Most of the time we know what's causing our stress. Problems at work, bills, even childrearing can be stressful. Sometimes, it seems like we're leading perfectly normal lives and still feel stressed. If you're not sure what's got you feeling pressured, the answer may surprise you. These silent stressors could be part of the problem.

Sleep apnea

Do you snore?  If your partner complains about it you should probably get it checked out.  It could be causing you to stop breathing in your sleep.  Your brain then has to wake you up enough to get you to take a deep breath.  This causes stress both from the lack of quality sleep and from the lack of oxygen.

Diet

It’s not just needing to lose weight either. The foods we choose to eat can cause stress.  High fat, high salt and loads of sugar in our diet cause problems for our internal organs.  These problems manifest as stress.  They also contribute to fluctuations in fluid, blood sugar and digestion. 

Screens

We have a lot of screens.  There are televisions, smartphones, iPads, laptops and computers.  Some of us have multiples of these screens.  Staring at screens all day is stressful to the eyes and to the brain.  This is especially true if there is no blue light filter on them.

Light

It’s not only screens that can cause stress.  When we go to bed at night there is usually light coming in from outside; streetlights as well as light pollution from traffic, neighbors and businesses.  Our clocks have lighted dials.  The DVD player and television have lights in them.  Our phones usually follow us to bed and they have lights.  All of this causes problems with the circadian rhythm and cause stress.

We don’t have to suffer from these things.  Small changes can make a big difference in removing unseen stress.  Look at your environment (and your diet) and see what you can do to make the necessary changes.