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Stress and your nervous system: why your body keeps the score of your to-do list

By Kerri Hopkins · 5 min read · 20 October 2026

You are not "just tired"

You have answered the work email, remembered the school form, booked the dentist, thought about what is for tea, and worked out whose birthday is next. And it is only 9am. A lot of us carry a long invisible list on top of the visible one. The cost is not only a bad mood. It shows up in the body.

What stress does to the body

When you sense a threat, your nervous system switches on its alarm: your heart beats faster, your breathing speeds up and your muscles tense. That is brilliant if you are being chased. It is less useful for an inbox. The trouble starts when the alarm stays on.

The NHS lists the effects of stress as including:

• feeling irritable, tearful, anxious or overwhelmed
• headaches, muscle pain and stomach problems
• feeling dizzy or faint
• changes in how much you eat or exercise, or avoiding things you normally enjoy

Sleep

The NHS lists stress, anxiety and depression among the most common causes of insomnia. Menopause is on that list too. So when your mind is still on at 2am, it is not a personal failing. Sleep and stress also feed each other: worse sleep makes the day harder, and a harder day makes sleep worse.

The NHS suggests:

• going to bed only when you feel sleepy, and getting up at the same time each day
• winding down for an hour before bed, with the bedroom dark and quiet
• avoiding screens, because the blue light keeps you awake
• no tea, coffee, alcohol or smoking for six hours before bed
• avoiding exercise within four hours of bedtime

If you have had trouble sleeping for months, or it is making life hard to cope with, see your GP.

If you have young children

If you have a baby or young children, you may be reading that list of sleep tips and laughing, or crying. An hour of winding down before bed? A bedroom that stays dark and quiet? Of course getting more sleep is not always possible, and it is not your fault. Broken nights are a normal part of looking after small children, and they add to everything else you are carrying.

So the most important tool might be this one: ask for help, and keep asking.

• Tell your partner, family or friends plainly what you need: a night off, a lie-in, someone to take the baby for an hour, or help with shopping, chores and childcare. People often do not know unless you say.
• Share the night shifts if you can, and take turns having a protected stretch of sleep.
• Accept the offer of a meal, a school run or a hold of the baby. You are allowed to say yes.
• Talk to other parents. It helps to hear that someone else has also put the milk in the cupboard and the keys in the fridge.
• Partners can be worn out and low too. The NHS says fathers and partners can also get depression after a baby, so check in with each other.

The NHS says postnatal depression is common. Symptoms can begin during pregnancy, soon after the birth, or up to a year after your baby is born. You should get help even if you only have some of the signs. Speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor. If you are 18 or over, you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies. Asking for help is part of caring for your baby, not a sign that you are failing.

Nutrients

There is early evidence that long-term stress may affect the levels of some nutrients, with the strongest evidence for magnesium. Researchers think this may be because the body uses or loses more of them, not because you absorb less. The research is still early, and diet, sleep and exercise all play a part too. If you are worried about your levels, talk to your GP rather than reaching for supplements.

Stress can also cause stomach problems, which the NHS lists among its physical signs.

Why pocket tools matter

You cannot always remove the stress. But you can teach your body that the alarm can switch off. Small tools, used often, work better than a grand plan you never do. A few from the NHS:

• Slow breathing. Sit or lie comfortably, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, gently and steadily, counting to 5 if it helps. The NHS says to do it for at least 5 minutes, and that it works best done regularly. Yes, in the car park counts.
• Notice where you are. The NHS's version of mindfulness is paying attention to what is happening now: your thoughts, your body, what is around you.
• Move a little. A walk is enough. Regular activity can release nervous energy.
• Break it down. Split the big task into smaller steps and notice when you finish each one.
• Name three good things. Each day, write down three things you are thankful for, however small. "The coffee was hot" counts.
• Talk to someone. Friends, family, colleagues or a helpline.

When to get help

If stress is affecting your daily life, speak to your GP or call NHS 111. In England you can refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies without seeing a GP. If you cannot cope or keep yourself safe, get urgent help straight away. Samaritans are on 116 123, any time.

Sources

NHS: Stress · NHS: Breathing exercises for stress · NHS: Insomnia · NHS: Five steps to mental wellbeing · NHS: Postnatal depression · The Effects of Psychological and Environmental Stress on Micronutrient Concentrations in the Body: A Review of the Evidence

BioHer provides educational information only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and it does not replace your GP or other healthcare professional. If symptoms feel urgent or severe, call 111 for urgent advice, or 999 in an emergency.