Even before the first lockdown in 2020, CABA research found that four in 10 workers felt as though they were so stressed in their daily lives that they were close to breaking point. There are 1.9m monthly Google searches related to stress, and a huge rise in searches for keywords such as ’stress symptoms’ and ‘physical symptoms of stress’. 

Kelly Feehan, services director at CABA, said: ‘It’s inevitable that most of us will suffer stress, and it’s a condition most of us have experienced at some point. However, exposure to long-term (chronic) stress can have a real impact on our physical health and wellbeing.

‘When we’re suffering from long-term stress, our body’s autonomic nervous system, which controls your heart rate, breathing, vision changes and more, is working overdrive. Whilst its built-in stress reaction, the “fight-or-flight response,” is designed to help the body face stressful situations, overexposure can cause wear and tear. This can result in physical health issues.’

Physical symptoms of stress:

•            Aches, pains and tense muscles

•            Chest pain or feeling like your heart is racing

•            Exhaustion or trouble sleeping

•            Headaches, dizziness or shaking

•            High blood pressure

•            Muscle tension or jaw clenching

•            Stomach or digestive problems. These can include diarrhoea, constipation, and nausea

•            Weak immune system

•            Frequent colds and infections

As well as these, long-term stress can lead to emotional and mental health symptoms, such as anxiety or irritability, depression, panic attacks and sadness.

Stress and symptoms of stress need to be taken seriously, because it can cause real issues and even damage to our bodies, as well as our overall mental wellbeing.

So, if we can’t avoid stress, how can we stop it from becoming overwhelming?

Health

Eating well is an important factor in combatting stress. Whilst we shouldn’t deprive ourselves of treats, or become obsessive about our diets, eating and sleeping well are huge mood boosters, and will help to keep things in perspective.

Focus on the positives

It can be human nature for us to only think about what we haven’t achieved each day. Many of us judge our successes by how much work we’ve still got left to do. It is important to always sit back and think about what you have actually achieved.

Set realistic goals for each day, week and month. Doing so will narrow your view and help you feel more in control of the moment and long-term tasks.

Consider practising gratitude each day and thinking about what you’re thankful for. Dedicating time to thinking about the positives in your world will work towards improving your mindset.

Be strong

Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ if you are having additional tasks thrown at you. For many of us, the fear of saying ‘no’ to our colleagues, bosses and even family members and loved ones outweighs the fear of the additional stress this is likely to cause us. Saying no will promote setting healthy boundaries with those around you and will open a dialogue which will allow you to talk through what your focus is currently on.

It is also important to accept that you cannot control everything, and that at times, asking for help is the best option. Learn how you can let go of worrying about situations you can’t change and turn your focus to things you can manage. This can be achieved by:

•            Challenge your worries, and consider whether you’re looking at a situation in a more negative light than it truly is

•            Figure out if your concern is solvable, or unsolvable. Problem solving is a lot more constructive than worrying, and will help you work towards conclusions

•            When you feel yourself worrying, try to interrupt these thoughts with activities, exercise and relaxing mindfulness

Focus on relaxing  

Dedicating a small portion of your day to relaxing will not only give you something to look forward to but will give you that all-important opportunity to switch off. Try relaxation activities, such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises and muscle relaxation.

Self-care is often sniffed at but has never been more important. Simple things such as treating yourself to a long bath after a tough day, or even watching a couple of episodes of your favourite feel-good series will go a long way towards improving your mental wellbeing, and help you compartmentalise the negative emotions you may be experiencing.

For more advice, visit CABA’s dedicated mental wellbeing support page, which has information on self-help resources, interactive online tools, and professional, one-to-one services, and how we can help you take care of your mental wellbeing and support the people around you.