Recognising Stress Key Signs & Symptoms

Let's face it, we've all experienced stress at some stage in our life! Stress is not necessarily a bad thing - it's a natural response to life's demands, but when left unchecked, it can take a significant toll on both our mind and body. However, the impacts of stress aren’t always obvious as sometimes it can manifest in subtle ways that are easy to overlook, particularly if we have a busy life, or aren't connected to our body. Each person's body will react to stress differently, so its important to understand the messages your body is sending you through your symptoms.

Physical Symptoms

• Fatigue, constant tiredness, even after a full night’s sleep

• Headaches, migraines or unexplained tension headaches

• Shoulders, neck or back pain or muscle tension that doesn’t seem to go away

• Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep

Emotional Symptoms

• Irritability, feeling frustrated or easily upset

• Anxiety, constant worry or a sense of impending doom

• Overwhelm, struggling to keep up with daily tasks or feeling like everything is too much

Behavioral Symptoms

• Avoiding social interactions or withdrawing from activities you once enjoyed

• Procrastination as the simplest tasks feel daunting, leading to a lack of motivation

• Overeating of loss of appetite

When we face stress, our nervous system shifts into "fight, flight, freeze or fawn" mode, flooding our bodies with chemicals designed to protect us in the short-term. But if stress becomes chronic and the release of the 'stress hormones' continues, it keeps us in a constant state of alert, disrupting our HPA Axis and causing dysregulation of our nervous system and vagus nerve.

If left unmanaged, chronic stress can cause ‘dis-ease’ within the body, leading to burnout, anxiety, and even serious health issues, like weakened immunity, digestive problems, and heart strain. Thereby, recognising our own personal stress signals signs early is crucial for managing stress effectively and preventing it from escalating into something more severe.

Don’t wait until it’s too late—take action now. Research: The Physiology of Stress

Rosanna Commisso - Founder, StressCare Solutions

Championing Workplace Wellbeing | Mental Health & Trauma Advocate

As the Founder of StressCare Solutions, my passion for helping organisations navigate the growing challenge of stress and trauma in the workplace, is personal.

With over 30-years’ experience spanning health, training and community services, and my own lived experience with mental health, burnout and trauma—I bring both professional insight and ‘lived experience’ understanding to my work.

My mission is simple: to empower organisations, and their staff, with the tools they need to recognise, manage, and reduce stress before it leads to burnout, and to implement trauma-informed practices to support their staff.

Through engaging, evidence-based workshops, impactful speaking engagements, and trauma-informed workplace support, I help teams build resilience, improve wellbeing, and thrive.

Let’s build healthier workplaces—together.

📩 rosanna@stresscare.com.au | 🌐 www.stresscare.com.au