While anxiety is a complex set of symptoms that involve what we do, what we think, and how we feel, there’s another aspect of anxiety that can be overlooked, and that’s the physical side.
Anxiety lives in the body.
For anyone who has ever experienced panic symptoms, you know your body gets involved in the process. However, many forms of anxiety are noticed more readily in how we feel (overwhelmed, stressed, fearful, anxious) and what we think (I can’t handle this, it’s too much, I wish I didn’t feel like this).
Working with women who overthink, over-analyze, and live in their heads, I’ve noticed the disconnect that often happens with anxiety. The focus gets placed in our thinking and in our doing. And focusing there tends to continue the vicious cycle that allow physical symptoms of anxiety to continue feeding the other symptoms of anxiety.
So, stop a moment.
Right now, I invite you to stop and remember that you have a body that is attached to your head full of spinning thoughts. This body is giving you signals all the time. It tells you when to eat, drink, rest, sleep, scratch, move, slow down, speed up, breathe, etc.
Do you listen?
Yes. No. Probably. Sometimes.
Your body automatically does many things without you needing to focus on them. But it is also giving you information that you can choose to pay attention to or ignore. As with most things, the longer you ignore them, the bigger, louder, and more intense they become.
Anxiety will make itself known through your body. While every person and their body signals are different, here are some common physical signs of anxiety:
- Exhaustion
- Muscle tension
- Brain fog
- Headaches
- Holding the breath
- Breathing shallow into the chest
- Hyperventilating
- Racing heart
- Sweaty palms
- Lump in the throat
- Dry mouth
- Fluttering in the stomach
- Dizziness
- Light headedness
- Blushing / heat
Do you recognize any of these signals happening for you right now? Or recently? What else could you add to the list?
Recognizing the physical signs of anxiety is a key component of managing your anxiety. So pay attention to what your body is telling you.
If you’re a woman residing in Arizona and you’d like support in managing your anxiety, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute phone consult with me to see how I might help. Simply click on the BOOK FREE CONSULT button and let’s connect.
