If you’ve been under more pressure than usual lately and you think stress may be impacting you in negative ways, you’re probably right. Here are five signs stress is changing your body.

1. Noticeable Hair Loss

Hair loss is one of the first things that happens to some people who have more going on in their lives than they can healthily handle. Hair growth pills may help people regrow their hair after dealing with hair loss due to excessive stress.

Unfortunately, the reason we lose hair while experiencing stress isn’t well understood. But the link between chronic stress and loss of locks is real and documented. In addition to chronic stress, there are other potential hair loss causes, including certain medications, sudden weight loss, genetic conditions and malnourishment.

2. Changes in Your Skin

Acne and other skin issues are additional problems that frequently occur in people who are too stressed out. This could be because people who are stressed tend to touch their faces more often than people who are at ease. This frequent touching can spread bacteria from the fingers to the skin, where it can cause inflammation and infection.

If you’ve noticed your acne breakouts are more frequent and severe, try to minimize stressors in your life. While you work on that, you can also address skin issues with high-quality Foundation Skin products. These dermatologist-formulated products contain medical-grade ingredients that can effectively address a variety of common skin issues.

3. Chronic Pain

People with high levels of stress often complain of chronic pain. Research shows that increases in the hormone cortisol (which rises in response to stressors) can lead to higher pain levels throughout the body.

4. Insomnia and Decreased Energy

Have you ever tried sleeping when your mind is racing and you can’t stop thinking about all the things you need to do? It’s pretty hard to get quality shuteye when you’re stuck in a constant fight-or-flight response. Any type of stress can potentially lead to insomnia and decreased energy, but work-related stress is strongly associated with restlessness at bedtime.

If your work responsibilities have become too much for your body and mind to handle, it’s time to do something about it. Consider requesting an assistant to help take some of the load off your shoulders. Or make good use of your vacation time and get away for a while so you can reduce your stress levels and get good sleep.

5. Frequent Illness

Stress may be the culprit behind frequent illnesses. It has a way of wearing down your immune system so you’re more likely to catch every sickness that comes your way. While more research is required to fully understand the link between immunity and stress, there is an obvious connection there. Lower your stress levels to boost your immune response and avoid getting sick often.

These are just a few of the most obvious indications you might be dealing with excessive stress in your life. The good news is that once you realize there’s a problem, you can take action to rectify it. From meditation to simplifying your schedule, work today to minimize stress in your life for the sake of your physical and mental health.