5 Signs Your Body is Chronically Stressed

Stress is present EVERYWHERE in our daily lives that there's a good chance you don't even realize just how stressed out you actually are. Our bodies, on the other hand, know immediately when something is off, even if it takes us a while to consciously acknowledge.

You know what is incredibly amazing? Our bodies are a fascinating masterpiece of brilliant genius given to us by our Creator. The body was designed to give us warnings at the first start of trouble, and if we are willing to stop and listen, we can hear them for what they are: a sign to make a change and calm the heck down.

Even though our bodies are resilient and can put up with a lot (cue in my own type A personality), there comes a point when enough is enough, and it starts to give. No one becomes chronically ill overnight, and these symptoms are your body's check engine light.

“But unlike a car, you can't upgrade to a new model; you can only love on the one, amazing body that you have right now.”

So what are some signs you are chronically stressed?

1. Irregular bowel movements

Yup. You may be associating these with a food intolerance or sensitivity, but did you know that when you are stressed, it can lead to inflammation in the gut and a whole bunch of inflammatory bowel issues. You can thank the gut-brain axis for that, as research has shown that what happens in your brain can directly affect your gut.

2. Insomnia

Ongoing stress leads to chronically high cortisol levels - been here too many times! And when cortisol is high, that "sleep hormone" melatonin is low. This is supposed to happen each morning to help you wake up, but when your cortisol is still on high alert at bedtime, you'll definitely struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep!

3. Low sex drive

"Let's talk about sex baby...let's talk about you and me...." Oh wait, we weren't singing, were we? High levels of stress have the potential to throw your fun sex hormones out of whack and affect drive. Not to mention, it can also be difficult to get in the mood when you're distracted and have your mind elsewhere, right?

4. Skin rashes

Your skin is like a window to everything that is going on inside your body, and chronic stress can do a number on your skin. For example, when our oldest son eats a food he's sensitive to, his face gets a rash just outside his lips. We then know that we have to pause and clean his diet up for the next few weeks. What you need to know is that not only does cortisol, your body's stress (fight or flight) hormone, increase your skin's oil production, but stress also causes inflammation in your gut, which can lead to a whirlwind of inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, acne, or autoimmune-related skin conditions like psoriasis.

“Your skin is like a window to everything that is going on inside your body”

5. You get sick more often

Ever notice how some people rarely get sick and others should invest in Kleenex because of how often they get sick?

Ya'll, hate to break it to you, but chronic stress decreases your immune function. Yup. If you are constantly stressed out, your immune system is NOT going to be prepared to fight off viruses and bacteria, making you more prone to any illness that comes your way. And here's the thing, you can't just eat healthy and workout to overcome the chronic stress. You have to find the root cause, address it, and keep those stressful events out of your life as much as possible.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, take it as an invitation from your body to get the rest, nourishment, and care it is desperately craving. Because I know, you don't want to continue feeling this way. I empower you to take action. You got this!