We often do not even notice the stress and anxiety that has gripped us. Psychotherapist Maxine Langdon Starr advises to pay special attention to the signals that the body sends us.
Stress and anxiety are constant companions of life. It is absolutely impossible to avoid them. But if you constantly feel exhausted and tired, it can lead to serious health problems.
It is important to learn to recognize the manifestations of anxiety at the physiological level, to hear and understand what the body says. Here are the main signals that will help you become aware of the level of tension you are experiencing and will push you to take further action.
1. Migraine
Perhaps at night you grind your teeth from the stress that you experience at work or at home. Excessive tension can manifest itself the next day in the form of a migraine. Did you find these symptoms? Drink more water and try to get rest. If possible, leave work early, cancel a meeting with friends, and take a relaxing bubble bath in the evening.
2. Stomach problems
We often say “gut feel” when referring to intuition. It turns out that this also applies to anxiety: it can be accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the stomach. This is how the activated “flight, fight or freeze” state characteristic of anxiety manifests itself. Knowing this makes it easier to understand many things: for example, why certain foods seem to be inappropriate, or why we lose our appetite when we are stressed.
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3. Muscle tension
Anxiety can manifest as muscle pain, which is why it’s so important to give your body the love and attention it deserves.
For example, massage may seem like a whim, a whim. In fact, this is an effective way to relax and relieve stress. Many do not realize how tense they are until they start visiting a massage parlor.
Stretching, yoga and other practices also help relieve muscle clamps.
4. Fatigue and illness
Many people overwork regularly and therefore easily catch the flu or colds. The reason is that the body is not able to constantly work at its limit.
In addition, stress causes sleep deprivation. This may be familiar to you, but keep in mind: driving a car in a state of sleep deprivation is like driving a car while intoxicated. Those who sleep less than four hours a night are 12 times more likely to have an accident than those who sleep at least seven hours.
Remember two important things:
1. Physical health is important for all areas of life. When you are unhealthy, you cannot function normally.
2. The body transmits important signals, you just need to learn to listen to them.
We are accustomed to act reactively: to intervene only when something in the body stops “working”. You need to think proactively: pay attention to what makes the body and mind stronger – sports, mindfulness practices, meditation and proper nutrition.
About the Author: Maxine Langdon Starr is a family therapist.