Stressed? Try taking one of the stress quiz examples our blogger cites; the best types can help you identify your sources of stress and lead you to resolutions.

Photo 10502763 © Forestpath - Dreamstime.com

With apologies for sounding like a high-school valedictorian discussing success, I’ll start at the top: Before you take a stress quiz, you need to know what stress is. Merriam-Webster says stress is a state “of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium.”

That means that if your life is disrupted to the point where you’re not functioning like yourself, you’re stressed. And that’s a worry because stress is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic health issues, and mortality.

A good stress quiz will help you determine whether stress is harming you physically. It also will determine whether the stress is chronic (a gradual buildup, such as a marriage slowly falling apart) or acute (the death of a loved one).

In short, chronic, long-term stress can cause health-threatening physical changes. But by the end of a useful stress quiz, you should have ideas on how to control your stress and determine whether you need professional help.

Effects of Stress

The reality of stress has been well documented. As psychologist Russ Newman, PhD, JD, American Psychological Association (APA) executive director, puts it, “Stress in America continues to escalate and is affecting every aspect of people’s lives—from work to personal relationships to sleep patterns and eating habits, as well as their health. We know that stress is a fact of life and some stress can have a positive impact; however, the high stress levels that many Americans report experiencing can have long-term health consequences, ranging from fatigue to obesity and heart disease.”

Can a Stress Quiz Reveal Your Stress Level?

The APA website offers some stress-quiz options that allow you to evaluate your life and determine your ability to handle everything from family stress to work stress to health risks.

Stress quiz choices include:

• Stress 360. This stress quiz looks at your lifestyle, work, attitude, and diet to determine your stress load.
• Stress Sensitivity Scale. While this stress quiz is still under analysis for clinical validation, it presents an interesting look at how vulnerable you are to stress.
• Workplace Stress Survey. This one presents a screening measure that focuses on your employment to determine whether further assessments are needed.
• Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory. More of an assessment than a stress quiz, this is a way to take a numerical look at the possible stresses in life. You write down the points associated with what you’ve endured, such as a change in your finances, and add up the score to determine your risk of a stress-induced health breakdown in the next two years.
• Stress and Well-Being Survey. Somewhat of a stress quiz/assessment, this option measures your stress management, adaptability, resilience, and emotional vitality. At the end, it offers management solutions to improve your well-being.
• But my favorite stress quiz wasn’t about whether I’m stressed or not. It helped me learn the true symptoms of stress. You can test your knowledge of symptoms by taking the APA’s Stress Smarts quiz.

Symptoms of Stress

The symptoms of stress are many. You may recognize more of these 25 symptoms than you’d care to admit:

• Anxiety, worry, guilt, or nervousness
• Anger, frustration, hostility, irritability, or edginess
• Changes in appetite (weight gain or loss)
• Chest pain, palpitations, or rapid pulse
• Cold, clammy, or sweaty hands or feet
• Constant tiredness, weakness, or fatigue
• Depression or wild mood swings (crying spells, suicidal thoughts)
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dry mouth or problems swallowing
• Feeling overloaded or overwhelmed
• Frequent blushing or sweating
• Headaches
• Heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, or other stomach upset
• Inability to make decisions
• Increased smoking, alcohol, drug use, compulsive behaviors, like gambling or shopping
• Lightheadedness, faintness, or dizziness
• Low libido
• Muscle aches and spasms (usually neck and back)
• Nervous habits like fidgeting, feet tapping, or tooth grinding
• Panic attacks
• Reduced work efficiency or productivity
• Ringing, buzzing, or “popping” sounds in the ears
• Sleeping too much or too little
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Tremors

Coping with Stress

So stress is unavoidable—and again, some stress is good. (See our post Adrenaline: The Driver of “Fight or Flight” Response.) The trick is to manage your stress levels. The good news: With simple, inexpensive techniques, you can improve your ability to cope with daily problems.

The most powerful and effective stress-reducing tools include meditation, yoga, and mindfulness. These ancient stress relievers can calm your mind calm and refresh your body, releasing physical and emotional tension.

If you truly can’t wrap your self around these practices, go simple. Close your eyes and breathe deeply or take a walk. Even 10 minutes in the fresh air can help you cope. And the more exercise you incorporate in your life, the more stress you’ll release.