Stress.
A word we hear constantly. We’re stressed about our jobs, kids, spouses, money, health, and the world around us—we can attach the word stress to almost anything.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s no surprise that stress has become something of a silent companion for many of us. It’s sneaky, creeping up without much notice, and before we know it, we’re feeling overwhelmed and at the end of our tether.
Whether you’re juggling family life, a demanding career, or running a business, understanding the key signs of stress is a crucial first step toward reclaiming your mental and physical well-being.
Awareness is the starting point of any healing journey.
To help you better recognize when stress is taking a toll on you, this blog will cover:
- What stress really is.
- Key signs you may be stressed (including real-life examples).
- How you can reduce stress.
P.S. If you’re reading this, chances are you already know you’re stressed and are looking for validation—or perhaps some guidance on how to manage it. Don’t worry—I’ve got you covered.
What Stress Really Is: Unpacking the Fear Behind the Word
The word stress is everywhere. We’re stressed about work, money, relationships, children—you name it. It’s a word that slips past the lips of nearly every adult at some point in life, often more than once. But do we, as a society, really understand what stress is?
For many, stress feels like a vague catchphrase—a blanket term for discomfort—or sometimes even an excuse. But if we look deeper, there’s something fundamental at play. At its core, stress equals fear. That’s right: the emotion underlying stress is fear.
Why does this matter? Because once we recognize stress as fear, we can begin to address it. While we can’t always change our circumstances or how others treat us, we can control one thing: ourselves—particularly our emotions. Even when it feels like our emotions are running the show, there are ways to learn how to manage them.
1. Why Is Fear the Root of Stress?
Let’s break it down with an example.
Imagine someone says, “I’m stressed about work.” It’s a broad statement, so we ask: What about work is stressing you out?
A client of mine once came to me with this exact concern. As we delved into the conversation, it became clear that their stress wasn’t about work itself but about their performance. And why did their performance matter so much?
In their mind, a poor performance review could lead to dismissal. For someone working in the corporate world, this might mean losing their job. For a self-employed individual, poor performance might result in losing clients or income. The underlying fear wasn’t about the work—it was about survival.
Stress as a Survival Response
Most of us don’t grow our own food or produce our necessities. We rely on money earned through work to buy what we need to survive. When the possibility of losing that security arises, our primal brain kicks into high gear.
Even if the threat isn’t immediate or certain—perhaps the dismissal is theoretical—our body still perceives it as a survival risk. This triggers the stress response, a fear reaction designed to help us cope with perceived threats.
In this state, the logical brain often takes a backseat, and our primal brain drives the response. You might think, “It’s not the end of the world; there are plenty of jobs out there.” But when fear takes hold, that rational perspective can be difficult to access.
Everyday Stress vs. Phobias
It’s important to distinguish everyday stress from extreme fears or phobias. Here, we’re talking about the smaller, day-to-day fears that our primal brain interprets as threats. These might include fears of underperforming, not earning enough, or disappointing others.
Stress arises because, on some level, our brain equates these situations with survival risks. As using the example above:
- If I perform poorly, I might lose my job.
- If I lose my job, I won’t earn money.
- Without money, how will I survive?
While this sequence may not always play out consciously, it’s often the subconscious chain of thought fueling stress.
Recognizing Stress as Fear
Once we acknowledge that stress is rooted in fear, we can begin to approach it differently. Instead of dismissing stress as a vague feeling, we can ask: What am I afraid of? By identifying the fear, we can take steps to address it, whether through mindset shifts, practical solutions, or emotional regulation techniques like EFT.
Remember, stress is a natural response. It’s your body’s way of signaling a perceived threat. But with awareness and the right tools, you can shift out of survival mode and regain calm.
Before we dive into the signs of stress, it’s important to note that the examples and potential signs discussed here are provided for educational purposes only. If you’re experiencing symptoms, it’s always best to consult your GP or a medical professional. They can provide a proper medical diagnosis and rule out other conditions that may present with similar symptoms to stress.
2. Recognizing the Key Signs of Stress: A Guide for Women Like Luna
Let’s meet Luna. She’ll be our example on how stress can manifest in our lives and thus will also help you identify if you’re stressed or not.
In today’s world, many women like Luna find themselves juggling multiple roles—partner, mother, professional, and household manager—all while trying to meet societal expectations of having it all. On the surface, it may seem like Luna has everything under control: a loving family, a well-paid job, and a comfortable life. But behind the scenes, the mental and emotional load can become overwhelming.
As Luna navigates the daily demands of her family, career, and household, it’s crucial for her to recognize the signs of stress before it takes a toll on her well-being. Understanding the signs can help her take proactive steps toward achieving peace and contentment. Let’s explore the key symptoms of stress using Luna’s story as an example, and offer solutions to help manage them.
1. Physical Symptoms: The Toll on Your Body
Stress is often sneaky, showing up in the body before it’s consciously recognized. Luna’s life is a constant balancing act, and her body is bearing the brunt of it.
Frequent Headaches and Muscle Tension
Luna often wakes up with headaches or finds herself with low back pain and tension in the neck and shoulder at the end of a long day. The constant physical strain from managing her home, caring for her children, and trying to stay on top of her job leaves her body feeling stiff and sore. Over time, chronic muscle tension can exacerbate feelings of exhaustion, making it even harder for her to tackle the next day’s tasks.
Digestive Issues and Changes in Appetite
With stress constantly lurking in the background, Luna finds herself either too distracted to eat properly or reaching for comfort food late at night. Her stomach is often unsettled, and she struggles with digestive issues, which are a common physical response to prolonged stress. Emotional eating has also left her with excess fat around her belly.
2. Emotional Symptoms: The Inner Battle
Emotional symptoms are often less visible to others but can be deeply felt. Luna is not just managing a household and career—she’s managing the emotional load of caring for everyone around her. This internal pressure can leave her feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from herself.
Mood Swings and Irritability
After a long day of managing work tasks, preparing meals, cleaning up after her partner, and putting her children to bed, Luna often feels on edge. The smallest mishap can send her into a spiral of frustration or lead her to snap at her kids or partner—something she deeply regrets afterward.
Sleep Disturbances
Luna found that, despite feeling utterly exhausted, she couldn’t fall asleep at night. She’d toss and turn, her mind racing with worries about deadlines and her never-ending to-do list. Struggling to fall asleep, waking up frequently during the night (often for toilet visits), or waking up long before the alarm goes off are common symptoms of stress. Over time, this can spiral into worsening fatigue, further compounding the problem.
3. Cognitive Symptoms: The Mental Load
Mental strain is another key indicator of stress. Luna finds herself constantly thinking about the next task—whether it’s planning the week’s meals, scheduling dentist appointments, or balancing the family finances. This mental juggling act is exhausting and leaves little room for relaxation.
Racing Thoughts and Trouble Concentrating
Even during her working day, Luna finds it hard to focus. Her mind is constantly racing through her to-do list at home, making it difficult to concentrate on work tasks or enjoy the moment with her children.
Forgetfulness
Luna notices that she’s increasingly forgetful. Whether it’s missing a work deadline or forgetting to respond to a school email, her brain is overloaded with information, making it harder to remember small details.
4. Behavioral Symptoms: The Way Stress Changes Actions
Stress can influence behavior in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Luna’s behavior has shifted since she took on the dual role of working professional and primary caregiver.
Procrastination or Avoidance
When Luna is feeling overwhelmed, she tends to procrastinate on tasks that require extra mental energy, like organizing the family’s financial affairs. This avoidance behavior often leads to a buildup of tasks, which can cause even more stress.
Increased Emotional Eating or Loss of Appetite
After a long day of managing both her job and the household, Luna often turns to late-night snacks for comfort or skips meals entirely because she’s too exhausted to eat. Both which have left her with excess fat around her belly. These behavioral changes are common stress responses that can impact health and well-being.
Next Steps: Practical Solutions for Stress Relief
How You Can Reduce Stress
If you could think your way out of the problem you’re facing, you likely would have solved it by now. But stress isn’t just a mental issue—it’s a full-body experience that requires a holistic approach to truly find relief.
Stress informs your nervous system that something isn’t safe. To reduce stress, we need to let the body know it’s okay to relax and shift from a high-alert state to calm resilience.
There are countless techniques and modalities available to help manage stress—yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, Reiki, and more. If you’ve tried some of these without success, don’t give up! It’s important to find what works for you.
Two Proven Ways to Help You Reduce Stress
1. Subliminal Stress Relief Affirmations
For those in a highly stressed state, sitting down to meditate or relax can feel impossible, even counterproductive. That’s where my Stress Relief Subliminal Affirmations Audio comes in.
This simple plug-and-play tool requires no effort—just listen. It combines:
- 435 Hz music, a frequency shown to calm the mind and body.
- Subliminal affirmations, which bypass the conscious mind and target the subconscious to help reframe your identity and beliefs around stress.
If the phrase “I am calm” feels untrue right now, subliminal affirmations can help plant the seed of calmness in your subconscious, allowing you to respond more resiliently to life’s challenges.
2. 1:1 Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Sessions
If you’re ready for a guided, personalized approach to stress relief, consider working with me directly. EFT, or “tapping,” is a powerful technique proven to reduce cortisol (the body’s primary stress hormone). It helps you address not only the presenting problems of stress, like sleep disturbances or mood swings, but also the core issue—feeling unsafe.
In a 1:1 session, we’ll:
- Uncover the root causes of your stress.
- Create a tailored plan to help you regain calm, resilience, and emotional clarity.
- Work together to guide you toward a more peaceful, fulfilling life.
Where to Begin
Now, let’s turn the lens on you:
- What are you stressed about? Start broad and ask yourself: What am I afraid might happen?
- Did you recognize yourself in Luna’s story or any of the examples in this blog?
Stress can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. Whether you start with the subliminal affirmations or a personalized EFT session, the first step is awareness. From there, you can begin to shift out of survival mode and into a state of calm.