This article originally appeared in MindBodyGreen.
It goes without saying that chronic stress is difficult on the mind—but it can be taxing on the body, too, and in a lot of different ways. Physical symptoms of stress can run the gamut from gastrointestinal upset to hair pulling.
Here, integrative medicine expert and author of Anxiety 101, Eudene Harry, M.D., explains the physical signs of stress to watch out for, plus what to do about it.
1. Gut problems
According to Harry, one of the most common places stress manifests is in the gut. Through the fascinating gut-brain connection, microbes in our gut can affect our mood and vice versa. The gut can signal stress-induced distress through symptoms like bloating, nausea, and irregular bowel movements (including diarrhea), Harry says.