One of the challenges of dealing with stress is that it can sneak up on you. In our current cultural moment where we are more aware of our mental health than ever, you’d think we’d be more versed on what the signs of being under too much stress are. But the truth is that most people know more about how to reduce stress than they know about how to spot it.

Luckily you will no longer have that problem after reading this guide. Here are some of the most common signs of stress. Keep an eye out for them, both in you and in your loved ones.

1 - Sleep problems

Some people have trouble sleeping and deal with insomnia all their lives. However, when someone who usually sleeps well suddenly finds themselves tossing and turning but unable to fall asleep, that might be a sign that they are under too much stress.

Sleep troubles can also be a consequence of other mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression, so sudden changes in sleep patterns are worth keeping an eye on.

2 - Muscle tension

Stress can often lead to people holding in tension in various areas of their bodies. Some people suffering from chronic stress even end up grinding their teeth so much they damage them, or they hold tension in their abdomen to the point where it starts affecting their digestive system.

Pay attention to your body during stressful days. You may find that you have a specific muscle group that is often tenser when you’re stressed. Identifying that muscle group can be helpful when you’re trying to figure out if you are under too much stress later.

It’s also helpful to get the affected area massaged to help relieve tension. That’s something you can do yourself by hand or with equipment. If you can afford it, call a massage place or an agency of elite international escorts to schedule a massage to help release that tension.

3 - Muscle pain

Unsurprisingly, holding in tension on various muscles can also be painful. Thanks to this, stress can cause or accentuate pain in your back, chest, abdomen, shoulders, neck, and more. Stress can even cause headaches, which are often the product of you holding in tension on the muscles around your head. There are exercises you can do to relieve tension in all those areas, which can help alleviate the pain as well.

4 - Feeling overwhelmed

While feeling overwhelmed when a lot is going on is a natural response, high levels of stress can mess with that. It can lead to you feeling overwhelmed even when dealing with regular everyday problems, or even when dealing with no problems at all. A vague sense that it’s just too much and you’re never going to be able to catch up with your workload is often caused by stress.

5 - Inability to focus

Stress often causes what is popularly referred to as “brain fog”. It’s the feeling of being fuzzy and having a hard time focusing on things or even your own thoughts. This is one of the key reasons why it can be hard to self-diagnose stress. Often the more stressed you are, the harder it is to think clearly.

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