Small changes can make a big difference when it comes to stress.
Stress is our body’s reaction to feeling threatened or under pressure. When we are stressed, our body releases a hormone called adrenaline, which usually gives us a boost or motivates us to act quickly. Too much stress can have a negative impact on our body and mind.
How it affects us
Stress can affect our emotions, our body and our behaviours. There are some key things to look out for. You may:
- be irritable, angry or tearful
- feel worried, anxious, hopeless or scared
- struggle to make decisions, have racing thoughts or feel overwhelmed
- have stomach problems, stress headaches and other odd pains including muscle pain
- have skin reactions, like stress rashes and hives
- Feel dizzy, sick or faint
Stress can sometimes cause high blood pressure and chest pains – but these symptoms should stop when your stress goes away. If you have any symptoms you are worried about, or feel you have more severe stress, please contact your GP practice.
Visit our “stress less” page for more information about stress, top tips to manage your stress and information about services and support available across Greater Manchester
