How Military Families Can Identify the Physical Signs of Stress

So you’re stressed. You’re not alone. Military spouses face an enormous amount of stress and pressure as a result of the ongoing demands that military life requires. Many military families have very strong marriages in response—because they are that much more intentional and work toward overcoming and improving their lives just as they do in the field.

How Stress Manifests Itself

Stress has real, clear physical symptoms, some people think that a mental, mind problem will express itself exclusively in the mind but this isn’t the case.  Here are some of the top manifestations:

1. Sleep Problems
Stress may cause sleep problems, lack of sleep, inability to sleep, or oversleeping are all potential indicators of stress.

2. Body Pain
Back or neck pain and stiffness are also indications of stress, specifically back pain. Have you heard of people referring to a “stress headache?” Headaches are also linked to stress.

3. Digestion Issues
Another major system that is impacted by stress is your digestive system. Some common manifestations include: heartburn and gas, stomach pain and cramps, constipation and diarrhea.

4. Skin and Hair Issues
Hair loss has also been found to be related to increased stress. Skin problems may also indicate stress, in some cases causing them and in others making them worst, disease like psoriasis and eczema tend to significantly turn bad under stress.

5. Mood Changes
Stress may send some people into depression, and if undealt with, this can lead to much more serious mental problems.

6. Poor Eating Habits
Stress also can manifest itself in eating behavior, anything from overeating to binging and purging to undereating or skipping meals entirely.

7. Heart Issues
Heart health his also impacted by stress. Researchers have connected heart disease and heart attacks to high blood pressure, palpitations, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, inability to breathe, sweaty palms and even hot and cold flashes.

We know that God has not promised us an easy life, and the fact that you’re part of a military family shows that you already have the resilience to persevere through adversity, but don’t let stress work its way too far into your marriage and threaten to hurt you or your spouse. Stress is part of life but that doesn’t mean it has to play the central role.

Identifying that stress is running your life is the first step to taking action and improving how you and your spouse or family cope with the challenges of a military life. If you or your spouse experience any of these symptoms on a regular basis, the time is now to talk about the root cause of your stress and to learn how to adjust your current coping method.

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