Things That Get Harder When You’re Stressed

Short-term stress can boost your productivity and immunity. But when stress lingers, you may find yourself struggling. Here are some signs you may be suffering from more stress than is healthy.

YOU SNAP AT FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Chronic stress triggers an enzyme that attacks a molecule in your brain, making you more irritable and less social, says stress expert Kathleen Hall. But listening to that urge to push people away could make your stress worse. Social connection causes your body to produce the mood-boosting hormone oxytocin, overriding the production of the stress hormone cortisol, Hall says. “We were meant to reduce stress by being together,” she says. Text a friend or meet for coffee when you’re feeling overwhelmed, or set up a weekly lunch date to keep stress at bay.

YOU’RE LOSING FOCUS

In times of stress, your body goes into fight or flight mode, pouring its efforts into keeping safe from danger. That’s why it may be hard to concentrate on a single task, and you’re more likely to get distracted. “The brain’s response becomes all about survival,” says Heidi Hanna, author of Stressaholic: 5 Steps to Transform Your Relationship with Stress. “The fear response takes up all the energy of the brain for how to protect yourself.”

YOU CAN’T SEE THE SILVER LINING

Because you’re primed for survival, your brain has more circuits to pay attention to negatives than to positives, says Hanna. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by the chaos of life, take time to appreciate everything that’s going well. “You have to be intentional about practicing positivity,” she says.

YOU KEEP TOSSING AND TURNING

Normally, your body produces its highest levels of cortisol in the morning to help you wake up. Over the course of the day, levels decrease so you can drift into sleep, says Hanna. But your body continues pumping cortisol when you’re stressed, so your brain stays active and keeps you wide awake. That lack of sleep can have a cyclic effect because you don’t get the rejuvenation you need from a restful night. Try listening to relaxing music or guided imagery, or picking up a book to help you doze off.

YOU CAN’T RESIST TREATS

In fight or flight mode, your senses are on high alert – including taste and smell, which makes your favourite indulgences seem even tastier. “We think we should choose a cheeseburger and milkshake because they have calories to restore energy,” says Hanna. “It feels like we’ll only do it one time, but the reality is that because stress is so constant in our environment, it tends to become a bad habit.” Stick to a small serving of nuts, which could actually calm you down.

YOU CAN’T KICK A COLD

The fight or flight response triggers inflammation to protect you from danger. But if that stressor doesn’t go away and the inflammation becomes chronic, your immune system could start to break down. “If a military is constantly engaged in fighting something off, at some point it becomes too exhausting for the system to keep that up,” explains Hanna. “The immune system can’t keep up with the demands.”

YOU CAN’T GET IN THE MOOD

The same glands that produce sex hormones are also in charge of producing cortisol. So while your body is putting energy into producing extra cortisol, your sex drive goes down. “The brain is minimising sex hormones and sex drive because it’s not seen as important,” says Hanna. “We lose energy, and we lose passion for the things that are important to us, including connections with people we care about.”