Why your stress never switches off (Episode 347)

Why do you feel stressed all the time, even when nothing's necessarily 'wrong' right now? If you can't remember the last time you felt properly calm or relaxed, your stress response probably isn't broken; it's just never getting the signal to stand down.In this episode of the Let's Talk About Mental Health podcast, I break down what's actually happening in your nervous system when stress becomes your resting state instead of a passing feeling, as well as why your stress response won't just switch itself off and why treating it as a workload problem usually only tells you half the story. I dig into the internal sources of stress most of us never name, like the self-criticism, the guilt around rest, and the standards we hold ourselves to, alongside the external causes of stress. You'll walk away understanding what your stress is actually trying to tell you, and you'll have practical and sustainable ways to calm your nervous system and address whatever's driving it to stay on high alert… without just trying to grit your teeth and push through.👉 Ready to understand what your chronic stress is really trying to tell you? Then let's talk!💡 TL;DR: Your chronic stress isn't a personality trait or a productivity problem… it's an alarm system that's stuck in the 'on' position, and this episode shows you how to actually turn the volume down.Let's Talk About Mental Health with Jeremy Godwin is about practical mental health advice for real life; each week I teach you how to improve your mental wellbeing with simple tips that actually work, drawing on my professional expertise as a counsellor and my personal experience living with anxiety and depression. Welcome and let's talk!⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps:0:00 Stress and mental health0:54 Feeling constantly stressed2:54 What stress actually is8:07 Why stress affects your mental wellbeing14:00 How to stop ignoring your stress25:04 What I want you to take away📝 Transcript & show notes: https://ltamh.com/?p=21147📖 Buy my book 'Life Advice That Doesn't Suck': https://jeremygodwin.com.au/latds/📍 Support my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jeremygodwin➕ Related episodes:Handling work stress (Episode 316): https://ltamh.com/?p=19257Money stress (Episode 310): https://ltamh.com/?p=18852Navigating challenging relationships (Episode 289): https://ltamh.com/?p=17399How to improve your mental health (Episode 338): https://ltamh.com/?p=20450👋 New here?Hi! I'm Jeremy Godwin, writer and counsellor plus the host of the Let's Talk About Mental Health podcast, your weekly dose of practical advice for better mental health. I share straightforward tips to help you protect your peace and improve your mental health, with new episodes every Sunday.🔗 Links:Learn more about Let's Talk About Mental Health: https://ltamh.comSubscribe for free show notes/transcripts in your inbox: https://ltamh.com/subscribe/My Digital Store: https://ltamh.com/shop/Daily Reflection Tool: https://ltamh.com/product/daily-reflection/Daily Affirmations Tool: https://ltamh.com/product/affirmations/Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ltamhFind me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ltamentalhealth/Mental health resources: https://ltamh.com/resources/#chronicstress #stressmanagement #stressawareness #nervoussystemregulation #stressrelief #cortisol #burnout #mentalhealth #mentalhealthpodcast #mentalhealthtips #bettermentalhealth #protectyourpeace #selfawareness #jeremygodwin #letstalkaboutmentalhealth