 Number one, irritability. Have you been reacting with more irritability than usual and more frequently as well? While it's normal to have bouts of frustrations on a day to day basis, an increased level of irritable behavior might suggest underlying emotional stress. According to experimental therapists, we have core emotions such as anger, joy, and sadness. So when we suppress these core emotions and are left confused about how we truly feel, we'll often act out in irritable ways to express our internal conflict. Just remember that the next time you find yourself reacting in an irritated way. It may be a sign that you need to check on your emotional needs. Number two, negative impact on productivity. Stress of any sort can put a damper on anyone's productivity levels, but emotional stress can distract you even further by lowering your energy and creativity levels due to the insistent amount of worrying happening in your mind. The quality of your work may suffer. Then you might find yourself dreading your list of tasks. When this happens, try incorporating productivity intervals into your routine. Work diligently for 30 minutes and take a three to five minute breathing break before jumping into another 30 minutes of productivity. Work smarter, not harder. Number three, emotional detachment. Have you been ignoring your friends and family lately? If you find yourself too emotionally distracted within, it makes sense that you'd feel less desired to emotionally connect with others. Emotional detachment may manifest differently for everyone, but in every case, there's a general lack of emotional openness and willingness for emotional intimacy when compared to one's natural behavior. While getting some time alone to allow your underlying feelings to surface and be processed can be constructive. Remember to keep your close friends and family updated on your intentions so they don't have to worry. Number four, changes in sleep patterns. Have you been having a hard time falling asleep? Whether you're binging your favorite show to distract yourself from sleeping, waking later than usual, or feeling tired even after sleeping for nine hours or more, these changes in sleep patterns could be a big sign that you're currently under emotional distress. International researchers found that new students to universities are susceptible to sleep disturbances due to the drastic changes in lifestyle and routine. It's implied here that shifts in one's emotional landscapes from meeting new people to handling bigger workloads can cause a schism in one's sleep behavior. So the next time you feel tempted to stray from your sleep schedule when you know you're under emotional stress, do your best to stick closely to your normal sleep hours to avoid triggering further challenges to your mental health. And number five, emotional eating. Do you love to have ice cream and chocolate on a bad day? When you feel negative emotions, your mind will naturally seek out ways to inject itself with more of the good feeling chemicals, like dopamine. One way it does this is through rewards, like crave-worthy foods. Unfortunately, the side effects of this is that most people find themselves actually feeling worse than better afterwards, especially if they feel they ate past their satiety levels. It's okay to reach for a serving of chocolate as long as you're staying conscious and aware of your hunger cues while doing so. Being aware of them when you're actually hungry versus when you're craving a boost in joy might help you brainstorm a list of options you can choose from to feel better, like playing with your pets or calling a friend. Are you struggling with emotional stress? Let us know in the comments below. If you found this video helpful, be sure to like, subscribe and share this video with those who might also benefit from it. And don't forget to hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever Psych2Go posts a new video. The references and studies used in this video are added in the description below. Thanks for watching and we'll see you in the next one.