There’s no doubt about it, stress levels in the modern world are on the rise. Stress has infiltrated all areas of our modern lives, and to some degree we don't even realise how stressed we are. Daily, we are confronted by stressors such as work demands, family, finances, sitting in traffic and even screen time so we're not relaxing like we used to.

This is because the body doesn’t differentiate between real and perceived stress, which means that no matter what kind of stress we experience, our body responds in the same way. Being able to recognise your energy and stress levels means that you’ll be able to take action to reduce added stress in your life such as environmental stress, physical stress and emotional stress.

Here are 5 signs of stress and what to do about it:

1. FEELING TIRED WHEN WAKING
Feeling tired after sleeping for a full 8 hours is a sign that stress is driving a hormonal imbalance that leads to your lack of energy and exhaustion. This is because your stress hormones, including cortisol, are released by the adrenal glands. These hormones prepare the body for ‘fight or flight’ in survival mode by increasing muscle strength, stamina and heightening the senses. Due to prolonged stress on the body, your adrenal glands can no longer keep up with the demand and they can no longer produce sufficient amounts of cortisol.

What can you do?

When you’re in a state of exhaustion, 8 hours of sleep is not enough time to restore your system overnight. To give your body extra support, check out these lifestyle and dietary strategies.

“When you’re in a state of exhaustion, 8 hours of sleep is not enough time to restore your system overnight.”

2. DARK CIRCLES UNDER THE EYES
Dark circles or ‘bags’ under the eyes is another sign that your adrenal glands are struggling. It is also a sign that your stress is leading to chronic dehydration. This is because when you’re under stress, you become dehydrated more quickly. Staying hydrated is essential to your health and vitality as water is necessary for all of your major bodily functions.

What can you do?

To increase your hydration levels, boost the amount of water you drink each day. We recommend drinking water and caffeine-free herbal teas as the best way to get your fluids in. It's important to remember that black tea and coffee don’t actually count towards your hydration levels as they can increase dehydration. If you drink one coffee, it takes two glasses of water to break even as far as hydration goes.

Adding in vitamin C also supports your adrenal glands and it encourages oxygenated blood flow. This gives you more energy and it helps to reduce the bags under your eyes. BePure Super Boost C is a quality, high strength vitamin C that is designed to improve your energy levels.

3. STRUGGLING TO WIND DOWN
If you are struggling to wind down, this is a sign that your nervous system is constantly in ‘flight or fight’ mode. This means that your adrenal glands are pumping out cortisol which is keeping you wired at night-time.

“Your adrenal glands are pumping out cortisol which is keeping you wired at night-time."

What can you do?

Create space for a daily mindfulness practice that suits you. Practicing mindfulness can help to shift your nervous system into ‘rest and digest’ mode. Many people will benefit from a walk, yoga, belly breathing or meditation.

4. FEELING OVERWHELMED OFTEN
Feeling overwhelmed happens from time to time but if you feel overwhelmed all the time, then it could be because of one or both of these things;

You may be overcommitted or have set too high expectations for yourself.
Your adrenals aren’t functioning properly.

What can you do?

Take a look at all of your commitments and perhaps let go of something. Remember, saying no is a powerful tool and having time for yourself is equally as important. You can also nurture your adrenal health with the tips we’ve already mentioned above.

5. CRAVING SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES FOR AN ENERGY BOOST
When the body is under stress, it tends to use sugar as a fuel source, rather than fats. This is because it requires fuel quickly in ‘flight or fight’ mode. Our body essentially uses sugar as an emergency fuel source. This is why you might crave sugary foods when you’re busy and stressed. The body will even stimulate gluconeogenesis in the liver, which is a process that turns protein into sugar. With the body using sugar as a fuel, it becomes less efficient at using fat, which contributes to the body struggling to lose weight.

“Our body essentially uses sugar as an emergency fuel source. This is why you might crave sugary foods when you’re busy and stressed.”

What can you do?

Stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system or your ‘rest and digest’ mode to encourage the body to use fat as a fuel source. Check out these 10 top tips to support your parasympathetic nervous system.

If we don’t nurture our energy and stress levels, this can lead to chronic stress where we experience anxiety, depression, adrenal fatigue, weight gain, and IBS (to name a few) which wreak havoc on your health and happiness.

Ultimately, having the energy to do what excites you is the most important gift you can give to yourself.