Recognizing the Signs of Stress and Building Resilience

Posted April 23, 2024

April is Stress Awareness Month, a time dedicated to acknowledging the prevalence of stress and empowering individuals to manage it effectively. In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become common, impacting physical health, mental well-being and overall quality of life. However, recognizing the signs of stress and adopting strategies to build resilience makes it possible to navigate life’s challenges better.

Symptoms of Stress

Stress affects your mental health, but it can show itself in other ways, too. Here are some symptoms of stress:

• Physical—Headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, digestive issues, and changes in appetite or sleep patterns
• Emotional—Anxiety, irritability, mood swings and feeling overwhelmed
• Cognitive—Difficulty concentrating, indecisiveness or memory problems
• Behavioral—Withdrawal from social activities, increased substance use, procrastination or neglecting responsibilities

Prolonged stress that is not addressed can become a serious health concern.

Coping With Stress

While it’s impossible to eliminate stress entirely, there are numerous strategies you can employ to mitigate its effects and enhance your resilience:

• Plan and prioritize your most important responsibilities.
• Limit interruptions so you don’t have to refocus each time you’re distracted.
• Take breaks away from your workstation to regroup mentally.
• Listen to relaxing music to help you calm down.
• Limit caffeine intake, as this stimulant has been proven to exacerbate stress.
• Get some exercise to work off your stress.
• Try meditating to calm your mind.

Talk to your doctor if you struggle to cope with stress.