealistic expectations
Lack of flexibility
All-or-nothing attitude
Need to always be perfect
Too Much Screen Time
Most people today are never more than an arm’s length away from their phone. They spend time online talking with other people or watching their favorite shows, and while that’s a great way to unwind from a long day, there needs to be a balance. Being in front of a screen all of the time often means that people aren’t prioritizing their time as effectively as they could. Many people also use their phones, tablets, or televisions right before they try to go to sleep. They stay up longer than they should and realize that it takes them longer to fall asleep, which is not good for their sleep schedule.
Social Media Anxiety
Another problem that people are facing today that they did not have to deal with in the past is anxiety over social media, which can cause stress in a number of different ways. Some people are stressed because they see the things their friends are doing and they worry about missing out. Others see people who appear to be living wonderful lives with everything that they could possibly want and they wonder why they can’t have that themselves. This leads to depression and stress over why they aren’t successful in certain areas of their life.
Clutter
Having clutter can often be a stressor, as well. It can cause feelings of guilt and even embarrassment, which can release a hormone called cortisol, which is a stress hormone. Whether the clutter is on a single desk, a room, or the entire house, it can cause your stress levels to rise. Keeping things clutter-free might be a difficult habit to get into for some people, but it can make a big difference. When there is no clutter in the space, it is less distracting and can provide you with clarity.
Effective Stress Management Support from a Health & Wellness Coach
If you are someone who is currently experiencing stress management challenges that is causing issues in your overall health and in other aspects of your life, you can benefit from the help of a professional Health & Wellness Coach. A certified coach will help you to get a better handle on your stress and can help you find ways to manage it properly.
A qualified coach will be able to address the current stress factors that you are dealing with and can help you to better see what other issues could become stress factors for you. However, it’s not only about finding out what is causing the stress, but it’s also about helping you to learn better ways to cope with and to manage stress.
There are many different types of strategies and techniques that can be used in order to manage stress. The most effective strategies and tools for one person might not necessarily be the best option for others. Your Health & Wellness Coach will be able to work with you to determine the best course of action for dealing with your stressors.
In some cases, it might be learning to take some time out of the day to meditate. It might be getting in some exercise to help increase your endorphins and make you feel great while reducing the physical stress in your body. In other cases, it might be learning to say no and to take yourself out of certain situations that are doing more harm than good. With a Health & Wellness Coach, you can identify which methods will work best for you to deal with your stress in a healthy and positive way.
Get in Touch with a Health & Wellness Coach
Stress management is a necessity for to everyone. Not being able to manage stress effectively can cause serious, lasting issues that can affect the mind, body, and emotions of yourself and those around you. It’s time that you took the next step in dealing with your stress. Get in touch with a coach who is able to help you identify the stressors in your life and who can help you plan ways to manage those stressors.