Problems are best solved by avoiding them in the first place. Leave the bar before a fight, apologize before she cries, sneak out before they pass the collection plate. But there’s one problem we can’t avoid, simply because we can’t see it. It’s invisible. It’s stress. It may be all around us, but where exactly is it?

It’s true that stress makes itself known in a number of explicit ways. But when we notice it, it’s often too late to do anything. By then we’ve already snapped at our boss or yelled at our girlfriend. Or both, depending on their state of undress when we walked in on them.
You can avoid all that if you detect stress before it grows real claws. By spotting these hidden signs of growing anxiety, you can cut the tension before it cuts you.

YOU DON’T WORK OUT, BUT YOU’RE SORE

Why it’s happening: When you’re stressed, certain hormones, such as adrenaline (epinephrine), tighten all your muscles, not just your neck and shoulders, which are the ones we normally associate with stress.
When your muscles remain tense for extended periods of time, you feel soreness, says Allen Elkin, Ph.D., director of the Stress Management and Counseling Center in New York.

What to do about it: Flex. Tighten and contract your muscles, starting with your calves and moving up to your shoulders and neck. The contracting and relaxing should help relieve soreness, says Steven Edwards, Ph.D., professor of health psychology at Oklahoma State University. If you’re in a jam at work, try squeezing your thumb and index finger together. This move won’t solve any problems, but it may ease your tension enough to let you see what’s stressing you in a much better light.

YOU SLEEP 8 HOURS BUT ARE STILL TIRED

Why it’s happening: Getting enough sleep doesn’t mean you’re getting enough rest. Stress keeps your mind wide awake and unable to relax, even while you’re sleeping. That’s because it keeps you from attaining your most restful state during sleep, which can leave you feeling groggy even after a full night in bed.

What to do about it: Get hot. A shower or hot bath before bed will raise your body’s temperature. Your temperature will then fall faster when you crawl into bed, so you’ll have a deeper sleep, says Ed Stepanski, Ph.D., a sleep expert at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s medical center in Chicago. Soak 30 minutes for maximum effectiveness, and don’t eat anything afterward. Your body won’t rest for the first half of the night if it’s trying to digest food.

YOU’VE LOST YOUR DESIRE TO MASTURBATE

Why it’s happening: A loss of libido especially quickie, on-your-own-time libido could be a psychological reaction to stress. When you’re subconsciously worried about other things, you don’t have the desire to seek out pleasure in any form, Elkin says. Oddly, it’s when you’re stressed out that sex is needed most it’s one of the body’s best methods of releasing endorphins and reducing tension.

What to do about it: Give your body what it needs, even if it takes a little effort. Creating a fantasy in your mind when it’s not possible to act on it builds up stimulation throughout the day, says Joel Block, Ph.D., a psychologist and the author of Secrets of Better Sex. He’s telling you to think about sex at work. That builds up sexual tension, so when you arrive home the urge will be strong enough to overpower any stress that was initially blocking its path. Then find your partner, or a Spanish soap opera.  » Continue...

» Secret Signs Of Stress - Part 2