It’s obvious when you’re walloped all at once by anxiety – pass the paper bag! – but some symptoms of ongoing stress are so subtle, you might not even make the link.
1. Jaw Pain
If you wake up sore from the neck up, you could be grinding your teeth in your sleep, says dental specialist Dr Sally Cram. Facial muscles tense up when you’re stressed, which can lead to spasm while you’re asleep, causing teeth to clench.
2. Tummy Troubles
‘When under stress, people may swallow air, leading to abdominal discomfort,’ says Dr Douglas Drossman, a professor of medicine and psychiatry. X-rays of people who are stressed show more gas bubbles in the stomach.
3. A Lagging Libido
Find that you’re not in the mood night after night? A low libido may be a clue that you’re mentally and physically drained.
4. Canker Sores
Stress may spark flare-ups of these small ulcers in or around your lip, says Cram. They’re irritated by spicy, salty and acidic foods.
Source: Good Housekeeping magazine
