Typical signs of stress - and what helps against it

He is quite robust, our body: He puts away weeks of stress in the job, without complaining, forgive relationship anger who has gnawed at his nerves for a long time, and does not equal flabby, if he gets a night hardly sleep, because the party like that was good. Where did he get this power from?

Learning is learned, you could say that. Stress events have been part of our daily routine since time immemorial. Only that the threats in earlier times were of an existential nature: famines, natural disasters, the attack of a predator. Today the fridge is full, there is no ice age in sight, and maybe your beloved's teeth are still snapping when we tear the remote control out of his hand.

And yet - at some point, the reserves of the fittest body are exhausted and he signals: I want rest and relaxation, I want to refuel and need new energy. At the same time, our organism is inventive, in the way it triggers the alarm. Maybe an eyelid suddenly twitches, the heart flutters, or we roll uneasily in bed. Not so tragic. It is only important to recognize the personal stress warning system and to counter it in good time.

That's what our body wants to tell us:

When I work under pressure, my stomach and intestines become cramped.

Where is it coming from? The gastrointestinal tract is a sensitive organ system and responds quickly irritated when our body releases a lot of stress hormones such as cortisol. In addition, the circulation of the body changes under stress. The large muscles in the legs are better supplied and deprived of blood from the intestines. In primitive times man could escape better in an emergency.

I can do that: Eat properly! When chaos reigns, we tend to fast-food attacks and fast snooping down. Good for the irritated stomach are basic foods, such as potatoes, pasta or oatmeal. Meat and sugar should be better avoided in such phases.

When to the doctor? When the pain persists for a longer period or when you lose weight without dieting. It could be a disease that requires medical attention.

When I am nervous, my eye suddenly starts to twitch uncontrollably.

Where is it coming from? The experts are not quite sure about that yet. An imbalance in the mineral home holds, especially a calcium and / or magnesium deficiency, could be the cause. But it is also possible that tensions are the reason. Under stress, we often frown and tighten the facial muscles more. This can cause muscle twitching in the face as a backlash.

I can do that: The good news: This little tick is completely harmless. The bad: Unfortunately, there is no remedy that works immediately against it. It is best to wait until the nervous reaction disappears on its own - and allow yourself a little more rest for a few days.

When to the doctor? If the agitated eyelid does not calm down over several days and weeks, tingling, numbness and a disturbed temperature sensation on the face or in other parts of the body occur at the same time, you should consult a doctor and exclude a neurological illness for safety's sake.

A cold sore spreads on my lip.

Where is it coming from? Many people carry the herpes virus unnoticed for a long time. Normally our body can keep that in check pretty well. Under stress, however, the immune defense is limited, the virus is no longer controllable. Then make ugly bubbles around the mouth wide.

I can do that: When you know that hectic times are up, it is best to take vitamin C plus zinc daily. And creams: Either with an acyclovir ointment, which is applied at first tingling and burning, or, purely herbal, with a preparation of balm extract, for example Lomaherpan.

When to the doctor? If the bubbles do not heal over a long period of time, spread to the eye or recur constantly. Cause could be a disease of the immune system.

In the morning my jaw hurts, my head hurts, my eyes are heavy.

Where is it coming from? In technical terms, this stress reaction is called "bruxism". We literally bite our teeth while we sleep, because we are under extreme physical and mental strain.

I can do that: In the acute case, little, because in our sleep, the control over our body is missing. Do not swallow sleep and calming tablets, they will not solve the problem. Instead, better fathom the cause of nervousness. Relaxation exercises such as autogenic training or progressive muscle relaxation often help.

When to the doctor? Best always.And to the dentist, so that can determine whether a malposition of teeth or jaws is responsible for nocturnal stress. It also ensures that the teeth will not be damaged by the crunching. An individual bite track can alleviate the discomfort.

When I'm stressed, I have to cough constantly. Sometimes even the words get stuck in my throat.

Where is it coming from? This is a harmless reaction of the autonomic nervous system. A tension in the neck and neck can trigger the lump-in-the-throat feeling, even nervous dry mouth irritates to cough.

I can do that: Often it helps to suck candies and drink a lot. In addition, relax the neck by stretching exercises.

When to the doctor? When the frog not only becomes active during stress but stays in the throat for several weeks. Then it might not just be a nervous tick, but an allergic reaction or a thyroid disorder.

My head starts to throb. The pain runs from the shoulders to the forehead.

Where is it coming from? "Something is on my back", "That puzzles me" - These phrases say it already: Stress is often stuck in the head. Unconsciously, we pull our heads under pressure, crouching down to avoid the stress. Such bad posture permanently cause complaints.

I can do that: Just do not rush straight from the office chair to the gym to power up and make up for the long sitting with lots of exercise. Better: Slowly and under the guidance of a trainer or physiotherapist in a targeted, gentle training go, strengthens the back and abdominal muscles and relaxes the neck.

When to the doctor? If the pain lasts longer, one should have orthopedic or neurological causes as a precautionary medical check-up. Especially if the pain radiates or is accompanied by feelings of numbness.

I roll around in bed and can not switch off.

Where is it coming from? It is often the first time in bed to rest during a strenuous day and has free time. And that stimulates to ponder. Actually no wonder that the thoughts rotate and then sleep is impossible to think.

I can do that: Important are fixed rituals, so if possible go to bed at a certain time, drink another tea before falling asleep, write down everything that needs to be done the next day. Besides, in bed only really sleep - do not read, eat or watch tv.

When to the doctor? As soon as one has the feeling that the lack of sleep leads to the fact that during the day the responsiveness is limited and one no longer feels well. A visit to the sleep laboratory can, in extreme cases, help to come to terms with the course of the sleep disorder.

My heart starts racing, I can only breathe flat.

Where is it coming from? This can be a hormonal stress reaction. Adrenalin and norepinephrine put the body on alert even though there is no immediate danger. To be on the safe side, however, the cause should be clarified by the doctor.

I can do that: If a doctor has clarified that there is no organic cause, condition training is a good way to strengthen the body as a whole. A trained organism copes better with any form of physiological arousal. Deep abdominal breathing helps to relax. Simply lay your back on the floor, place a stack of books (not too heavy) on your stomach and try to raise and lower that pile with deep, conscious in-the-belly breathing.

When to the doctor?When the heartbeat occurs more often and persistently. The first time to the family doctor, who can then refer to the cardiologist.

Please note: This article does not replace a doctor's diagnosis. Please let yourself be examined and treated by a physician for persistent complaints.