The winter holiday season always seems to creep up very quickly at this time of the year and brings with it additional daily stressors for many people. It seems like good timing to have a stress article series, starting with some basics this month and building from there, including how it affects our health and ways to cope and manage (including some that may surprise you, such as nutrition).
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and this information is for educational and informational purposes only. Reading this article does not create a coach-client relationship, and you have full personal responsibility for your health and wellness. Please seek professional medical or psychological help if you have any concerns or issues.
Did you know?
- Between 60% and 90% of doctor’s visits are related to stress (Powers & Dodd, 2020; Harvard University, n.d.).
- Back in 2010, the American Psychological Association said stress is becoming a public health crisis (American Psychological Association, 2011).
- In the American Psychological Association’s “Stress in America 2025” report, top stressors include the future of our nation, the economy, work, spread of misinformation, money, U.S. Politics, housing costs, relationships, and the rise of AI (APA, 2025).
- Stress can lead to poor health or make current chronic health diseases worse (National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching, 2022).
The Basics:
- Stress can be good for us, helping us do better with certain things. Examples include studying for a test you are stressed about or preparing for a public speech (Greenberg, 2025, chapter 1). We need just a bit of stress in our lives.
- Physical and emotional symptoms of stress can include “irritability or anger; fatigue; lack of interest, motivation, or energy; feeling nervous or anxious; headache; feeling depressed or sad; feeling as though you could cry; upset stomach or indigestion; muscular tension; change in appetite; teeth grinding; tightness in chest; feeling faint or dizzy; change in menstrual cycle; etc. (American Psychological Association, 2011; McCarthy, et al., 2016; Greenberg, 2025, chapter 1). Other symptoms can include racing heart or palpitations, sweating, ringing in ears, frequent/urgent need to pee; restlessness; fidgeting; overuse of alcohol; emotional eating/overeating; clenching your fists; smoking more than usual; withdraw from others (wanting to be alone); boredom; worry; poor concentration; trouble with memory; loss of sense of humor; etc. (Harvard Medical School, 2024). Knowing and being aware of these symptoms can be helpful for successful stress management.
- Some stressors can be subjective (or symbolic), based on a person’s attitudes, personality, culture, environment, outlook on life, etc. (Greenberg, 2025). What stresses you out may not stress someone else out. Regardless, our bodies all respond the same (such as elevated heart rate and respiration rate, muscle tension, and blood pressure) (Greenberg, 2025, chapter 1).
References
American Psychological Association. (2011). Stressed in America. Monitor on Psychology.
American Psychological Association (2025). Stress in America™ 2025: A Crisis of Connection. https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/stress-in-america/2025/full-report.pdf#:~:text=The%202025%20Stress%20in%20America%E2%84%A2,among%203%2C199%20adults%20ages%2018%2B
Greenberg, J. S. (2025). Comprehensive stress management (2025 Release). McGraw Hill.
Harvard Medical School (2024). Stress Management: Special Health Report.
McCarthy, C. J., DeLisi, M., Getzfeld, A. R., McCarthy, C. J., Moss-King, D. A., Mossler, R., Privitera, G. J., Spence, C., Walker, J. D., Weinberg, R. S., & Youssef-Morgan, C. M. (2016). Introduction to applied behavioral science. Bridgepoint Education.
National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching. (2022). NBHWC Content Outline: 2026 – 2030. https://nbhwc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/ADA-NBHWC-Content-Outline-2026-2030-2-2.pdf
Powers, S. K., & Dodd, S. L. (2020). Total fitness and wellness (8th ed.). https://redshelf.com
