Dealing with the stressors of everyday life can take a toll on mental health for some. One may not realise the obvious signs of poor mental health and keep functioning in a less than optimum state.
Neglecting mental health not only impairs the quality of your mental state but also shows up on your body. Certain bodily signs indicate that you need to pay attention to your mental health.
From increased cortisol levels to mood swings and anxiety, paying attention to these signs is vital to overall mental well-being. Here are seven signs that say you are neglecting your mental health.
7 Ways your body warns you that you are neglecting your mental health
1. Increased cortisol levels
Chronic stress increases cortisol levels and affects all bodily functions. High cortisol levels can lead to weight gain, increased blood sugar, skin problems, and other issues, especially if you’re not taking steps to manage your stress well.
Cortisol is a hormone that regulates how your body reacts to stress. When you’re stressed out, your adrenal glands release cortisol. If you are chronically stressed out, your cortisol levels will be high.
2. Low energy all day
Anxiety, stress, and a generally poor mental state often contribute to poor sleeping habits, which can often contribute to feelings of fatigue all day. There could be other reasons behind low energy than just how much sleep you get.
Hormonal shifts that occur alongside chronic stress, anxiety, and burnout can leave us constantly feeling low on energy and fatigued. As our body tries to cope with stress, releasing hormones and focusing energy on our anxious thoughts, we feel less capacity to complete our daily tasks.
3. Muscle tension
Many of us who struggle with anxiety and chronic stress may tend to tense up our bodies to cope with uncomfortable feelings and thoughts.
Whether it’s clenching jaws or letting shoulders rise to our ears, our body’s tendency to tense up throughout the day can get in the way of relaxation and lead to other physical symptoms like headaches and fatigue.
4. Mood swings
Mood swings are characterised by rapid and extreme fluctuations in emotional state. It is a significant sign of mental illness. These abrupt mood shifts, jumping from euphoria to depression or irritability within a short period, may be an indication of underlying mental health conditions
These mood swings can interrupt daily life, impacting relationships, work, and overall well-being. It is essential to recognise when these emotional shifts are more than just occasional fluctuations and seek professional help to address potential mental health issues.
5. Waking up anxious
Many people without clinical anxiety, struggle with morning anxiety. They struggle with racing thoughts, nervousness, headaches, etc. They often start their day in a constant ‘fight-or-flight mode’.
The causes of morning anxiety can vary. It could be a symptom of chronic work stress. For others, it’s a symptom of spiked cortisol levels in the morning—a stress hormone the body releases as a means to cope.
6. Changes in appetite
When our bodies become focused on dealing with stress and anxiety, the basic habits we’ve always relied on go for a toss. From sleeping to eating, changes in these habits can be subtle ways your body warns you that you’re neglecting your mental health.
Stress is one of the causes of weight fluctuations and unhealthy eating habits in many ways. From struggling to find time to eat healthily to reaching for comfort foods to cope as well as losing your appetite, recognising the subtle changes in your eating habits can help you deal with stress before it is too late.
7. Changes in sleep patterns
Just like eating, sleep problems like insomnia, excessive sleeping, or irregular sleep schedules can indicate underlying mental health issues like depression, anxiety, etc. These changes in essential physiological functions are often an indication of the body’s response to stress and can worsen mental health conditions if neglected.
Social and lead images credits: Freepik
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