If there is one thing for sure, that is the fact that the pandemic is one stressful time. The crisis created a new normal, where we are constantly worrying over our own health and wellness. We no longer work, play, travel, and learn how we used to. Nowadays, our quality of life depends on how successful we are in coping with these stressful times.
Many people think that introverts are thriving during the pandemic. They think introverts are less stressed than anyone else since they are already used to social isolation and sheltering in place. In reality, even those who prefer keeping themselves company are experiencing stress during the pandemic.
Each day, more people are openly talking about how stressful the past year has been. We crave social interactions, travels, and everything in between. But because of the crisis, we don’t have a choice but to continue living in a completely different way.
Stress can manifest into physical symptoms. These often include headaches, body pains, exhaustion, digestive problems, and high blood pressure. Many did not know that there are other ways stress can manifest, which can complicate our way of life.
Teeth Grinding
Bruxism or teeth grinding usually occurs when we are sleeping, angry, or stressed. Many people grind their teeth without even knowing it. In most cases, teeth grinding happens when kids start losing their baby teeth.
According to reports, bruxism is on the rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is due to us being more stressed during these trying times. Even if we are sure that we are not grinding our teeth or clenching our jaws during our waking hours, many people suffer from facial pain due to bruxism while sleeping.
Some people think that teeth grinding and jaw clenching are two harmless habits. This is the case if you only do it for a short while. But severe cases of bruxism can lead to long-term issues. This can cause teeth and jaw pain, headache, tooth fracture, and even cause the temporomandibular disorder.
This condition may not be life-threatening. But in the long run, this can cause serious damages to one’s oral health. You can end up needing costly dental work or even require the services of an oral surgeon to take care of your jaw surgery.
Hair Loss
Unknown to many is that hair loss can be a physical symptom of stress. Having high stress levels can make you prone to three types of hair loss. These are alopecia areata, trichotillomania, and telogen effluvium.
Alopecia Areata or AA
According to research, severe stress has a direct link to certain autoimmune diseases. Alopecia Areata is one autoimmune condition that attacks one’s hair follicles, eventually causing hair loss. While this condition cannot be cured, some people could treat and grow their hair back despite having AA.
Trichotillomania
Some people find themselves unable to control the urge to pull their hair out of their scalp. They do this to deal with negative emotions, tensions, boredom, or stress. This leaves them with bald spots and eventually hurting their self-esteem.
Telogen Effluvium
Some people suddenly find their hair falling out when trying to wash or comb their hair. Severe stress levels can disrupt your hormone levels, causing hair follicles to go to a resting phase. When this happens, hair can fall out easily, even when you are simply trying to touch your hair.
As a general rule, we lose about 100 strands of hair each day. Learning the signs of these three types of hair loss and being honest about yourself will make it easier to check if your hair loss is related to stress. It only makes sense to consult your doctor if you suspect hair loss is related to your stress levels.
Frequent Colds
The last thing to ever cross your mind if you often have colds is that your stress levels are high. One remarkable but terrifying thing about stress is its ability to suppress the immune system. This makes it more difficult for our bodies to fight viruses.
If you don’t have seasonal allergies and you often find yourself with a cold, this could mean your stress levels are on an overdrive. You will need to manage your stress levels and boost your immune system to stop colds from ruining your day. Thankfully, there are lots of cold remedies you can try while fighting stress during a crisis.
These are but three unusual stress symptoms you could be experiencing during the crisis. This goes to show that people can have different experiences when dealing with stressful events. It is crucial that you learn how to manage your stress so that you can continue thriving and living a healthy life despite the pandemic.
