4 Surprising symptoms of stress

culled from:pulse.ng

Most of the time, we do not realize just how stretched to the max we truly are, that is, until your our body reaches a breaking point.

In reality, you might want to listen a little closer to what your body's trying to tell you, doing so can save your life.

Chronic stress increases your risk for a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke and depression and many more.

Since chilling out is often easier said than done, there are a few simple relaxation strategies to keep in mind, such as breathing exercises, visualization exercises and many more. Listening to music or reading a book can help, too.

The 4 surprising signs below are things you might mistakenly attribute to some other health problem or brush off as nothing to worry about.

Try and keep an eye out for these sneaky symptoms of stress.

Weird or reoccurring dreams.

"Unfortunately, the stress we deal with during the day tends to follow us to bed at night and plays out in our dreams," Says Lauri Quinn Loewenberg, author of Dream On It—Unlock Your Dreams, Change Your Life.

Maybe you don't realize you're burning the candle at both ends until that dream comes back where you miss your bus or your house is on fire, two of the five most common stress dreams, according to Loewenberg.

However, these dreams might help you pinpoint what exactly is stressing you out and can help you work through why you're feeling that way.

Eye twitches

Speaking of spasms, ever had a funny eye twitch? Stress could be to blame.

While there's not exactly hard evidence to prove it, many people who complain of a twitch also say they're tired or stressed.

Toothache

A number of people grind their teeth in their sleep, or "chew over the day's stressors," Debbie Mandel, author of Addicted to Stress: A Woman’s 7-Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity in Lifesays. Others may simply clench their jaw while awake and stressed, often without realizing it.

But both can lead to pain, and grinding can even crack teeth.

Your dentist can tell you if there's visible damage and set you up with a mouth guard to prevent further stress-induced wear and tear.

Changes in menstrual cycle

Women may experience late or missed periods due to stress. Some may even experience a condition know as secondary amenorrhea, when the cycle seems to completely stop, according to Everyday Health.

Other stressed women may find their periods continue on a regular schedule, but feel far worse. In fact, stress can make cramps up to twice as painful.