How does your body tell you that you're stressed before your mind notices?

A natural way to answer

I usually notice it in my sleep first. I start waking up at three in the morning with my mind racing. My appetite changes too. It's strange how the body picks up on stress before you consciously feel it, almost like it's sounding the alarm early.

Key phrases to use

• clenching my jaw — tightening your jaw muscles, often unconsciously, from tension or stress“I catch myself clenching my jaw at my desk.”
• on edge — nervous, tense, and easily upset or startled“I've been on edge all week.”
• sounding the alarm — warning that something is wrong before it becomes serious“His body was sounding the alarm long before he listened.”
• snapping at people — speaking sharply or angrily to people over small things“I keep snapping at people when I'm tired.”
• wound up — very tense, anxious, or worked up“Don't get so wound up about it.”