Common responses to stress are listed below. Think about how stress affects you.

Aches and Pains*

• Headache
• Backache
• Neck ache
• Stomach ache
• Tight muscles
• Clenched jaw

Energy Level and Sleep*

• Feeling tired without a good reason
• Trouble sleeping

Feelings 

• Anxiety
• Anger
• Depression
• Helplessness
• Out of control
• Tense

Other Emotional Signs

• Easily irritated
• Impatient
• Forgetful

*Some physical signs of stress may be caused by your medical condition or by medicines you take. If you aren't sure what's causing your physical symptoms, ask your doctor if stress might be the cause.

How Do You Respond?

When you are under stress, do any of these behaviors apply to you?

• I eat to calm down.
• I speak and eat very fast.
• I drink alcohol or smoke to calm down.
• I rush around but do not get much done.
• I work too much.
• I delay doing the things I need to do.
• I sleep too little, too much or both.
• I slow down.
• I try to do too many things at once.

Engaging in even one of these behaviors may mean that you are not dealing with stress as well as you could.

What's the link between stress and heart disease? Does chronic stress cause high blood pressure? Find out the answers to these and other questions with our FAQs About Stress.