Five Signs Of Being Overwhelmed & Stress Management

Being overwhelmed can be a common experience, but it can be challenging to recognize the signs when you’re caught up in a pattern of behavior. Being consistently overwhelmed can affect your everyday life significantly and make it difficult to bring the best version of yourself to your work, friends, and family. Sleep problems, physical symptoms that show up in the body, emotional instability, social withdrawal, and a lack of energy and motivation may all serve as signs that you’re feeling overwhelmed. You may find it helpful to, adjust your perspective, build a sleep support plan, and seek professional help from a licensed therapist in person or online.

What it means to feel overwhelmed

Overwhelm is an emotion that you may experience when external demands are too much for you to handle, such as having too much work to do in too little time or choosing between multiple decisions. Oftentimes, feelings of overwhelm may arise in response to major life changes, uncertainty, and intricate challenges. When you feel overwhelmed, you may experience physical and mental symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, withdrawal (especially in social settings), and cognitive difficulties.

It can be important to take the time to evaluate your mental and physical health and identify symptoms that are causing you distress, as they may indicate a mental health condition or stress-related illness. To help you make sense of emotional experiences, this article looks at five of the most prevalent signs of feeling overwhelmed.

The link between stress and overwhelm

It can be helpful to understand the link between stress and overwhelm. While they are often used interchangeably, overwhelm may actually be considered a more debilitating form of stress. When you’re stressed out, external pressures and demands may feel a little burdensome, but manageable. However, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, external pressures and demands may completely exceed your ability to cope.   

Five signs you may be overwhelmed

Feelings of overwhelm may manifest in your professional and personal life, from inhibiting your motivation to causing excessive stress. Understanding the signs and symptoms of overwhelm can provide clarity and help you seek treatment when needed. 

Sign 1: Sleep problems

Most people may experience sleep problems when they are overwhelmed. Research suggests that stress (which is sometimes considered a milder form of overwhelm) can impact sleep quality, resulting in insomnia or insufficient sleep. 

The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep for prolonged periods of time may be due to “microarousals” in the brain. Feelings of stress or overwhelm activate neurons in the preoptic hypothalamus. Since sleep is a chance for your body to rest and rejuvenate from within, having trouble sleeping can lead to mental and physical health issues, including: 

• Diabetes: Disruption in the body’s hormonal regulation can increase your risk of developing diabetes.
• High blood pressure: According to Harvard Medical School, insufficient sleep – typically less than 7 hours – may increase people’s risk of developing heart disease.
• Mental illness: The diagnosis of depression and other mental health conditions may be more common among those who experience insomnia.
• Dementia: Sleep may help to clear amyloids in the brain that can damage nerve cells, and potentially lead to Alzheimer’s. 
• Weight gain: Hormones in the body that are responsible for controlling appetite may be disrupted by a lack of sleep, further impacting eating habits and weight. 

Sign 2: Physical symptoms that show up in the body

Our bodies tend to have predictable physiological responses when we feel stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious. Depending on whether our nervous system is more inclined toward fight, flight, or freeze, we may display different behaviors when we feel overwhelmed. This natural human mechanism helps protect you from perceived threats and danger. 

However, chronic stress may lead to an overactive sympathetic nervous system, making your body work harder than it needs to, and leading to negative symptoms. Physical signs and symptoms of stress may include chest and neck pain, muscle tension, high blood pressure, stomach upset, fatigue, and headaches. If symptoms are severe, you may want to check in with a local hospital or mental health professional.

Sign 3: Emotional and cognitive overload

Feeling overwhelmed or “burned out” with seemingly insurmountable tasks and demands can weaken cognitive processing. When this occurs, individuals may become unable to effectively organize, prioritize, or remember information. As a result, one can experience potentially dangerous feelings of confusion, difficulty concentrating, or impaired decision-making. 

In general, the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus collectively work to control thoughts and actions as well as our ability to learn and remember information. When these brain areas are not working synchronously, performing well at work, interacting with others, and understanding how we are feeling may be difficult. Long-term exposure to chronic stress can also be linked to an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in later life. 

Racing thoughts, irritability, and emotional symptoms  

Feeling overwhelmed can impact emotional health and lead to mental health concerns, such as chronic anxiety. When people are constantly feeling overwhelmed by life, their stress levels can rise to the point that they start to feel anxious all the time. This is typically a result of the body’s stress response system becoming out of balance. 

When such an imbalance occurs, the body’s nervous system tends to get “stuck” in a state of stress, making it difficult to calm down. This state of overwhelm may lead to different symptoms, such as racing thoughts, moodiness and irritability, anxiety, and sleeplessness. Instead of handling external situations with composure and kindness, you may snap at friends or family members, feel short-tempered for no particular reason, or withdraw from conversations.

Sign 4: Social withdrawal and disconnection

People may have a tendency to withdraw from friends, family members, colleagues, and social situations when they are overwhelmed. The burnout associated with feelings of overwhelm can mean that people don’t have enough energy for their relationships. People may turn down invitations to group dinners, events, or even small gatherings of friends. 

At times, research suggests that social withdrawal can accompany mental health concerns such as depression. While taking some time for yourself can be beneficial, helping you rejuvenate and recharge when you’re feeling burned out, it’s important to take care of your mental health. 

Sign 5: Motivation and performance changes

Chronic stress may take a significant toll on physical energy levels, as well as mental and emotional well-being. When you experience high stress levels for an extended period, your body may become overwhelmed by the constant influx of cortisol, the hormone associated with the body’s “fight-or-flight” response. This chronic stress may lead to high blood pressure and other draining physical effects that can sap the body of energy while preventing it from recovering. 

High levels of cortisol can also lead to changes in the structure and functioning of the brain over time. These changes can include problems with memory formation and recall, concentration difficulties, poor decision-making skills, and difficulty in forming emotional attachments with others. These cognitive challenges may hinder your performance at work, stop you from showing up in relationships, and prevent you from enjoying daily activities.

Chronic stress in women and children

It may be common for women experiencing premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder to feel more easily overwhelmed during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle due to the chemical changes occurring in the body. When combined with these changes, chronic stress may increase the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed and the associated negative emotional symptoms. 

In one study, researchers looked at the role that chronic stress played in the emotional development of children and their “cognitive flexibility” – one’s ability to adapt to new perspectives, life changes, and emotional challenges. They discovered that when children were exposed to chronic stress, their cognitive flexibility tended to be significantly reduced later in life, demonstrating how chronic stress may reduce our ability to adapt in the face of change.

Common causes and risk factors

Sometimes, external situations can cause feelings of stress and overwhelm to appear in your body and mind. Some common causes of overwhelm may include:

• Excessive responsibilities such as unrealistic deadlines at work or having to take care of multiple children with little to no support. 
• Living in unsafe or unsanitary conditions, oftentimes due to financial difficulties or limbo states. 
• Major life changes such as moving to a new city, getting a divorce, having a child, or starting college can trigger overwhelming feelings.
• Relationship conflicts and ongoing arguments due to poor communication or a break in trust.
• Environmental factors such as loud and busy spaces that don’t allow you to find peace and quiet. 
• Traumatic events and trauma-related disorders can cause the brain to get stuck in a “fight or flight” mode, leading to chronic stress and overwhelm, and impacting health. 

People with demanding schedules, going through major life changes, or experiencing trauma-related disorders may, therefore, be at risk of feeling overwhelmed. Mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, may also be risk factors for feeling overwhelmed, since they can make it difficult to regulate thoughts and emotions. 

Quick relief strategies that help in the moment

When feelings of overwhelm are interfering with daily life, you may consider taking a moment for yourself. Below are some quick relief strategies you can use to calm down, relax, and gain perspective:

• Reset the body first: Stay hydrated, eat well, and actively rest through activities such as reading, meditation, yoga, walking, or cooking a meal. Especially in outdoor spaces, restorative exercises can boost relaxation, decrease stress, and improve emotional recovery.
• Get a fresh perspective: Take two minutes to look at the situation from a different angle or reframe the problem more positively. For instance, if you feel stressed due to a large workload, you might take time to break down the tasks into smaller chunks and prioritize them.
• Reduce stimulation: Dedicate time each day away from technology and other distractions to allow yourself time to reflect. This may involve sitting quietly with your thoughts and challenging irrational thoughts or fears so you feel safer in everyday life.. 

Longer-term coping and prevention

Simple lifestyle changes may help you cope with chronic stress and feelings of overwhelm, helping you to navigate relationships and process emotions in a healthy way. You may set firm boundaries with friends and avoid activities that deplete your energy, practice meditation and breathing exercises to foster relaxation, maintain strong relationships to protect your mental health, and seek mental health support. 

A supportive sleep schedule

Additionally, creating a supportive sleep schedule may be beneficial. A supportive sleep schedule may include avoiding caffeine later in the day, turning off electronics 30 minutes before bed, consistently going to bed and waking up at the same time, exercising during the day, and sleeping in a cool, dark environment. 

When to consider treatment and professional support

When you feel overwhelmed, it can be important to recognize that you are not alone and that support from friends, family, or professionals may help. Articles from the EXCLI Journal suggest that stress can impact daily functioning, but with the support of a mental health professional, you can learn effective coping strategies, relaxation techniques, and other ways to manage symptoms. 

Online therapy for overwhelm and stress related symptoms

For those balancing time at home, at the office, or with friends and loved ones, it can be hard to find time for self-care. However, online therapy is an affordable, flexible, and convenient way to seek guidance. At an affordable rate, you can schedule sessions around your needs. Platforms such as BetterHelp, match you with a therapist to suit your specific mental, physical, and emotional needs. For those experiencing feelings of stress and overwhelm, various therapeutic interventions may help. 

Evidence and further reading

In one study, researchers looked at the ability of online-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help individuals reduce symptoms of chronic stress. In the study, they found that online CBT was generally able to provide significant relief for symptoms of chronic stress. This study can demonstrate the ability of online therapists to help individuals reframe their thinking patterns and develop healthier patterns of behavior.