Does Stress Make You Tired? Find Out Here

We’ve all heard how 'bad' stress is for you, which ironically makes most of us get even more stressed. Then we notice all the symptoms, like having a hard time concentrating or losing the energy to do anything but watch TV. But is it all in our heads, or does stress really make us more tired? After all, stress isn’t inherently bad — it exists as an essential part of the body's response system to challenges. Read on to learn how to manage stress from another perspective with techniques that may help you make healthy changes to your lifestyle.

What is stress?

Stress is a body's response to something you view as a threat or challenge. Mentally, you’re worrying about whatever difficulty you’re facing. Physically, you’re preparing yourself to manage the stressor, like with your fight-or-flight response. The body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, giving you the energy you need to confront it (fight) or escape it (flight).

Types of stress

Depending on what you’re facing, different types of stress have their own impact on your body.

• Acute. This is a short-term response to an immediate threat or a challenge. You might notice a faster heart rate, increased blood pressure, or even the need to run to the bathroom; emptying your bowels and bladder helps your system focus on only the imperative, conserving energy for immediate use.
• Episodic acute. Experiencing acute stress frequently, like stress from constant deadlines or intense fights at home, takes its toll. You might feel more physical tension and mental health symptoms like irritability and anxiety.
• Chronic. Ongoing pressures or difficult situations can lead to a constant state of alertness and increased stress. Symptoms could be constant fatigue, increased risk of depression, mental exhaustion, increased risk of anxiety disorder, or getting physically sick more often. if symptoms persist for several weeks or months, it's a sign of chronic stress — and management with additional help from a therapist may be needed.

Does stress make you tired?

Yes, stress can make you tired. Research shows that chronic stress can lead to elevated cortisol levels, disrupting normal body functioning. It can make it harder to get a good night’s sleep and zap your energy reserves, making you feel constantly tired. Plus, the less sleep you get, the stronger the chance of having mood swings and difficulty concentrating — it’s a cycle of needing rest but not being able to get it.

This also leads to a host of other difficulties, like getting cravings for high-energy foods, little motivation to exercise, difficulty concentrating at work, and little interest in social activities. When you put that all together, it can keep you stuck in a stress cycle that’s hard to get out of.

Have you noticed a stress pattern in yourself? Share how stress has affected you, and what techniques work to help you.

Signs of stress-related exhaustion

Once you learn the signs of stress exhaustion, you can recognize when it’s time to take the steps needed to try and manage it all. No matter how heavy work or life gets, taking a few minutes to calm your nervous system actually does make a difference. Here’s what to look out for:

• Chronic fatigue. A sense of physical and mental tiredness or exhaustion that doesn’t get better, no matter how much you sleep.
• Irritability. You may have a shorter temper than usual, like being less tolerant of other people’s actions, opinions, or mistakes.
• Trouble sleeping. Insomnia, waking up during the night, having a hard time falling asleep even with good sleep hygiene, or waking up exhausted are signs of stress having an impact.
• Loss of motivation. You may have stopped caring about your goals or taking part in activities you once enjoyed.
• Emotional sensitivity. You might be feeling more emotionally reactive or quick to cry or feel angry, sad, overwhelmed, or down.
• Difficulty concentrating. It’s almost always harder to focus, make decisions, or remember things when tired.
• Physical aches and pains. Headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, and appetite changes may appear.

How does stress make you tired?

If you constantly feel stressed and tired, here’s what might be going on in your body:

Hormonal changes

It’s no secret that prolonged or chronic stress has an impact on your hormones and energy levels. Acute stress can trigger hormones like cortisol and adrenaline for fight-or-flight, which can make it hard to sleep or even eat. Chronic stress can create consistently elevated cortisol levels, making you feel tired by exhausting your energy reserves.

Sleep disruptions

A heightened state of alertness isn’t going to help you sleep, which can create a cycle of exhaustion, insomnia, and stress. Without those restorative hours, things like your muscle tension and hormones might not get the chance to recover and balance out again to start a new day fresh. Stress might also keep you in a light sleep, meaning you wake up still feeling tired.

Nutritional deficiencies

We’ve all gotten cravings for high-energy foods on days when we’re just feeling depleted both physically and mentally. Our bodies need energy to manage stress, and sugary, fatty foods are at the top of our minds when we want a quick pick-me-up. While they give a temporary boost, they can lead to long-term health issues, worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression, and lead to digestive problems. The after-effects of eating less nutritious foods can create even more exhaustion and irritability.

Muscle tension, pain, and illness

Headaches, stomach aches, sore muscles, and even the common cold may be exhausting and deplete your energy levels. Research shows that people who report stress tend to experience aches and pains, which can also worsen mental symptoms. Our immune system may also be weakened when our bodies are in a state of chronic stress as it’s suppressed so that the body can maintain its energy reserves for managing the perceived threat.

How to manage stress-related fatigue

What works for one person may not work for the next. We’re all unique beings with our own histories, traumas, lifestyles, and needs. In general, though, research shows that stress management can be improved by working on your overall relaxation and well-being. This includes developing a strong and supporting social circle, practicing mindfulness, and going to nature. Here are a few science-backed ways to navigate life with less stress:

Limiting screen exposure

Less screen time, especially before bed, may help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep quality, naturally contributing to the reduction of stress. The blue light screens emit may potentially mess with your melatonin levels, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. It basically tells your body when it’s time to sleep, but blue lights from screens may impact this hormone, making it harder to fall asleep and potentially leading to insomnia.

Try getting off the screens around two to three hours before bed to get the best quality of sleep you can.

Improving sleep hygiene

Making sure you’ve got your sleep hygiene under control can drastically support your sleep quality. Think about investing in a new pillow, mattress, earplugs, or eye mask. Set reminders on your phone to get off screens and have quiet time before bed.

Trying stress relief devices

There are a few different devices that might work alongside other stress management techniques. For example, biofeedback devices can monitor your heart rate and skin temperature to help you understand how you respond to stress. While research is ongoing, neurofeedback devices may help train your brain to reduce stress, meditate, and sleep better, helping you feel more relaxed overall.

Light therapy lamps are another example, shown to support sleep quality and mood for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). However, more research is needed to understand how effective light therapy is.

Ad

Stress relief made easy

Revitalize your life with the Pulsetto vagus nerve stimulator — your steadfast companion for wellness that lasts.

Get $200 OFF!

Try Pulsetto

Making small lifestyle adjustments

It’s the little things that add up, like moving your body a bit throughout the day or adding an extra serving of veggies to your dinner. Choose one small healthy habit you’d like to work on and focus on just that until it's become a habit. For example, having a healthy snack daily, signing up to try a new dance or fitness class, or setting up an automatic grocery delivery weekly to have healthy food at home.

The more you provide your body with adequate levels of essential nutrients and energize yourself with the movement you enjoy, the better your body can manage stress.

Practicing stress management techniques

There are plenty of techniques to choose from, and everyone has their subsets of options, such as:

• Meditation
• Mindfulness
• Breathwork
• Journaling
• Aromatherapy
• Art or dance therapy
• Muscle tension relief exercises

Spending time with friends and in nature

The free things in life can’t be underrated. Research shows that creating a strong social circle and spending time in nature can support our mental and physical health. After all, we weren’t built for solo city life. The more friendly faces you see and connections you build, the more supported you’ll feel. We thrive in communities and places that are calm and serene.

Just 10 minutes in green space may positively impact psychological and physiological markers, or a few hours a week on a weekend hike or picnic can help.

Using relaxation apps

Practicing mindfulness or other acts of self-care doesn't always come naturally, and that’s where apps step in. You can set reminders and make a schedule to practice healthy habits daily. They work great for beginners, starting you off with a simple routine and short meditations or exercises. Popular apps for managing stress may include Calm, Headspace, etc.

When to seek professional help

When stress starts getting in the way of your daily routine, it’s a sign that it’s time to reach out for help. Some red flags are having a hard time concentrating or sleeping, experiencing mood swings, or losing interest in what you once loved, like time with friends or cooking.

The benefit of seeing a therapist is that you can learn coping tools that work specifically for your lifestyle and needs. You’ll also get stable emotional support from someone you can rely on, something we all desperately need when stressed. The tools, lessons, and gentle push to practice stress management techniques can make a world of a difference — not just in stress levels, but in your overall quality of life. You never know, it might lead you to find a better job, make new friends, or try something exciting you never thought you’d have the courage to do. Reaching out for support is truly one of the best things you can do for your mental health.

It’s important to remember that stress isn’t something we have to fear. It’s there for a reason — it is a natural body's response to stressors. We can use stress to guide us to make changes in our lives, like adjusting personal nutrition, adding more movement, socializing, or creating a better bedtime routine.