Do you have these 8 symptoms of chronic stress? Here's how to deal
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Chronic stress symptoms can affect your body, mood, and daily energy. Learn the 8 signs to look out for and how to manage them with more awareness and self-compassion.
Everyone experiences stress now and then, but for some people, the struggle is never-ending.
Chronic stress is more than just feeling overwhelmed by a busy week at work or anxious about sitting in traffic on your way to school pick-up. It constantly hums in the background and leaves your body on high alert, even if nothing dramatic is happening. In addition to feeling generally on edge, you may have trouble sleeping, snap at your loved ones over minor infractions, and experience tension headaches or digestive issues.
Making matters more complicated is that chronic stress can sneak up on you. You might just be exhausted, or wonder why you can’t seem to shake a bad mood. So, if you’re feeling off but can’t quite put your finger on why, it might be time to consider whether you’re experiencing chronic stress. Here’s what you need to know.
What is chronic stress?
Stress in short bursts can help you stay alert and responsive. During these moments, your heart races, your system activates, and then usually, everything returns to baseline.
On the other hand, chronic stress is what happens when that baseline never comes. Over time, this constant state of alertness can wear down your system and cause you to burn out.
It also affects your digestion, sleep, immune system, hormones, and your ability to concentrate.
What causes chronic stress?
Chronic stress often stems from the accumulation of everyday challenges that don’t let up. And because it blends into your routine, it usually flies under the radar.
There are many causes of chronic stress, but here are some common ones:
Workplace pressure: High workloads, lack of control, long hours, and a toxic environment can all lead to sustained stress.
Financial strain: Living paycheck to paycheck, managing debt, or navigating unexpected expenses can create a baseline of tension that’s hard to shake.
Relationship conflict: Ongoing issues with partners, family, or friends can quietly wear down your emotional resilience.
Caregiving responsibilities: The weight of constantly showing up for others while sidelining your own needs can take a serious toll on your body.
Health challenges: Chronic illness, injury, and mental health conditions can trigger a persistent stress response.
Life instability or discrimination: Constant change—like moving, job insecurity, and discrimination—can create uncertainty that could keep your body in a state of high alert.
8 symptoms of chronic stress
Often, your body will send you signals that you’re experiencing chronic stress. Here are eight of them:
1. Sleep issues: Because chronic stress can keep your nervous system in a state of hypervigilance, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
2. Digestive problems: Stress hormones can disrupt digestion, leading to bloating or nausea.
3. Persistent fatigue: Bone-deep exhaustion that sticks around, even after a full night’s sleep, can be another symptom.
4. Mood swings or irritability: If your reactions start to feel bigger than the situation calls for, you might be chronically stressed. Chronic stress messes with emotional regulation and makes it harder to keep calm after something upsetting happens.
5. Physical tension and aches: Chronic stress typically lives in the body as tightness, stiffness, or unexplained pain. Jaw clenching, tight shoulders, or a dull, tension-based headache can be signs.
6. Trouble concentrating: Executive functioning can take a hit when your brain is preoccupied with survival, and chronic stress can impair your ability to focus, process information, and make decisions.
7. Avoidance or isolation: When you’re chronically stressed, interacting with others can feel draining. You may find yourself canceling plans, skipping texts, or withdrawing from people you love.
8. Coping through numbing behaviors: Leaning more heavily on wine, caffeine, and comfort food to escape can also be a sign of chronic stress.
Why chronic stress can be harmful over time
Being chronically stressed can keep you in emergency mode. Over time, this can take a serious toll on your body and mind.
Here’s more of a breakdown of what happens when your stress response never really turns off:
Your immune system weakens: You could get sick more often or take longer to recover from illnesses. This is because your body’s defenses are on the back burner.
Chronic conditions can develop: Ongoing stress can increase your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Your brain changes: Long-term stress is tied to anxiety, depression, and even structural changes in your brain. As a result, memory, focus, and emotional regulation can suffer.
Hormones fall out of sync: Fluctuating hormone levels can throw off your menstrual cycle and metabolism.
Digestion goes sideways: Chronic stress can affect your gut-brain connection, leading to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), reflux, and stomach discomfort.
Relationships can strain: Emotional exhaustion can make it harder to connect with others. You might pull away, react quickly, or feel numb.
How to deal with chronic stress: 9 tips to find your calm
Unfortunately, there’s no way to eliminate stress from your life, but there are ways you can support your system better when it shows up.
Here are nine practical strategies you can use to interrupt your cycle of chronic stress.
1. Identify your stress patterns
Start by naming your stressors and how your body responds. Noticing your patterns without judgment can help you set the stage for change. So, keep a simple stress log for a week. When symptoms spike, notice what triggered them and what helped soothe you. Also, ask yourself:
How often do I get tension headaches?
How regularly do I snap at my loved ones?
How consistently do I zone out while scrolling on my phone?
Read more: 10 mindfulness questions to help you check in with yourself
2. Anchor into your body daily
Releasing stress can help you gently reconnect with your body. Here are some ways you can do that:
Stretch for three minutes after you wake up.
Before meals, take five slow breaths with a hand on your chest.
Roll your shoulders or shake out tension while brushing your teeth.
Here are seven other gentle movement exercises you can do to boost your mental health and find a sense of calm.
3. Prioritize quality rest
If sleep is elusive, focus on deep rest in other ways. You could:
Try yoga nidra: a guided rest practice described as “meditation with a nap.”
Take a break during the day when you do absolutely nothing.
For 10 minutes, lie down with your legs up the wall.
4. Create small rituals of control
When life feels unpredictable, even tiny acts of structure can bring you comfort. Some rituals you could add to your day are:
Lighting a candle while answering emails
Doing the same two-minute routine before bed each night
Drinking a glass of water when you wake up
5. Move your body in stress-releasing ways
Gentle movement can reduce your cortisol level and improve your mood. You might try to:
Go for a walk outside with no destination
Dance to your favorite song
Try restorative yoga or tai chi
6. Nourish your nervous system with food and hydration
Eating nourishing foods can be restorative. Here are some ways you can mindfully eat and drink:
Eat something with protein and healthy fat within a few hours of waking.
Drink water consistently throughout your day.
Limit caffeine if it spikes your anxiety.
💙 Learn more about how to recharge your body by listening to Tamara Levitt’s Mindful Eating Series.
7. Seek micro-joy and sensory pleasure
Joy helps to regulate you. To help your nervous system recover, try:
Listening to a favorite playlist during your commute
Rubbing a great-smelling lotion on your hands
Watching a silly TV show or rereading a favorite book
💙 If you struggle to prioritize pleasure, try listening to Tamara Levitt’s Joy for more perspective.
8. Talk to someone
Speaking your experience out loud can break its grip. To help you feel less alone, consider:
Texting a friend and saying, “I just need to vent — is that okay?”
Joining a support group
Starting therapy or coaching, especially someone who understands trauma-informed care
9. Practice nervous system regulation
Chronic stress often means your body’s stress response is always on, but these simple tools can help shift it back toward calm. You can:
Inhale for four counts and exhale for six counts.
Splash cold water on your face or hold an ice cube in your hand.
Hum, sing, or gargle.
Read more: 10 types of breathing exercises (and how to practice them)
Chronic stress symptoms FAQs
What causes chronic stress?
Chronic stress often stems from long-term challenges that feel impossible to escape, like financial strain, work pressure, relationship tension, and health issues. But it can also come from less obvious sources like emotional labor, identity-based discrimination, and the pace of life.
What makes it chronic is when the stressors don’t let up and your nervous system doesn’t get a break. Over time, this constant load can cause you to burn out.
Can chronic stress go away on its own?
Chronic stress can go away on its own if the root cause is short-term. If this is the case, your body may naturally reset once things settle.
With that said, if the source of stress is continuous, it usually requires intentional effort to regain balance.
To help your body recognize that it’s okay to exhale, create small windows of rest and relaxation.
Is chronic stress the same as anxiety?
Chronic stress is not the same as anxiety, but they’re closely related and can often overlap. Chronic stress is usually a response to external pressures — the things happening in your life that are ongoing and hard to manage.
By contrast, anxiety is more internal. It’s a state of persistent worry or fear that may or may not be tied to a specific situation. Chronic stress can cause anxiety, and anxiety can make you more reactive to stress. But they’re not interchangeable.
What happens if I don’t treat my chronic stress?
If left untreated, chronic stress can slowly erode your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. It increases your risk for serious health conditions like heart disease, autoimmune issues, and high blood pressure.
It can impact your memory, concentration, and mood, making burnout, depression, and anxiety more likely. Additionally, you might find yourself losing motivation, withdrawing from relationships, and struggling with everyday tasks.
The longer it goes unaddressed, the harder it becomes to bounce back — but it’s never too late to start.
How do I know if I need help for chronic stress?
If stress is interfering with your sleep, relationships, or focus—even in small ways—you might need help. You don’t need to wait for a crisis to ask for help.
If coping strategies that used to work aren’t anymore, or if you feel stuck in a loop of overwhelm, it’s okay to reach out. Confiding in a therapist or a friend can help you feel less alone and lighten your load.
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