Stress Symptoms: Signs of Stress and Chronic Stress (UK)

Stress symptoms at a glance

Stress triggers the fight or flight response, releasing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. When it keeps going, the signs fall into three groups (NHS and Every Mind Matters):

Stress Awareness Week runs in the first week of November each year; our Stress Awareness Week guide has the dates, a five-day reset and ideas for work.

iChest pain should always be checked, never put down to stress without a doctor’s view (see anxiety chest pain).

Less obvious physical signs

Some signs don’t feel like stress at all: a clenched jaw or grinding teeth, palpitations (the NHS lists stress and anxiety as a common cause), a rash or hives, feeling tired all the time, and extra hair shedding a few months after a stressful event (see stress and hair loss).

Signs of chronic stress

Chronic stress is stress that doesn’t switch off: weeks or months of pressure from money, caring, work or relationships. Acute stress is the short spike before a deadline, and it fades once the moment passes.

Common signs of chronic stress:

• Feeling tired and wired: exhausted but unable to switch off at night
• Frequent headaches, a stiff neck or a sore jaw
• An unsettled stomach that comes and goes
• Catching every cold going
• A short fuse, low mood or losing interest in things you enjoy
• Relying more on alcohol, caffeine or cigarettes

With long-term stress you can get so used to these signs that you stop noticing them. A partner or friend often spots the change first.

What long-term stress can affect

Research mostly shows links rather than proof; a 2017 review calls stress a trigger or aggravating factor for many conditions. A 2018 UCL review found adult stress matters less for heart disease than smoking, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, though it can trigger problems in people with narrowed arteries. A meta-analysis of more than 300 studies linked long-running stress with weaker immune measures. Every Mind Matters says long-term or severe stress can lead to exhaustion, often called burnout.

What about cortisol?

Cortisol is one of the hormones your body releases under pressure, alongside adrenaline. Stress isn’t diagnosed with a cortisol test: the NHS uses those to check for Cushing’s syndrome, a rare condition most often caused by long-term, high-dose steroid medicines. See how to lower cortisol naturally and high cortisol symptoms in women.

Can stress cause dizziness or vertigo?

Yes. The NHS lists stress or anxiety among the common causes of dizziness, and Every Mind Matters includes feeling faint as a sign of stress. Fast, shallow breathing when you’re tense can also make you light-headed.

True vertigo, where the room seems to spin, is usually caused by inner ear problems or migraine, and the NHS says anxiety can make it worse. A 2020 UK review found stress and the balance system affect each other. More in anxiety dizziness and can stress cause vertigo?

iSee a GP if dizziness won’t go away or keeps coming back. Call 999 or go to A&E if vertigo comes with double vision or loss of vision, hearing loss, trouble speaking, or weakness, numbness or tingling in an arm or leg.

Can stress cause diarrhoea?

Yes. The NHS lists anxiety as a possible cause of diarrhoea, and stress and anxiety as common triggers for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) flare-ups. A 2011 review describes how stress can speed up or slow the gut and make it more sensitive, which is why a stressful week can bring loose stools, cramps or constipation. See IBS and anxiety stomach.

iStress diarrhoea usually settles when the pressure eases. The NHS says call 111 if it lasts more than 7 days or there is blood in your poo, and see a GP if IBS-type symptoms last over 4 weeks. Unexplained weight loss needs checking urgently.

Stress symptoms in men and women

Signs of stress in men

Men often show stress through irritability, anger, drinking more or working longer hours. The Mental Health Foundation says men are less likely to discuss or seek help for mental health problems. See our stress in men guide for what it does to the body.

Signs of stress in women

Stress symptoms in women are mostly the same as in anyone: headaches, tense muscles, poor sleep, irritability, constant worrying and feeling overwhelmed. Women often notice them alongside hormonal changes, which can make stress easy to mistake for something else:

• Period changes: the NHS lists stress among the common causes of a late or missed period. See can stress delay your period?
• Stronger PMS: tension, low mood and tiredness before a period can feel worse in stressful months. If severe symptoms come back every month, ask your GP about PMDD.
• Hair shedding: a stressful event can be followed by extra hair fall a few months later. See stress hair loss.
• Perimenopause overlap: anxiety, broken sleep, brain fog and irritability in your 40s or 50s may be hormonal as much as stress. Read can menopause cause anxiety?
• After having a baby: feeling low, anxious or unable to cope for more than 2 weeks after the birth can be a sign of postnatal depression, so speak to your GP or health visitor.

iBelly weight, a puffy face or feeling wired at night often get blamed on cortisol. Our guide to high cortisol symptoms in women explains which signs fit everyday stress and which need a GP check.

Signs of stress at work

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates that 964,000 workers in Great Britain had work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2024 to 2025. HSE signs in a worker include taking more time off, arriving late, appearing jittery or nervous, mood swings, withdrawing, losing motivation and being more tearful or aggressive.

Employers must assess the risks of work-related stress. Our guide to stress at work covers your rights. If it has gone too far, see signed off work with stress and burnout symptoms.

Stress, anxiety or burnout?

They often overlap. See anxiety symptoms, and if stress has become overwhelming, signs of a nervous breakdown.

When to see a GP, and when to get urgent help

iSee a GP if you’re struggling to cope or self-help isn’t working. In England, adults can refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP.

Don’t assume physical symptoms are “just stress”. Call 999 for sudden chest pain that doesn’t go away or spreads to your arm, or palpitations with chest pain, breathlessness or fainting.

What helps, according to the NHS

1. Talk to someone you trust.
2. Move every day. A 2026 umbrella review covering 79,551 people found exercise reduced anxiety and depression symptoms, and a brisk walk counts.
3. Breathe slowly. Try 4-7-8 breathing or progressive muscle relaxation.
4. Break big tasks into small steps.
5. Focus on what you can control. See how to stop overthinking.
6. Protect your sleep with a regular wind-down. Some people find calming music for stress and anxiety helps.
7. Don’t lean on alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to cope.

For quick techniques you can use today, see how to relieve stress.

In November, our Movember guide to men’s health covers the checks, the warning signs and where to get help.

See also stress and gut health, and what helps your digestion when life is busy.

Related guides

• If you’re weighing up CBD alongside other changes, see our CBD oil for anxiety UK buying guide, with the checks to make and the safety points to know.
• Some people ask about functional mushrooms for stress: our guide to mushroom supplements for anxiety explains what the limited evidence shows.
• Stress can show up at night too, including talking in your sleep.
• If feeling drained has become your normal, see why am I so tired all the time?
• Stress can show up in your mouth too: the NHS lists feeling stressed or anxious among the triggers for mouth ulcers.
• Wondering about supplements? Our guide to supplements to lower cortisol explains what the evidence shows.

Your everyday routine

No supplement is a treatment for stress. If you’d like something as part of a calm daily routine, here is what ours contain:

• Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex: a berry drink powder with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate (148mg magnesium per serving), glycine, L-theanine, chamomile, passionflower, hops and oat straw. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to normal psychological function.
• Flow CBD Oil: broad spectrum CBD with ashwagandha and maca in MCT oil. CBD and herbs aren’t a treatment for stress or anxiety, and the research on them is still limited.
• Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex: a reishi hot chocolate with cacao and maca. It contains a little natural caffeine from the cacao, so have it earlier in the day if you are sensitive.

The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.

Our products are for adults (18+) only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.