(Women’s Health) — The occasional manic Monday is a fact of modern life. But if you’re under chronic stress – suffering a daily assault of stress hormones from a demanding job or a personal life in turmoil – then your symptoms may be more subtle than simply feeling overwhelmed, says Dr. Stevan E. Hobfoll, chair of the department of behavioural sciences at Rush University Medical Centre.
If you experience any of the signs that follow, take some time out every day, he says, whether it’s to go for a walk or simply turn off your phone.
A sudden drop in stress can prompt migraines, says Dr Todd Schwedt, director of the Washington University Headache Centre. Stick closely to your weekday sleeping and eating schedule to minimise other triggers.
The most stressed-out women are more than twice as likely to experience painful menstrual cramps as those who are less tense, a Harvard study found. Researchers blame a stress-induced imbalance of hormones. Hitting the gym can soothe cramps and stress, research shows, by decreasing sympathetic nervous system activity. (…)