We’ve got a full moon in Aquarius and this one is considered a blue moon because it was also full in the sign of Aquarius last month. When the moon is full, it illuminates what needs to be revealed within us and it seems like for many of my clients as well as myself, all the ways in which we are overwhelmed are coming to light.

The top 3 definitions of overwhelm are:

to bury or drown beneath a huge mass
to defeat completely or
to give too much of a thing to (someone); inundate.

Overwhelm is one of the most common issues my clients identify when we start working together and while I would love to say that once you get all the strategies in place, you will NEVER FEEL OVERWHELMED AGAIN! I can’t.

My magic doesn’t run as deep as genie levels, but becoming aware and implementing strategies are helpful in reducing the amount of time spent in overwhelm overall.

What does overwhelm feel like?

Often, overwhelm is as uncomfortable as it is uncontrollable. It can rear its head as anxiety, anger, or irritability and worry. Doubt and helplessness also make their way into your normal thought process. Physically, it can manifest by lashing out verbally, crying or even panic attacks.

We all feel overwhelmed at times. But when you can’t shake that feeling, it can lead to chronic stress and a host of associated physical and emotional symptoms that can affect your well-being. This is when self-awareness is especially critical; it’s important to recognize when everyday life — work, family and health — is overwhelming you and how to take action.

Here are 4 signs of overwhelm and how to shift your experience:

1. Change in sleeping patterns

One of the signs that you are overwhelmed is a change in sleeping patterns. You may notice you are restless throughout the night, and unable to get a good night’s sleep, despite how tired you may feel. On the other hand, you may be sleeping too much. You may find yourself sleeping in too long, or yearning to spend any downtime asleep. A healthy sleep schedule is essential to maintaining one’s mental health.

Establish a nighttime routine and stick with it. Try being in bed and waking up at a specific time each day. This process may take some trial and error before you’ve found what works best for you
Limit alcohol. Alcohol can disrupt your sleeping patterns and reduce the quality of your sleep, which may lead to oversleeping.
Practice relaxation exercises before bed to help calm the mind, such as meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.
Consume a soothing drink before bed, such as a chamomile or valerian tea. I’ve also found this melatonin sleep spray extremely helpful along with a magnesium supplement 30 minutes before sleep.
Fall asleep to a scent that helps foster relaxation and sleep, such as lavender.
Eat healthy foods that give you energy.
Exercise not only provides mental health benefits but may also tire you out enough physically to help you sleep and get a better night’s rest.

2. Stress and anxiety

Overwhelm can cause you to feel high-strung and anxious most of the time, with the inability to calm down or relax. Everything from yesterday’s post can help with this. Taking little breaks throughout your day to help ease your nerves like going for a walk or grabbing a healthy snack, throughout your day is much more effective than trying to grind out the work and strong-arming yourself into getting it done.

If you’ve crossed the threshold and are no longer able to self-soothe, try some of these approaches:

At work, speak with your manager to ask for additional time to work on/complete tasks that have been stressing you out; asking for help is OK.
Take a Mental Health Day off work.
Break large tasks down into small ones, and focus on completing the small ones (one at a time) instead.
Establish more balance in your life, i.e. a healthier balance between work and play.

3. Change in appetite

When I am overwhelmed, one of the first things to get impacted is my nutrition. I typically have less time to prepare my meal-plan or if I have cooked, I might want to turn to comfort food, which will ultimately leave my brain feeling foggier. You may notice a change in your appetite, either under or over-eating when you are overwhelmed.

Try establishing an eating routine, by eating at regular times each day, and sticking to that.
With a loss of appetite, try eating smaller snacks throughout the day, and eating a bigger meal when you’re feeling most hungry.
Eat healthier foods that give you the most nutrition and energy. These will have you feeling full longer (i.e. healthy fats and protein).
Limit caffeine intake as this will also add to a loss of appetite.
Exercise can also help you establish and maintain healthy eating habits.

4. Loss of focus associated with overwhelm

This is a big one for me, especially with ADHD. When I have too much to do, my brain starts feeling like it’s on a merry-go-round or like a pinball bouncing around in the machine and I honestly don’t know where to begin. I keep spinning in the cycle and then never START. When I am aware of my overwhelm, I find taking a walk helpful and as each thing I have to do surfaces, I’ll speak it into my phone creating a list of things to do that I can then categorize, organize and prioritize when I get back to my work space.

Break down large tasks into smaller ones.
Establish a plan of action and write your plan down. When things are written down, they can become easier to follow.
Make lists and check off completed items as you go.
Take little breaks throughout your day to refuel, and refocus the brain.

4 more signs you might be overwhelmed

1. Heart palpitations and shortness of breath

“This may be a sign that your sympathetic nervous system is in overdrive. Become conscious of your breathing and begin to slow it down. Getting present and into your body shifts your focus away from an endless to-do list.

2. Aches, pains, dizziness and even an impaired immune system are indicators of chronic stress. Practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques can help you clear your thoughts, refocus and reduce stress & muscle tension.

3. Moodiness, quick-to-tears, irritability and social withdrawal often signal mounting stress.
Coaching, therapy & energy work can help you approach and address your stress and provide you with a different perspective and tools.

4. You feel guilt or anger for taking on too many responsibilities. Maybe you’re a chronic people-pleaser or you’re Type A fuelled by perfectionism, taking on extra work, being someone’s sounding board, feelings of guilt and anger can be overwhelming and lead to chronic stress.
Learning how to set boundaries is critical, beginning to delegate to other people when appropriate. This includes family members; responsibility shifts can help lighten your daily load, reduce feelings of guilt, anger and resentment and balance out stress levels.

Jessica xo

In case you missed them:

https://www.jessicadawncoaching.com/blog/managing-overwhelm

https://www.jessicadawncoaching.com/blog/back-from-burnout

https://www.jessicadawncoaching.com/blog/handling-on-the-spot-stress

8 Signs of Overwhelm and How to Shift Your Experience