Stress - Recognising the Warning Signs
Chronic stress can take a toll on your health and relationships, but it doesn’t have to. This article shares how stress impacts the body, how to spot the warning signs, and quick, practical strategies - from mindfulness to micro-breaks - to bring balance back.
What is Stress?
Stress is a normal human response to life’s pressures, but chronic stress takes its toll on the body and mind. McEwen (2004) describes this as ‘allostatic load’ - the wear-and-tear caused by prolonged stress.
Why It Matters
APS surveys show stress is often driven by finances, work, and caregiving pressures. Chronic stress has been linked to poor immunity, cardiovascular risk, and mental health challenges. Craig Hassed (Monash University) has shown that mindfulness reduces stress and improves focus, even in busy workplaces.
Small Steps that Help
Quick, low-hanging fruit for stress relief:
- Take a 10-minute walk outdoors - nature reduces cortisol.
- Stretch and relax your shoulders or jaw - stress lives in the body.
- Try a [Mindful Pause] - breathe, notice your surroundings, and return to the present.
- Switch off screens an hour before bed.
- Share what’s on your mind with a trusted friend.
Professional support through mindfulness training, stress management, or therapy can help, but small daily actions often make the biggest difference.
👉 Learn more: https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics/stress
Further Reading / Try This:
• Try the Cyclic Sighing Breathing Exercise (5-min reset) – see resource: Cyclic_Sighing.pdf
• Practice the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise to return to the present – see resource: 54321_Grounding.png
• Explore mindfulness and meditation practices – see resource: Mindfulness_Workshop.pdf
• Reflect with The Anatomy of Peace Breathing – see resource: Anatomy_of_Peace.pdf
• Support adolescent wellbeing and identity – see resource: Building_a_Powerful_Self.docx
If you're struggling and need immediate assistance, please call Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14 or emergency services on 000 – Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Other service helplines:
- Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
- Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
- Mensline: 1300 78 99 78
- Relationships Australia: 1300 364 277
- Gamblers Help Line: 1800 858 858
- Directline (Alcohol and Drugs): 1800 888 236
- Domestic Violence: 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732
- Butterfly National Helpline (eating disorders and body image): 1800 33 4673
References & Further Reading
Australian Psychological Society. (2023). Stress. Retrieved from https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics/stress
Beck, A. T. (1967). Depression: Clinical, experimental, and theoretical aspects. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Gilbert, D. T., & Killingsworth, M. A. (2010). A wandering mind is an unhappy mind. Science, 330(6006), 932.
Hassed, C., & Atkins, P. (2012). Mindfulness workshop. Mindfulness in daily life and work applications.
McEwen, B. S. (2004). Protection and damage from acute and chronic stress: Allostasis and allostatic overload. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1032, 1–7.
Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the body: A sensorimotor approach to psychotherapy. W. W. Norton & Company.
Resick, P. A., Monson, C. M., & Chard, K. M. (2016). Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD: A Comprehensive Manual. Guilford Press.
Stephenson, T. (2021). Building a powerful self-identity: Why it matters for adolescents. Unpublished manuscript.
Stanford University Study on Cyclic Sighing Breathing (2023).
Achor, S. (2010). The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work. Crown Business.
Roedel, J. (2019). The Anatomy of Peace. Retrieved from https://www.johnroedel.com/