Physical Symptoms of Psychological Stress
Before exploring some of these symptoms, it is important to note that psychological stress weakens or slows down certain physical functions, most notably the digestive system and immune system. This allows the body to focus on accelerating and increasing other functions such as breathing and blood pressure, which explains the appearance of various symptoms of psychological stress. The main physical symptoms that stress may cause include the following:
- High blood pressure.
- Rapid heartbeat or arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
- Rapid breathing.
- Muscle tension, especially in the shoulders, back, and jaw.
- Headaches.
- Sweating.
- Dry mouth.
- Slow digestion and related digestive symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, and stomach pain.
- Reduced immune system activity.
- Insomnia caused by hyperarousal.
- Skin rashes.
It is also noteworthy that if exposure to psychological stress continues, becoming chronic, its physical symptoms may include the following:
- Digestive disorders such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), in addition to heartburn and nausea.
- Heart diseases.
- Muscle pain.
Treatment of Physical Symptoms of Psychological Stress
The doctor determines how to treat the physical symptoms of psychological stress based on their type and severity. Treatment methods generally fall into two categories:
- Medication: This is determined based on the type of symptoms and does not target the psychological stress itself.
- Self-care: These are various methods that an individual can perform by themselves without needing a doctor, including:
- Engaging in physical activities: Any physical activity helps reduce psychological stress, improves mood, and enhances the ability to cope with feelings of distraction caused by stress. Physical activities may include walking, swimming, gardening, or house cleaning, all of which count as physical exercise.
- Eating a balanced diet: Committing to a healthy and balanced diet helps strengthen immunity and prevents increased psychological stress resulting from unhealthy food.
- Practicing meditation: Meditation helps direct attention away from thoughts and situations causing psychological stress, inducing a state of calm and peace in the mind, creating a sense of balance and reducing stress. We remind you to download the Tawazon app to benefit from comprehensive information about different types of meditation along with a collection of podcasts and meditations.
- Allocating time for self-care: Taking breaks and engaging in hobbies and enjoyable activities.
- Prioritizing tasks: This reduces psychological stress caused by the accumulation of necessary and unnecessary tasks, as completing essential tasks relieves pressure even if one cannot complete secondary tasks or delegates them to colleagues.
