 If anxiety goes unchecked for long enough, it can lead to cognitive decline and put you at risk for other mental disorders. It can also cause physical consequences like elevated blood pressure and even heart disease. Today, we're going to help you recognize signs of anxiety that are easily missed so that you can identify them early and avoid these long term effects. Here are 5 subtle signs you have anxiety but don't know about it. 1. Always tired When you're faced with a stressor, your body jumps into action and releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Hormones are released from the pituitary, adrenal glands and hypothalamus to prepare you to respond to a threat. This process may make you breathe faster, increase your heart rate or give you an upset stomach. Considering how physically demanding this response is, it's no wonder why anxiety can make you feel tired all the time. You may also cause insomnia, which leads to intense fatigue over time. Keep in mind that, although anxiety is related to tiredness and trouble sleeping, fatigue can be caused by other factors as well. 2. You're disorganized Do you sometimes feel like the way you operate is disorderly or chaotic? If so, it may be because you have anxiety. Maybe you're forgetful, lose things often or have a hard time staying organized at work or school. Even if you're not aware of it, anxiety can make it hard to concentrate and in turn make everyday activities more difficult. If you find that you struggle to stay organized, it's important not to beat yourself up about it. It's always possible to change these habits and they may be caused by an underlying issue that isn't even your fault, like anxiety. 3. You're on edge and easily frightened Do you find that you're easily startled to the point where you often jump at sudden noises or movements? While it's totally normal to get startled every once in a while, anxiety can make you more prone to these reactions than when you're calm. One reason for this is that your fight or flat response is more active when you're in a state of anxiety. The next time you get startled, ask yourself, was this a surprising situation or could anxiety be causing me to feel on edge? 4. You experience unexplained pain or illness Do you have symptoms like nausea, headaches or body aches that seem to have no physical explanation? While there are many potential causes with these sensations, they are all recognized symptoms of general anxiety disorder. Anxiety is related to digestive issues and can also make it harder to recover when you get sick. Our bodies and minds are deeply connected. Even if you don't know you have anxiety, your body might be letting you know that something's off. Take some time to check in and listen to what your body is telling you today. 5. Rumination Do you find yourself repetitively thinking about the same thing such as a problem you're trying to solve or an embarrassing interaction that you had with someone? If so, you may be engaging in rumination. Rumination is an obsessive pattern of thinking where you contemplate the same thought again and again to the point where it's distracting. This could be a subtle sign you have anxiety as rumination is common in people with generalized anxiety disorder, but it may have other causes because it's not specific to only anxiety. So, did you relate to any of these points? Whether you have anxiety or not, it can be beneficial to take note of these subtle signs and reflect on what may be causing them. Remember that feeling anxious is nothing to be ashamed of and you can always reach out for support when you feel you need it. Now, we want to hear from you Psych2Goers. Have you experienced any of these signs of anxiety? What's your experience with anxiety? Share in the comments below. As usual, all references used are in the description below. If you found this video helpful, please leave a like and share it with a friend. Until next time.