Anxiety is a pretty complicated mental health issue that affects all parts of the body. Yep, you read that right… anxiety is not just in our heads, it can also show up in our body through some shitttyyy physical symptoms. Let's dive deep into what some of these may be.
But first, it's helpful to know what Anxiety actually is.
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress- when we’re under stress or in a stressful situation our bodies go into survival mode- we call this “fight, flight or freeze mode”. Our body will automatically respond through all these wacky and wonderful ways. .
Once the stressful trigger goes away our body will return to its “normal” state. But here’s the real kicker… if those feelings of anxiety don’t leave, this could be a sign you’re experiencing an anxiety disorder. Here’s some of the most common physical symptoms of anxiety that may be showing up for you.
Shortness of Breath/ Hyperventilating
It's not uncommon for someone to hyperventilate or find it hard to breathe when they’re experiencing anxiety. The stress response causes the airway between the nose and lungs to get smaller so our bodies can get more air in case you need to run away from danger. But, when we take more shallow breaths this causes an increase of carbon dioxide in the body. This can mean chest pains, numbness, tingles and all those not so lovely feelings.
Here’s what to do:
I know it can be terrifying to feel like you can’t breathe, but the best thing to do is to try and take long, calming breaths and try your best to relax.
With each breath in, make sure to exhale for at least 2 counts longer. This helps to get more oxygen in, and gets that dreaded carbon dioxide out.
Fatigue/ Sleepiness
If you’re experiencing anxiety chances are you’re also feeling pretty darn sleepy. Yep, there is a whole lot of research saying that sleep and anxiety have a super strong relationship. We’ve all been there, after a hard day at work/school, dreaming of our head hitting the pillow, and cozying up for a nice long awaited night's sleep… but as soon as you close your eyes your brain ruminates and refuses to turn off. You wake up the next day unrested and the cycle continues.
Here’s what to do:
Create a bedtime routine that will help your mind know when it's time to go to sleep. Try putting away your phone and anything with a blue light at least an hour before bed. I know it can be tempting to scroll on your phone to try to take your mind off whatever it is that's making you anxious, but the blue lights we see on screens disrupt our sleep cycles.
Try having some quiet music play in the background while you doze off. This might help you focus on something other than your thoughts.
Stomach Issues
Have you ever felt nauseous, or had stomach pains when you're feeling anxious? You know, that feeling like your stomach is in unbearable knots. Yeah, us too. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can decrease the blood and oxygen going to your stomach. Yep, you guessed it, this is what causes those sudden stomach pains.
Here’s what to do:
It’s a good idea to avoid things like excess caffeine or energy drinks as these things can also increase your cortisol levels. It will also help if you keep a well balanced diet full of healthy nutritious meals.
Sweating
Another super fun physical symptom of anxiety is the sweats. When our body reacts to stress our internal temperature goes up… how do we regulate this? Thats right, sweat. Thanks a lot body.
Sweating if your anxious is one of those super common and totally normal responses.
Here’s what to do:
Try not to overthink it… yep, if we think about how much we’re sweating, it can actually make us sweat more. So let your arms, and hands breathe, try to ride the anxiety wave and know that you’re not alone.
Increased Heart Rate
You know when you miss that last step on a flight of stairs and you could swear your heart is about to pump out of your body? Yeah, that’s because your body automatically goes into survival mode. This same thing happens when you’re feeling anxious.
Anxiety can be different for everyone, but one thing we do know is that our bodies still respond to fear and stress the same way they did thousands of years ago- by going into fight flight or freeze mode. When this happens, our hearts will pump blood to the important parts of our body that will help us run away or fight danger.
Here’s what to do:
There’s a few different things you can do to help regulate your heart rate. Firstly, some form of physical exercise can help to regulate blood flow and get your endorphins flowing. But I know that when feeling anxious exercise might feel like the last thing you want to do. If that's the case, try using some grounding techniques or put on your favourite TV show to distract yourself.
Muscle Tension
When our survival mode is activated, our muscles tense up in preparation for running or fighting. When we’re anxious for long periods of time, and our muscles are tense this can make us feel aches and pains. Do a check in with your body now- are you clenching your jaw? Yes, relax. Are your shoulders tense? Yes, lower them and take a deep breath.
Muscle aches are a common physical symptom of anxiety.
Here's what to do:
Progressive Muscle relaxation techniques- this is basically tensing and then relaxing your muscle groups all over your body in a super mindful way to help calm your mind. Start from the tip of your head and work your way down to the tip of your toes and don't forget the small muscles.
While anxiety is a mental health condition, the symptoms aren’t just in your head. Fortunately, there are several ways to manage these physical symptoms. Just remember that everything we’ve spoken about here are normal and common responses to anxiety but don't forget to reach out and talk to a therapist or mental health worker if you’re struggling.
Need help right away?
If you or a loved one is in distress, or having thoughts of suicide and you need someone to talk to, there is always help available. Call the Emergency Services on 000
Emergency services- 000
