Impact of Stress on the Body & Noticing Symptoms

Hello and Welcome to The Therapist Dairies, 

Is anyone else feeling stressed? It's getting to that time of year where time seems to fly by, and things seem as though they're mounting up. 

Stress rarely announces itself loudly at first. It creeps in through the small moments you dismiss as “just being busy” or “having a lot going on right now.” As an therapist, I often tell clients (and their parents) that the body is usually the first to whisper that something is off, long before our minds catch up. You might notice tension in your neck and shoulders that never fully goes away, headaches that seem to arrive right on schedule, a fluttering stomach or lingering digestive issues, disrupted sleep, or a sense of fatigue that no amount of coffee or energy drinks seems to fix. Sometimes stress shows up as irritability or forgetfulness, or even a sense of detachment from things you normally care about. None of these sensations mean something is wrong with you; they mean something is asking for your attention.

One of the most powerful but uncomfortable truths about stress is that our “bodies keep the score” even when we believe we’re managing fine. And often, the first step toward feeling better is learning to create boundaries that protect our time, energy, and emotional bandwidth. Boundaries are not walls designed to shut people out; they are guidelines that help you stay connected to others without losing access to yourself. Many people struggle with this because saying no feels selfish or disappointing. But every time you override your own limit to keep the peace, you place just a little more strain on your body. Learning to say, “I can’t take that on right now,” or “That doesn’t work for me,” is a form of stress prevention just as real as any relaxation technique.

Time management becomes part of this boundary-setting process. Most of us aren’t truly lacking time, we’re lacking protected time. When your schedule is packed from the moment you wake up to the moment your head hits the pillow, your nervous system never gets a chance to recalibrate. Try noticing the invisible obligations you’ve added to your day out of habit, guilt, or fear of falling behind. Sometimes the most healing thing is giving yourself permission to do less, even when the world tries to convince you to do more.

Emotional regulation is another layer in the conversation about stress. Our emotions aren’t problems; they’re messages. But when stress is high, it’s easy to treat feelings like emergencies instead of information. Coping skills help bridge that gap. This might look like taking three slow, intentional breaths before responding to an upsetting text, stepping outside for two minutes to ground yourself, journaling the thoughts that keep spinning in your mind, or using movement (stretching, walking, shaking out your arms) to let energy flow through instead of lodging in your body. These small practices help you respond rather than react, and over time your nervous system learns that it doesn’t have to stay in survival mode.

For many busy people, the idea of self-care feels unrealistic or indulgent. But self-care isn’t about spa days or elaborate routines; it’s about energy management. Think of your energy like a bank account, every task, conversation, and responsibility is a withdrawal. You need intentional deposits to stay balanced, even if they’re small. Drinking water before you feel thirsty, taking five minutes to decompress between activities, preparing your morning the night before, listening to something calming on your commute, or carving out a protected pocket of quiet time are all forms of energy stewardship. Self-care is less about adding more to your life and more about creating space to breathe.

Communication skills play a surprisingly big role in reducing stress. When people don’t feel heard or don’t know how to express their needs clearly, misunderstandings multiply and relationships become another source of tension. Practicing direct, compassionate communication, saying what you feel, what you need, and what you can realistically offer, helps reduce chronic conflict and builds deeper connection. Over time, this creates resilience because you’re not constantly internally negotiating or walking on eggshells. Knowing you can communicate effectively means your body doesn’t brace for emotional fallout.

Ultimately, preventing burnout isn’t about fixing everything; it’s about tuning into yourself enough to notice early signs and respond with care. Stress doesn’t disappear overnight, but the more consistently you listen to your body, honor your limits, regulate your emotions, and communicate your needs, the more capacity you build to face life without feeling overwhelmed by it. Burnout thrives in silence and self-neglect. Resilience grows in awareness, boundaries, and small, meaningful choices that say, “I matter too.”

In January, I’m hosting a series of virtual workshops all focused on The Impact of Stress on the Body, and useful and practical ways that we can learn to manage that stress, work through stressful moments, and build lasting resilience to help reduce stress in the future. Workshop Sessions will run every Saturday for six weeks. For more information or to register interest in attending the workshop click here: Workshops

Until next time- be kind to your mind.

—The Therapist Diaries

 

For professional inquiries please visit Voyager Therapy

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Book Suggestion: The Body Keeps the Score- Describes the psychological effects trauma and stress have on the mind and body. Amazon