, with research by the Mental Health Foundation finding that 74 per cent of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point over the last year, that they've felt overwhelmed or unable to cope. One in 14 adults feel stressed everyday - these are the physical signs to watch out forCredit: Getty In fact, around one in 14 UK adults feel stressed every single day. What's even more concerning is that 16 per cent of adults have admitted to self-harming as a result of stress. With November 2 marking Stress Awareness Day, it's time to recognise the symptoms of stress and make efforts to reduce them, before they become even more of a problem. While short term stress can be good, triggering a release of adrenaline in the body and kicking us into fight or flight mode to help us deal with certain situations, it's the chronic, long term stress that leads to problems. Dr Sarah Brewer, Healthspan's Medical Director, explains that short term responses to stress help you mobilise energy and prepare for a sudden burst of intense exercise - your flight or fight response. She says: 'If the energy is not consumed however, it builds up and if prolonged, will drain your energy reserves.' She explains that while short-term physical symptoms of stress are common when the flight or fight reaction is initiated - such as a racing heart and sweaty palms - they become more persistent and severe if you experience long-term negative stress. Ignoring these long term symptoms can lead to bigger problems over time; stress has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and cancer, to name just a few. The list of physical symptoms associated with stress is a long one and includes dry mouth, muscle tension, a stiff jaw, difficulty swallowing, jelly legs, heart palpitations, dizziness, ringing in the ears, pins and needles, headaches and chest pa){kind=link}
IT’S no longer just a problem we face on an occasional basis.
Stress has been called the health epidemic of the 21st century by the World Health Organisation (WHO), with research by the Mental Health Foundation finding that 74 per cent of UK adults have felt so stressed at some point over the last year, that they’ve felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.
In fact, around one in 14 UK adults feel stressed every single day.
What’s even more concerning is that 16 per cent of adults have admitted to self-harming as a result of stress.
With November 2 marking Stress Awareness Day, it’s time to recognise the symptoms of stress and make efforts to reduce them, before they become even more of a problem.