It’s fire season in the Sierra. My thoughts are with my friends that live there, knowing there is a constant threat of danger and evacuation. This is the first time in a long time we haven’t had our go boxes sitting by the front door, full of important papers, irreplaceable photos, and other memories we are not willing to sacrifice.
Hearing about the evacuation warnings from our home on the Oregon coast reminded me of the undercurrent of stress that surrounds fire season. Nothing you even notice until perhaps you hear the sound of helicopters and low flying airplanes carrying water and fire retardant. But it’s always there, residing quietly in the back of your mind.
Chronic stress can be a serious issue. We’ve all heard the physical effects that stress can have on you mentally and emotionally. With pervasive, low level stress however, it may be difficult to even recognize that you are experiencing stress. Here are some symptoms you might recognize:
Tooth or jaw pain.
Yes, stress does affect your teeth, more than you might think. If you’ve noticed soreness in your jaw or pain in your gums, then it might be because you’re dealing with feelings of stress. Grinding your teeth is often something that you may not even realize you’ve been doing until you get to the dentist, and they berate you for signs of bruxism.
Your memory is getting worse.
As your schedule becomes more overwhelming, and you end up with more things to think about each day, it’s easy to brush off issues with forgetfulness. However, if your memory is really letting you down lately, it could be because of stress. When you’re putting your brain under too much pressure, you also expose the muscle to a lot of extra work. This means that you end up getting frazzled or burning out a lot faster. Paying attention to where you lose track of your train of thought could show you where you have too much on your plate. It might be time to slow down.
Your digestion isn’t right.
Digestive health and stress are closely connected. You might have noticed during stressful periods in the past that you tend to have challenges with heartburn, diarrhea, and constipation. These are all common gastrointestinal symptoms of stress.
You’re always thirsty.
If you’re constantly suffering from a major thirst, it’s worth speaking to a doctor. Excessive thirst can be a sign of things like diabetes. However, you could also be dehydrated because of excess stress. That’s because stress causes your body to pump out extra hormones from your adrenal glands. Those glands are also responsible for the hormones that regulate the fluid levels in your body, as well as electrolytes. If your adrenal glands are worn out, then the body might feel like it needs more hydration when it really doesn’t. Although upping your H2O intake shouldn’t cause any problems, it’s still a sign of a long-term problem that’s important to rectify.
Your muscles are sore.
Sore muscles often happen as a result of tension. If you’re under a ton of stress, your body responds by involuntarily tensing up. This can gradually lead to more body pain over time, because your muscles aren’t used to being under that much strain. When your body is in fight or flight mode, this produces excess cortisol too, causing more tensing. A good massage or a hot bath might help in the shorter term, but eventually you’ll need to tackle stress.
Your sleep is messed up.
If you’re having trouble with falling asleep at night, it could be because stress is making it harder for you to relax. It’s likely that you spend a lot of time thinking about the things that worry you when you’re in bed. After all, there’s nothing else to take your mind off those worries. You might also notice that you’re having more odd dreams because of your stress.
On the other hand, some people experience a desire to sleep more often when they’re stressed. This could be an indication that you’re not just suffering from stress, but that you’re having issues with anxiety and depression too. Consider speaking to your doctor about these issues. They should be able to offer some personalized guidance.
We all know it’s critical to your health and wellbeing that you learn to relieve stress. Find self-care and relaxation activities, like meditation or being in nature, that work for you and enjoy these activities regularly. Make it a priority to take care of yourself by reducing your stress.
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