5 Signs Youre Stressed at Work - The Muse

5 Signs Youre Stressed at Work - The Muse5 Signs Youre Stressed at WorkAt least once every year, I develop an unforgiving cough and congestion so bad I have trouble hearing. Each time, as I burrow under my favorite blanket and clutch onto Sudafed and Mucinex for dear life, I wonder Why again? And why always when I have fun weekend plans? It doesnt take me long to realize- Im burnt out. True to form, Ive agreed to too many responsibilities and side gigs on top of my fulltime job, and my body is not happy. I know Im not alone. As a reporting and evaluation manager for an employee wellness company, one of my responsibilities is to identify and analyze top health risks for the thousands of individuals our programs serve. And usually, stress ends up in the top three (out of 15). While its true that a little can be good for you, the consistent presence of it is not. Chronic stress, of course, has been shown over and over to be a bad thing for body and brain, says Alice G. Walton, a Forbes science and health writer. It actually seems to suppress the generation of new nerve cells and inhibit memory, not to mention increase ones risk for being overweight developing heart disease and possibly cancer developing addictions and experiencing depression, anxiety, and sleep problems.Well, that sounds exciting (read horrifying). But minimizing levels of it is easier said than done, as it can be difficult to notice when youre overdoing it- most likely because youre so busy you cant keep tabs on how youre feeling. But if you identify with any of the following five signs, it may be time to take a step back. 1. Youre Snapping at Everyone (for No Good Reason)When your co-worker poses a simple question- Hey, can you proofread this memo for me?- and you act like she asked you to read the employee handbook to her. You huff and puff and silently wonder why shes so very stupid. Instead of calmly responding with a Sure or Give me a few seconds to wrap this up, you answer with venom-laced words Um, Im kinda busy right now, but sure, whatever.Later on, you realize you severely overreacted, and the embarrassment sets in. Christine Porath, a professor at Georgetown Universitys business school, explains that a lot of people have no idea theyre being rude to others. And its probably because theyre so stressed and overwhelmed that they dont have the mental bandwidth to consider other peoples hurt feelings. (But just because youre not the only drama queen doesnt give you the excuse to be Cruella.) 2. Youre Thinking About Work All the TimeYour hours may be nine to five, but your mind is occupied with work 24/7. During your commute, while eating dinner, when youre trying to fall asleep, in your dreams- you know the drill. Its the sole topic of conversation when talking with friends and family, and the only thing you can think about when youre pretending to listen to them (smile, nod, smile, nod). Im not saying you should limit every thought about it to specific days and times - youre not a robot (if you are, though, no judgment here). But as Adrian Granzella Larssen, Editor-in Chief of The Daily Muse says, bringing too much work home- even if that work is just rolling around in your head- can quickly make you an anxious, sleep-deprived, pretty boring dinner guest. And no one wants that3. You Cant Focus Enough to Actually Be ProductiveIts time to get down to it, but you just cant seem to make any progress (or even get started). Countless thoughts are bouncing around inside your head at lightning speed, and you have no idea how to control them. And so begins the vicious cycle- youre overwhelmed because youve got a lot to do, but youre fretting about it so much that you cant accomplish anything. You can blame this frustrating situation on your bodys response to regular anxiety, which is really helpful when you need survival mode to kick in, but not so helpful when its impairing your concentration. 4. You Arent Sleeping Well (or at All)Youre exhausted at the end of the day, but when you finally retire for the night, you spend hours staring at the ceiling. At last, you drift off (hopefully), but you toss and turn all night. When you wake up the next morning, youre just as tired as you were before.When were stressed, says Lindsay Holmes, Deputy Healthy Living Editor for The Huffington Post, our minds race with thoughts instead of shutting down at night, inhibiting important functions involved in memory, muscle repair, and mood (yikes).It gets worse, says Holmes. It can also lead to persistent insomnia and a malfunctioning immune system (which explains that nagging cold I get each year). Weird dreams are also a common symptom- such as that time my subconscious explored the ins and outs of PowerPoint, which was super riveting and enlightening. 5. Your Entire Body Feels SoreWhen theres too much tension in your mind, itll manifest itself in your body in several ways, as well- pain and stiffness in your back, neck, hips, and shoulders headach es a clenched jaw and more.When the brain senses a threat, it activates the sympathetic nervous system and signals the adrenal glands to pump out adrenaline, cortisol, and other hormones that prime the body for action, shares Melinda Beck, a health contributor for The Wall Street Journal. Together, they make the muscles tense up, the digestive tract slow down, blood vessels constrict, and the heart beats faster. And when your body has this reaction unnecessarily- like to an overflowing inbox rather than to a saber tooth tiger- your muscles will remain contracted for a prolonged period of time (hence all those knots in your upper back).Listen- you cant avoid feeling this way all the time. Its part of life, and sometimes very important. But when its long-term, the effects can be harmful. So, while you cant eliminate it completely, you can prevent it from spinning out of control and taking over your life. The first step? Being aware of your behavior and how you feel. And then, figure o ut the best way to manage your to-do list, remember to take (frequent) breaks, disconnect fully on a regular basis, and when you need to- ask for help. Learning how to successfully manage stress is key to a happy and healthy life. So, go on, conquer it Itll pay off big time. Photo of courtesty of Peopleimages/Getty Images.