7 signs you're chronically stressed...

KEY SYMPTOMS INCLUDE DIGESTIVE ISSUES, SKIN RASHES AND TENSION HEADACHES. BY CAMILLA FOSTER

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WE all experience different levels of stress on a day-to-day basis, whether that is due to family demands or work pressures, but it’s important to be aware of when it might be negatively impacting your health.

Dr Michael Zemenides, co-founder of the AZ General Practice at The Wellington Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, explains what chronic stress is and highlights what the key symptoms are.

What is chronic stress?

“A little bit of stress can be a good thing to help us get things done - for example, that increased productivity we might get before a deadline,” says Dr Zemenides.

“However, chronic stress is when we're overstimulated by stress over a prolonged period of time. So, you develop this prolonged state of tension or alertness in response to constant, ongoing pressures, rather than intermittent, short-term challenges.”

Is chronic stress an official diagnosis?

“While ‘chronic stress’ itself is not a formal medical diagnosis, it is a recognised condition that can contribute to, or coexist with, other health issues such as anxiety disorders, depression, insomnia, or burnout,” explains Dr Zemenides.