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Stress has many different effects on the body and mind and can exhibit many different symptoms from person to person. Since stress can build up quite quickly, you should look out for the warning signs and address the stress early before it gets out of hand and starts to cause serious health problems. Some stress symptoms and signs to watch out for:

Moodiness – If you find yourself easily irritated, frustrated and moody, you are probably experiencing stress. You may also feel overly emotional, crying easily or snapping at people for no reason. This is one stress symptom that we often don't even realize at first. Other people in your life may start asking you what is wrong or pointing out that you are being grumpy or mean.

Lack of appetite or overeating – Some people are unable to eat much when they are upset or stressed; others use food as an escape or a comfort and eat even more. If you find a significant change in your appetite you should examine your life to see if you are under more stress than you realize. Try to eat regular meals regardless if you are hungry or not and avoid junk food at all costs. Poor eating habits can actually make the stress worse.

Worry and anxiety – Unresolved stress often will turn into anxiety or persistent worry. Persistent stress puts us in a state of higher alertness and often our minds start to manifest unnecessary worry or anxiety. If you feel like you are constantly worrying about things unnecessarily, or feeling anxious all the time, you should work on reducing your stress level.

Fatigue and disturbed sleep are more advanced stress symptoms. If you are having trouble sleeping, waking during the night, having bad dreams, not feeling rested when you wake up or feeling drained and fatigued all day, your stress has probably reached a dangerous level. You should seek medical advice if your stress has become this serious.

Unexplained weight loss or weight gain can be a sign of stress, anxiety or depression. Even if your eating habits haven't changed noticeably, you may still have weight fluctuations due to the effects of the excess stress hormones in your body. Monitor your weight and if you see unusual fluctuations, consider diet, exercise and stress relief techniques to help get it under control.

Racing and jumbled thoughts – A common stress symptom is difficulty clearing your mind. Many people experience racing thoughts where their minds just won't seem to stop. You may also be easily confused of have trouble concentrating because there is just so much going through your mind all of the time. These are common stress symptoms and often meditation or a brisk walk outside can help to clear your mind. Writing in a journal can be helpful as well. Just pouring out all of those thoughts onto paper can sometimes help your mind to settle down.

Memory problems – Because it is so difficult to concentrate when we aer under a lot of stress, you may find yourself forgetting things, misplacing things, missing deadlines or just not being able to think straight. These are common stress symptoms that can be alleviated with good stress relief techniques.

Withdrawal from friends and family – this is another sign of more advanced stress levels. This generally happens slowly over time, so it is easy to miss this stress symptom until it is too late. Becoming less social and withdrawing from friends can also be an early sign of depression. If your stress has gotten to this level you should seek medical attention before it develops into full-blown depression.

Lack of patience – unfortunately, it is often our children and spouses who get the brunt of our stress symptoms. If you are less patient than usual and the little things that your kids or spouse does are making you angry or frustrated very easily, this is a sign that stress is getting out of hand. It's time to address your stress and take steps to reduce your stress and relax.

Chest pain, high blood pressure and shortness of breath can be signs of many different health issues, but they can also be stress symptoms. Excess adrenalin in the system from stress over time can cause these disturbing symptoms. You should, of course, see a doctor to determine whether these are stress symptoms or signs of something else. Either way, take some time to relax, watch your eating habits and do some deep breathing or meditation to try to get the stress under control.

Headaches and dizziness can be signs of stress too. Tension headaches are those that are felt around the temples and often you will get stiffness and soreness in the neck and shoulder areas as well. Dizziness can often be associated with stress, but could be a sign of many other problems, so you should seek medical attention if you have been having dizzy spells.

Abdominal upset and diarrhea – stress can really wreck havoc on all parts of your body and your digestive system is no different. Being under extreme stress for even a short time can cause eating problems, upset stomach, cramping and diarrhea. Try eating blander foods for a few days, drinking lots of water and taking steps to reduce your stress level.

Smoking and drinking – many people mistakenly use smoking and drinking as a way to relieve stress. If you find yourself smoking or drinking more than usual, you may want to examine your reasons for doing so. If you associate smoking or drinking with relaxing or unwinding when you have a stressful day, you should find a different outlet for that stress. Take a walk, do some deep breathing, meditate or go to the gym instead. Excessive smoking and drinking will not only make the stress worse, it will lead to further health problems that you don't need.

Stress symptoms affect every aspect of our lives. They can be physical, mental, emotional and behavioral in nature. If you are experiencing too much stress in your life you should learn proper stress relief techniques to reduce that stress before it turns into a more serious problem.