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You know what your mind does when you’re stressed. Your thoughts can race, freeze, or scatter. Your temper may flare — or you might withdraw. But did you know stress can make your teeth ache? Physical symptoms of stress can be your body’s way of telling you it’s time to make some changes.
The first step is to recognize that stress is causing your discomfort. This can be hard. Symptoms of low-level stress can be easy to dismiss. Your first thought about a sore neck might be that you need a new pillow. And everyone’s job keeps them up at night sometimes, right? The source of your stress can also be positive — like starting a family or finding a new place to live. Why would you think your headaches come from something you’re looking forward to?
But if it is stress causing you to feel sick, learning what stress is, knowing how it shows up in your body, and finding ways to manage your stress can help you feel better.
What is stress?
When you feel challenged, your body releases hormones that increase your heart rate, breath rate, and blood pressure. This is often called the fight-or-flight response. It can be positive — speeding up your reactions so you avoid an accident or giving you that extra burst of energy to get something done. But if it’s severe or goes on too long, stress can make you feel ill.
Can stress make you sick?
Yes. Acute stress, sometimes called severe stress, can give you a headache, stomachache, or make you feel exhausted. You might feel acute stress if you fight with a loved one. Your symptoms usually fade after a day or two.
Chronic stress goes on for weeks or months. It can make you unwell by:
- Weakening your immune system
- Slowing the healing of cuts or scrapes1
- Making other chronic conditions you have worse
That’s why having ways to reduce your stress can improve your overall health. The first step? Recognizing how stress shows up in your body.
8 common physical signs of stress
If these symptoms sound familiar, stress could be to blame.
Dry mouth and trouble swallowing
Stress can reduce the production of saliva. This can give you a dry mouth and make it uncomfortable to swallow.
Hair loss
Hair falls out naturally all the time. Hair grows, takes a little rest, and falls out to make room for new hair. Normally each strand on your head is in a different phase of this cycle. Stress can cause more of your hair to enter the resting phase. This can lead to increased and noticeable hair loss.
Upset stomach
Stress can mess up your digestion. Common symptoms include stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. You might even throw up when stressed.
Difficulty sleeping
Stress can make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. A stressful event may cause your mind to race and keep your body alert for a day or two. Chronic stress can lead to long-term insomnia or fragmented sleep.
Muscle aches and pains
Stress can cause your muscles to tense up — and over time, this can lead to pain and soreness almost anywhere in your body. Often, you’ll feel stress-related aches and pain in your neck, back, and shoulders.
Jaw, ear, or head pain
Stress can make you clench your jaws or grind your teeth, often without noticing it. But you’ll feel the tight soreness in your jaw or neck and the toothache.
Lightheadedness and dizziness
Stress can raise your heart rate and cause rapid, shallow breathing. This can make you dizzy or lightheaded.
Lack of sexual desire
The burst of speed and energy you get with stress is powered, in part, by hormones. With chronic stress, these can interfere with other hormones and lead to decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, irregular menstrual cycles, and problems getting pregnant.2,3
Symptoms of chronic stress
Being under stress for a long time can take a toll on your body. Besides the symptoms above, you can also develop:
- High blood pressure
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Addiction disorders
If you have an ongoing condition like heart disease or Type 2 diabetes, chronic stress can make it worse.
What to do when you’re stressed
There are several simple things you can do to help relieve stress. These small acts of self-care can calm your mind and relax your body in the moment and, with practice, make you resilient to future stress.
Eat right and stay hydrated
When you’re stressed, it’s easy to abandon healthy habits. But they can make a huge difference in how you feel. Keep healthy foods on hand. Cut back on sugar and caffeine, and drink plenty of water.
Plan to exercise every day
Exercise is key to managing stress and can ease many symptoms.4 Sweating isn’t needed, and any type of physical activity can help. You’ll notice benefits right away, and they’ll become even more noticeable over time.
Take sleep seriously
Sleep supports your physical, mental, and emotional health. But it’s important to get quality sleep. That means falling asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed, consistently sleeping through the night, and waking up feeling refreshed. Improving your sleep can sharpen your memory, lead to fewer colds, and make it easier to get to and stay at a healthy weight.5
Get outside and into nature
Many studies show that being outdoors can help relieve stress. Spending just 20 minutes in nature can be effective.6 This can be as simple as enjoying a walk down a tree-lined street. In Japan, this practice is called forest bathing.
Explore mindfulness
Research shows that mindfulness activities can help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress.7 Mindfulness can be as simple as mentally taking a step back to notice how you’re reacting to what’s going on around you.
A popular exercise to manage stress is mindfulness meditation, where you sit quietly, focus on your breathing, and keep bringing your attention back to the present moment. Other activities that ask you to focus on positive things, like practicing gratitude, can also help.
Connect with others
Strong and healthy relationships with family and friends can profoundly influence your overall well-being, as well as help you cope with stress. Good friends can be your best support group. And the benefits go both ways. Being there for someone else can also distract you from your worries and make you feel better about your life. Make plans to meet up or catch up with people who are important to you.
Get creative
Studies show being creative can help reduce stress.8 Making something can be a way to emotionally check-in with yourself. Having a creative hobby can also give you something to look forward to. It doesn’t matter what you do — painting, writing, or building birdhouses — as long as you enjoy it.
Choose positive ways to cope
Drinking alcohol, eating for comfort, or smoking can make you feel better in the moment. But if these are your go-to coping strategies, you can end up feeling more stress and harming your health. Developing healthier ways to get through difficult times can provide deeper relief.
Keeping a journal can help you see how you’re currently managing stress. It can be a place to list alternatives to having a beer or some ice cream, like drinking some water, going for a walk, or calling a friend. Just the act of writing down what you’re feeling can help turn down the volume on negative thoughts.
Finding your path to a less stressful life
There’s no magic solution that relieves stress for everyone. You might have to try and use several different tools and techniques to find what works for you.
The good news is that small changes can make a big difference over time. But it’s important to set achievable goals and not give up when you fall back into old patterns.
When to ask for help
While self-care is always a good idea, you might need more support. Chronic stress shares many symptoms with other mental health disorders. Depression can ruin your concentration and cause poor sleep. Symptoms of anxiety include muscle tension and overthinking. Unhealthy eating behaviors can be the cause of chronic stress as well as the result of it.
If your symptoms don’t go away or keep coming back, talk to your doctor. They can work with you to rule out any other health issues as well as offer personalized, positive ways to manage stress. Kaiser Permanente members can start an e-visit and get medical advice online, usually within a few hours.
Self-care apps to support well-being
Digital self-care apps are another tool to help you manage stress and navigate life’s challenges. Learn more about self-care apps, available at no cost to Kaiser Permanente members.9