The five signs you are stressed that you NEVER knew about – from bathroom habits to a ‘foggy’ head 

A sleep expert has shared the five signs you’re highly stressed, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rip across the globe.

Sydney-based Olivia Arezzolo revealed that thousands of people will be struggling with low levels of anxiety at the moment, and this has huge and crippling effects on your immunity.

‘Stress affects everything – from your diet to your sleep,’ Olivia told FEMAIL.

‘Evidence shows that lack of sleep impairs immunity. Studies show a 70 per cent reduction in natural immune cells after four to five hours of sleep. This means you can’t fight off viruses.’

But what are the other underlying signs you’re stressed?

1. You haven’t been able to go the bathroom 

Olivia said one of the first things you should keep an eye on with regards to your stress levels is the frequency of your trips to the bathrooms.

‘Digestion slows under stress, leaving you backed up and unable to expel waste as normal,’ Olivia told Daily Mail Australia.

A lack of going to the bathroom leads to poor immunity ‘as the toxins in the body fester longer than usual’. 

The expert recommends you nourish your body with plenty of leafy greens, fruit, complex carbohydrates and gut-friendly foods like live yoghurt, kefir and kimchi.

This will help to keep your bowel movements regular and prevent a buildup of stress.

2. You’re craving sugar

The second sign that you might be stressed is a high level craving of sugar.

‘Research shows that our brains use 12 per cent more energy under stress – and sugar is the quickest form of energy for our brain, hence the craving,’ Olivia said.

The expert highlighted that sugar also ‘activates the pleasure centre in our brain’, which will make you feel happier and lessen the feeling of stress.

‘Sugar may feel good when you’re stressed, but it’s definitely not nutrient rich,’ Olivia said.

‘If you do find yourself craving sugar lots, try reaching for whole fruit or sweetening something with cinnamon,’ she said.

3. You can’t switch off

If you’ve found it difficult to switch off and get some sleep in the past few days, you wouldn’t be alone.

An inability to switch off is a sure-fire sign that you’re stressed and it might be affecting your immunity.

‘Adrenaline, a hormone produced under stress, makes you feel wired, anxious and tense,’ Olivia said.

‘If the body is facing ongoing stress, there is a dysfunction of the HPA axis, the brain’s stress centre, which exacerbates the release of adrenalin and magnifies the symptoms above.’

Like with cortisol, adrenalin suppresses the body’s immune response, leaving you increasingly likely to catch any viruses or illnesses floating around. 

With this, Olivia said the best thing to do is find something you enjoy that takes you away from your stress momentarily – whether this is reading a book or walking in nature.

4. You can’t think straight

Brain fog is almost always a by product of stress, and this can lead to bad decisions.

‘Under stress, scientists have found that the brain’s frontal lobe – responsible for mental clarity, planning, logic and reasoning – is impaired,’ Olivia said.

‘This is why, when you’re stressed, you make terrible decisions.’

5. You feel as though you’re verging on getting coronavirus 

Lastly, if you’re feeling under the weather, it could be because you are getting sick.

‘Stress increases bodily inflammation,’ Olivia said.

‘This means that what would usually be a minor sniffle or feeling a little off can quickly become more severe.’

She explained that the signs of inflammation include a fever, fatigue and a foggy head.

‘The stress hormone cortisol impairs immunity, so you’re even more likely to pick up nasties,’ Olivia said.