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We think we know when we’re stressed – and sometimes we do. There’s the racing heart, the stomach flip before a difficult conversation or the nights we can’t sleep because our mind won’t quiet down.

But stress isn’t always that obvious. Sometimes it shows up as a shorter fuse, leaving us unusually agitated or overwhelmed by things that normally wouldn’t faze us. Other times, it’s digestive issues that come and go, or reaching for a drink at the end of the day because we feel like we “need” it to unwind.

Sometimes there’s no obvious outward sign at all. We can become so accustomed to that low hum of pressure in the background that we barely even notice it anymore. But just because we’ve learned to function with stress doesn’t mean our bodies aren’t feeling it.

Not All Stress Is Bad

A bit of stress can actually work in our favor. Deadlines and pressure can sharpen our focus, boost our creativity and make us more efficient.

When our brain perceives a threat or challenge, it triggers the familiar fight-or-flight response. Adrenaline and cortisol surge, heart rate and blood pressure rise, breathing quickens and glucose and fats are shuttled into our bloodstream for energy. Thousands of years ago, this response either helped us fight a predator or flee from one.

These days, however, the pressures are still there — but they’re different. Now, instead of fighting or fleeing, we usually just sit and simmer in it.

What Happens Inside

Our gut is one of the clearest examples of how deeply stress affects our body.

Our brain and digestive tract are constantly communicating through what’s known as the gut-brain axis. Stress can impact how quickly food moves through the digestive tract, make the gut more sensitive, compromise the integrity of the intestinal barrier and even alter the mix of microbes living there.

All of this can show up as reflux, nausea, bloating, stomach pain, constipation or diarrhea. For people with irritable bowel syndrome, stress makes symptoms worse.

Our cardiovascular system feels it, too. That surge in heart rate and blood pressure is beneficial when we’re running away from danger, but less so when we’re sitting in traffic or staring at a laptop.

Over time, that stress response takes a toll. Chronic stress is associated with high blood pressure and may increase our risk of heart attack and stroke. Stress can also worsen anxiety and depression, weaken our immune function, contribute to neck and back pain and cause tension headaches and migraines.

No surprise, stress can also disrupt our nighttime rest, making it harder to fall or stay asleep. Sleep deprivation itself leaves us more susceptible to stress, creating an ongoing cycle where even everyday stressors can feel hard to handle.

How We Handle Stress Matters

Some stressors are simply outside our control: a medical diagnosis, grief, caring for someone we love, financial insecurity or a demanding stretch at work. It can feel impossible to change or even reduce our stress levels.

What we can influence is how we respond, and how often we give our body a chance to come down from that fight-or-flight response. This can look different for each of us:

• Move. Try working out, a walk (I love a walk-and-talk, even if it’s virtual with a friend), yoga, gardening – whatever gets you active.
• Create. Paint, cook, do a puzzle, play an instrument – anything that shifts your attention and gets your mind onto something else for a while.
• Connect. Spend more time with people who leave you feeling better after you’re in their company.
• Protect sleep. Stress disrupts sleep, and poor sleep makes stress harder to handle. Do what you can do to protect both the quality and the duration of your sleep.
• Find what helps you reset. Breathing exercises, time outside or even a few minutes without technology can give our nervous system a chance to dial down a bit.

Start paying attention to your body’s own warning signs that you may be carrying more stress than you realize. We can’t always change what’s causing our stress, but being aware of how it’s impacting us at least gives us a chance to respond differently.

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner’s Eat Fit nonprofit initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly’s podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media. Email nutrition@ochsner.org to connect with Molly or schedule a consult with her team.