Stress affects you physically, it affects your thinking and your emotions, and it affects how you behave:
Physically
The heart pumps faster, making the heart pound and blood pressure rise; some people experience palpitations. Muscle tension increases, leading to headaches, dizziness, jaw ache and even insomnia. The mouth goes dry, digestion slows causing
‘butterflies’ in the stomach. Breathing is faster and less efficient which can lead to over breathing (hyperventilation) and breathlessness. Changes in the flow of blood to the skin can cause sweating, blushing or clammy hands and feet.
Thinking
A certain amount of stress can be mentally stimulating but too much can affect our thinking ability. Thoughts may become jumbled and confused. Thinking becomes focused on worrying. We may become preoccupied with problems. It becomes much harder to
make decisions or find solutions to problems. Thinking negatively and fearing the worst increases worry and stress.
Emotionally
People respond to stress in many different ways. Common emotional effects are irritability, impatience, anger, frustration, fear, anxiety, self-doubt, panic, despondency, feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, hopelessness, unhappiness, emotional
withdrawal and depression.
Behaviourally
Stress can change people's behaviour towards one another. We may become less sociable, less caring, more hostile and insensitive towards others. When stress is accompanied by anger we may become less tolerant, fly off the handle easily, and
provoke rows. Many people respond to stress by eating, drinking or smoking much more than is usual: some engage in risk taking behaviour. Students often complain that when they feel stressed they find it hard to concentrate, feel tired all the time,
perhaps start to miss lectures and deadlines, and feel they can't cope.