Written by Em Roberts

Spot the signs: How stress signatures can strengthen team support

3rd June, 2025   •  

Have you ever felt like a puffer fish? 

Research from Stanford University found that when someone is upset but keeps their feelings bottled up, the blood pressure of people around them actually increases. If we don’t let our team know when the pressure is building, and end up like this puffer fish, it can have a ripple effect on how they then feel. We’re wired to pick up on each other’s moods, even if nothing is said. What does this lead to? Stress. 

Your calendar is packed, your inbox overflowing, and your to-do list seems to get mysteriously longer by the hour. 

You keep thinking…

• I just need to get through this week 
• Why can’t I concentrate today?
• Why did I snap at my colleague just now?
• I can’t sleep even though I am exhausted

When life gets busy and starts to feel overwhelming, we all have different signs that we are starting to feel stressed. Have a think, what are a couple of ways your stress shows up? Are they predictable? They probably are when you think about it, and these patterns are called our stress signatures. 

What is a stress signature?

A stress signature is your unique personal pattern of behaviour, emotion, and physical response to different levels of stress. It’s the early warning signs that we are moving from our ‘optimal level’ of stress into overwhelm.

As shown here, 

Recognising these signs is a game-changer because it gives you the chance to take action before stress spirals out of control. A simple way to think about it is by categorising stress into three zones:

• Green zone: A sweet spot of optimal stress which enables us to feel motivated, focused and produce our best work
• Amber zone: Stress starts to build, and early warning stress signatures start to manifest, for example, overthinking, struggling to focus, or inability to switch off from work 
• Red zone: When we’ve experienced stress for too long and feel overwhelmed, which can lead to feeling exhausted, irritable, and find it harder to focus (agonising over sending a straightforward email, anyone?) 

What does a stress signature look like? How can we identify it?

Stress looks different for everyone and above are some common examples people notice in themselves. Sometimes we don’t see these things until someone gently reflects them back to us, for example, ‘You seem quieter than usual.’ The more we practise tuning in to our stress signature, the more we can notice signs early and do something about it. 

How to spot your stress signature

• Ask yourself what you typically start to think, feel or do when under pressure 
• Ask people close to you what they notice; they might reveal signatures that you are not aware of  

Once you have identified your signature, you can start to catch the warning signs before you hit that red stress mode, and take action to break the cycle. 

Three actions you can take

1. Name it – My heart rate is increasing on the way to work, my stress signature is showing up. Recognising this can help us take a step back and get perspective 
2. Recover from it – This is about what helps you to disperse and regulate stress when it builds up. For example, going to your favourite movement class, or asking a colleague to be a soundboard for ideas if decision paralysis is a signature. 
3. Share it – As the saying goes, ‘A problem shared is a problem halved.‘ And when we normalise these conversations with each other, we create a culture where it’s easier to catch stress early and support one another.

One way to normalise these conversations is to run a Stress Signature session with your team.

Here’s how:

• Get everyone involved: Ask team members to write down their amber and red stress signatures on colour-coded post-it notes
• Create a shared space: Stick them up on a board, starting with amber, then red
• Ask for reflections: What stands out? What resonates? What actions can be taken?
• Discuss recovery strategies: Encourage the team to share what helps them get back into the green zone
• Talk about what support looks like for them: For example, ‘If I’m feeling overwhelmed, I might go quiet – feel free to check in with me’

This activity helps to foster open and honest conversations that lead to deeper understanding of each other’s signs of stress. Find out more about how to recognise signs of stress and have conversations about mental health here. 

In summary 

• Don’t bottle things up—feelings are contagious, and without understanding the “why,” others can easily take on your stress too.
• Next time stress shows up, take note of your signs so you can spot them early and recover more quickly.
• Share the stress signature activity with your team to build awareness and strengthen your ability to support one another.