The Physical Side of Anxiety: When Tension Shows Up In Your Body

There is tension in your neck. Your shoulders are practically pressed against your ears.
There is a knot in your stomach. Or you sit down, and your heart is racing, as if you had just run a mile.

Before our brain begins to put a name to our stress, our nervous system has already created an alarm signal for the rest of your body…in the form of physical tension.
Healing from anxiety requires more than just changing our thoughts; we must learn to listen to the physical sensations within our body as well.

The 3 Components of Anxiety:

• Physiological: The physical symptoms your body experiences.

• Behavioral: The way we act-avoiding or escaping a situation.

• Cognitive: The thoughts we have that tend to be worrisome or negative, or overanalytical.

Our genetics, early childhood environments, and life experiences create patterns in how we experience the world. When anxiety strikes, part of our nervous system becomes overactive, misreading safe situations as dangerous. Over time, this floods the body with adrenaline and cortisol, locking us into a constant “fight-or-flight” state.

What This Looks Like Physically:

Prolonged anxiety triggers our internal emergency system. While these symptoms are uncomfortable, they are not inherently harmful. Common physical reactions include:

• Rapid heart rate, chest tightness, or shortness of breath

• Nausea, diarrhea, or constipation

• Muscle tension, particularly in the neck and shoulders

• Dizziness, sweating, or tingling in the hands and feet.

How to Break the Fear Loop:

To heal, we can develop interoceptive awareness- the ability to notice, understand, and to safely to “sit with” our internal bodily sensations. Instead of searching Google for temporary reassurance, we can use therapy and regular coping skills to rewire the fear loop between the brain and the body. By understanding our triggers and becoming less afraid of our physical symptoms, we change how we respond to stress.

4 Exercises to Release Body Tension:

1. Body Scanning: You lie down or sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. You then slowly move your mental attention through each part of your body—from the top of your head down to your toes (or vice versa)—observing sensations like warmth, tightness, pain, or relaxation without judgment.

2. Diaphragmatic Breathing: Breathing with the lower part of your longs (or belly breathing, for those of you who took band or choir as students)! Pairing breathing with a mantra like “I am calm” can be very soothing.

3. Grounding Techniques: Noticing the sensations in your feet, or whatever part of your body is touching the ground, a chair, or bed.

4. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Systematically tense and relaxing your muscle groups, so your brain can get a signal to let go of stress.

The Bottom Line: Simply noticing your body throughout the day, recognizing your thoughts, and purposefully bringing yourself back to the present moment will drastically reduce your overall physical tension over time.