What Overstress Feels Like

Friday, 22 April 2005 15:12
Print

 

  1. Body Clock stops working. You will find yourself having difficulty falling asleep, and frequent awakenings during the night, perhaps with vivid dreams. When morning comes, you will not feel at all rested.
  2. Lack of energy, lack of desire to do things, lack of interest in the outside world.
  3. Aches and pains. Especially chest, shoulder, back and neck pains. You are aware of vague, uncomfortable feelings from all over your body. Along with increased sensitivity to aches and pains, there is a decreased sense of pleasure in life. Things that used to be fun or pleasurable do not seem enjoyable anymore.

You may feel overwhelmed by life.

You may cry easily, and feel depressed and anxious about these changes.

You may start asking yourself:

"Why can't I sleep? Why do I ache all the time? What is happening to me?"

All of us experience periods of overstress in our lives, although for healthy folk, usually they will be of short duration.

We live in a high stress society, with at least 10% of the population in permanent overstress.

Note that stress has been shown to slow healing of cuts and bruises: Professor Kiecolt-Glaser told the British Psychological Society in a 2000 conference, that wounds in stressed people can take as much as 24% longer to heal than those in other patients.

However, relaxation techniques, which help to relieve stress, can boost the immune system.