Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStress vs. OverstressCausesSignsGetting Help

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Stress vs. Overstress

Causes

Signs

Getting Help

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There’s a lot to be stressed about these days. Daily responsibilities,financial issues,political turmoil, the pressure to succeed—the list goes on. People more than ever are feeling the mounting intensity of stress and may be suffering from the physical consequences. Some may even be experiencing overstress, which is essentially the amped-up cousin of stress.

Think you’re one of the few suffering from overstress? Don’t fret—you’re not alone and there are plenty of options for help. Scroll on to learn the 10 most common signs of overstress, the many available treatment options, and the subtle (but uber-important!) differences between regular stress and its more intense counterpart.

Understanding Stress vs. Overstress

You may be well acquainted with the wordstressbut may not have heard of the termoverstress. According to the American Psychological Association, stress refers to physical and emotional responses to stressors.It can result in physical sensations like aracing heartandirritability(more on that later). There isn’t any way to avoid stress in our lives—it is a natural part of being human. The concern is when the stress tips over into the territory of overstress.

While overstress may not be more commonly known, you can think of it aschronic stress. The American Psychological Association identifies chronic stress as the physical and emotional response that comes from experiencing an ongoing stressful situation.

Stress v. OverstressThink of it like this: cramming for finals is stressful. But it only happens a couple of times a year. However, working a high-pressure job with constant quick and intense deadlines can lead to chronic stress. You’re having prolonged exposure to stressful events, which can leave you feeling overstressed.

Stress v. Overstress

Think of it like this: cramming for finals is stressful. But it only happens a couple of times a year. However, working a high-pressure job with constant quick and intense deadlines can lead to chronic stress. You’re having prolonged exposure to stressful events, which can leave you feeling overstressed.

18 Effective Stress Relief Strategies

What Causes Overstress?

So, when does stress turn into overstress? Licensed marriage and family therapistKim Slipskihas a few answers. “Overstress can develop in particularly stressful circumstances,” she says, adding that situations like a chronic illness,the loss of a job,conflict with a spouse, mental health issues, and family challenges are major contributors. “Uncertainty and unpredictability can create a significant amount of stress on top of existing day-to-day stressors, which can tend to put us over the top,” she explains.

Licensed marriage and family therapistLauren Pietraexpressed similar sentiments. “I think overstress happens anytime we are pushing ourselves through stressful events and situations for a sustained period of time,” she explains.

She continues, adding that our bodies can manage stress in short bursts of time but it is when we continue overextending ourselves that we can feel the damage. “Things likenot saying no, overcommitting, or not taking breaks to recover or recharge come to mind as things that contribute to overstress,” she states.

Signs You May Be Overstressed

Anyone else struggling to know when they’tr stressed or overstressed? Same. Here are the key signs that you’re suffering from overstress.

Disrupted Sleep Patterns

Persistent Feelings of Anxiety or Irritability

Stress is shown to be inevitably linked toanxiety, meaning that when you’re stressed, you may also feel anxious.Being overstressed can exacerbate your anxiety and cause a host of other side effects including sleep deprivation. Not to mention, research shows that sleep deprivation can increase feelings of anxiety, which may also present asirritability.

Frequent Headaches

Overstress can manifest into physical ailments includingheadaches. Unfortunately, those already prone to migraines likely notice stress can trigger a majormigraineepisode.If you’re noticing an increase inheadaches, chat with your doctor to see what relief is available for you.

Digestive Issues

You may have heard recent buzz about the importance ofgut health—and it’s for a good reason, too. Stress is linked to a disruptive digestive system. An unbalanced gut can lead to conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.If you’re noticing more digestive troubles than usual, like struggles eliminating, stomach cramps, increased or decreased appetite, or nausea, reach out to your doctor for support.

What Is the Gut-Brain Axis?

Increased Heart Rate

If you’ve been super stressed before, you likely have experienced a racing heart. But did you know that your heart rate isn’t actually rising exponentially? According to a recent study, when you’re overstressed, you canfeel like your heart is racing, but your heart is beating normally.This is one of the many tricks your mind plays on you when you’re overstressed. That being said, overstress can take a toll on your heart, so it is important to touch base with your doctor if you notice changes in your heart rate.

Skin Problems like Acne

Ever notice your skin breaking out inzitswhen you’re going through stress? The correlation is real, though it is somewhat understudied. The internal changes overstress brings onto the body can result in acne, which then creates more stress andexacerbates skin issues. A suggested approach to solving overstress-related acne is to seek out the care of a dermatologist, as well as a mental health professional.

Weakened Immune System

When it rains, it pours. Perhaps you’ve noticed a tickle in your throat every time yourstressamps up. Or, you might get a full-blown bug when life hits you hard. There’s a reason for this.Stress attacks the immune system, making you more susceptible to catching common bugs.Symbolically, you can think of it as your body asking you to slow down amid overstress.

Chronic Pain

A recent study found 20 to 30% of adults experiencechronic pain. That’s nearly a quarter to a third of the population struggling with recurrent physical comfort. As research has developed on this topic, it has been discovered that stress, and conditions likedepressionandpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)can contribute to the prevalence of chronic pain.

Decreased Sex Drive

Overstress can wreak havoc on ourrelationships—platonically, professionally, and romantically. You may have noticed that you’re not in the mood when you’re stressed out. When you’re stressed, you will release stress hormones. These stress hormones, specifically cortisol and epinephrine, are part of your body’s naturalfight-or-flight response. But, your body has to pull resources from somewhere to generate those extra stress hormones regularly. It just so happens the body will drain yoursex hormonesto boost stress hormone production, leading to a decreased sex drive.

8 Tips to Get You in the Mood for Sex

By now, some of you may be realizing you are indeed overstressed. Luckily, there are solutions to help you feel better. First, consider ways you can amp up your support. Pietra suggests sharing how you’re feeling with someone you trust. “This could be a friend or partner, but also a therapist or support group depending on the nature of the stress,” she explains. Therapy can be very helpful in creating space for yourself and de-stressing—and if you’re not sure where to start with finding a provider,we’ve got you covered.

Build Up a Care Team

Finally, see how you can incorporate small pockets of stress relief throughout your day. Maybe you wake up 10 minutes earlier forguided breathingor you build in a quick walk around the block on your lunch break. Those small acts of kindness towards yourself can add up to a big payoff.

13 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Stress.American Psychological Association.Chronic Stress.Kalmbach DA, Anderson JR, Drake CL.The impact of stress on sleep: Pathogenic sleep reactivity as a vulnerability to insomnia and circadian disorders.Journal of sleep research. 2018;27(6):e12710. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12710Daviu N, Bruchas MR, Moghaddam B, Sandi C, Beyeler A.Neurobiological links between stress and anxiety.Neurobiology of Stress.2019;11:100191. PMID: 31467945Babson KA, Trainor CD, Feldner MT, Blumenthal H.A test of the effects of acute sleep deprivation on general and specific self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms: an experimental extension.Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry. 2010;41(3):297. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2010.02.008Stubberud A, Buse DC, Kristoffersen ES, Linde M, Tronvik E.Is there a causal relationship between stress and migraine? Current evidence and implications for management.The Journal of Headache and Pain. 2021;22(1):155. doi: 10.1186/s10194-021-01369-6Zhang H, Wang Z, Wang G, et al.Understanding the connection between gut homeostasis and psychological stress.J Nutr.2023;153(4):924-939.doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.026Trotman GP, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Davies J, Möller C, Ginty AT, Williams SE. Associations between heart rate, perceived heart rate, and anxiety during acute psychological stress.Anxiety Stress Coping. 2019;32(6):711-727. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2019.1648794National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Why mental stress can take a toll on the heart.Jović A, Marinović B, Kostović K, Čeović R, Basta-Juzbašić A, Bukvić Mokos Z.The impact of pyschological stress on acne.Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2017;25(2):1133-1141. PMID: 28871928Ishikawa Y, Furuyashiki T.The impact of stress on immune systems and its relevance to mental illness.Neurosci Res. 2022;175:16-24. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2021.09.005Abdallah CG, Geha P.Chronic pain and chronic stress: two sides of the same coin?Chronic Stress. 2017;1:2470547017704763. doi: 10.1177/2470547017704763Herman JP, McKlveen JM, Ghosal S, et al.Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical stress response.Compr Physiol. 2016;6(2):603-21. doi:10.1002/cphy.c150015

13 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Stress.American Psychological Association.Chronic Stress.Kalmbach DA, Anderson JR, Drake CL.The impact of stress on sleep: Pathogenic sleep reactivity as a vulnerability to insomnia and circadian disorders.Journal of sleep research. 2018;27(6):e12710. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12710Daviu N, Bruchas MR, Moghaddam B, Sandi C, Beyeler A.Neurobiological links between stress and anxiety.Neurobiology of Stress.2019;11:100191. PMID: 31467945Babson KA, Trainor CD, Feldner MT, Blumenthal H.A test of the effects of acute sleep deprivation on general and specific self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms: an experimental extension.Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry. 2010;41(3):297. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2010.02.008Stubberud A, Buse DC, Kristoffersen ES, Linde M, Tronvik E.Is there a causal relationship between stress and migraine? Current evidence and implications for management.The Journal of Headache and Pain. 2021;22(1):155. doi: 10.1186/s10194-021-01369-6Zhang H, Wang Z, Wang G, et al.Understanding the connection between gut homeostasis and psychological stress.J Nutr.2023;153(4):924-939.doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.026Trotman GP, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Davies J, Möller C, Ginty AT, Williams SE. Associations between heart rate, perceived heart rate, and anxiety during acute psychological stress.Anxiety Stress Coping. 2019;32(6):711-727. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2019.1648794National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Why mental stress can take a toll on the heart.Jović A, Marinović B, Kostović K, Čeović R, Basta-Juzbašić A, Bukvić Mokos Z.The impact of pyschological stress on acne.Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2017;25(2):1133-1141. PMID: 28871928Ishikawa Y, Furuyashiki T.The impact of stress on immune systems and its relevance to mental illness.Neurosci Res. 2022;175:16-24. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2021.09.005Abdallah CG, Geha P.Chronic pain and chronic stress: two sides of the same coin?Chronic Stress. 2017;1:2470547017704763. doi: 10.1177/2470547017704763Herman JP, McKlveen JM, Ghosal S, et al.Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical stress response.Compr Physiol. 2016;6(2):603-21. doi:10.1002/cphy.c150015

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychological Association.Stress.American Psychological Association.Chronic Stress.Kalmbach DA, Anderson JR, Drake CL.The impact of stress on sleep: Pathogenic sleep reactivity as a vulnerability to insomnia and circadian disorders.Journal of sleep research. 2018;27(6):e12710. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12710Daviu N, Bruchas MR, Moghaddam B, Sandi C, Beyeler A.Neurobiological links between stress and anxiety.Neurobiology of Stress.2019;11:100191. PMID: 31467945Babson KA, Trainor CD, Feldner MT, Blumenthal H.A test of the effects of acute sleep deprivation on general and specific self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms: an experimental extension.Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry. 2010;41(3):297. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2010.02.008Stubberud A, Buse DC, Kristoffersen ES, Linde M, Tronvik E.Is there a causal relationship between stress and migraine? Current evidence and implications for management.The Journal of Headache and Pain. 2021;22(1):155. doi: 10.1186/s10194-021-01369-6Zhang H, Wang Z, Wang G, et al.Understanding the connection between gut homeostasis and psychological stress.J Nutr.2023;153(4):924-939.doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.026Trotman GP, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Davies J, Möller C, Ginty AT, Williams SE. Associations between heart rate, perceived heart rate, and anxiety during acute psychological stress.Anxiety Stress Coping. 2019;32(6):711-727. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2019.1648794National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Why mental stress can take a toll on the heart.Jović A, Marinović B, Kostović K, Čeović R, Basta-Juzbašić A, Bukvić Mokos Z.The impact of pyschological stress on acne.Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2017;25(2):1133-1141. PMID: 28871928Ishikawa Y, Furuyashiki T.The impact of stress on immune systems and its relevance to mental illness.Neurosci Res. 2022;175:16-24. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2021.09.005Abdallah CG, Geha P.Chronic pain and chronic stress: two sides of the same coin?Chronic Stress. 2017;1:2470547017704763. doi: 10.1177/2470547017704763Herman JP, McKlveen JM, Ghosal S, et al.Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical stress response.Compr Physiol. 2016;6(2):603-21. doi:10.1002/cphy.c150015

American Psychological Association.Stress.

American Psychological Association.Chronic Stress.

Kalmbach DA, Anderson JR, Drake CL.The impact of stress on sleep: Pathogenic sleep reactivity as a vulnerability to insomnia and circadian disorders.Journal of sleep research. 2018;27(6):e12710. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12710

Daviu N, Bruchas MR, Moghaddam B, Sandi C, Beyeler A.Neurobiological links between stress and anxiety.Neurobiology of Stress.2019;11:100191. PMID: 31467945

Babson KA, Trainor CD, Feldner MT, Blumenthal H.A test of the effects of acute sleep deprivation on general and specific self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms: an experimental extension.Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry. 2010;41(3):297. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2010.02.008

Stubberud A, Buse DC, Kristoffersen ES, Linde M, Tronvik E.Is there a causal relationship between stress and migraine? Current evidence and implications for management.The Journal of Headache and Pain. 2021;22(1):155. doi: 10.1186/s10194-021-01369-6

Zhang H, Wang Z, Wang G, et al.Understanding the connection between gut homeostasis and psychological stress.J Nutr.2023;153(4):924-939.doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.026

Trotman GP, Veldhuijzen van Zanten JJCS, Davies J, Möller C, Ginty AT, Williams SE. Associations between heart rate, perceived heart rate, and anxiety during acute psychological stress.Anxiety Stress Coping. 2019;32(6):711-727. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2019.1648794

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Why mental stress can take a toll on the heart.

Jović A, Marinović B, Kostović K, Čeović R, Basta-Juzbašić A, Bukvić Mokos Z.The impact of pyschological stress on acne.Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2017;25(2):1133-1141. PMID: 28871928

Ishikawa Y, Furuyashiki T.The impact of stress on immune systems and its relevance to mental illness.Neurosci Res. 2022;175:16-24. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2021.09.005

Abdallah CG, Geha P.Chronic pain and chronic stress: two sides of the same coin?Chronic Stress. 2017;1:2470547017704763. doi: 10.1177/2470547017704763

Herman JP, McKlveen JM, Ghosal S, et al.Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical stress response.Compr Physiol. 2016;6(2):603-21. doi:10.1002/cphy.c150015

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