Anxiety doesn’t just live in the mind—it lives in the body too. Feeling anxious triggers a fight-or-flight response designed to protect you from danger. This system is ancient and automatic. Your heart races to pump blood to your muscles. Your breathing quickens. Your digestive system slows down. Your muscles tense up.
This response is helpful if you’re running from a bear. But when the “threat” is a looming deadline or social event, your body reacts the same way—without an obvious escape route.
Common somatic symptoms associated with anxiety disorders include:
- Chest tightness or pain
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle tension or soreness
- Fatigue
- Stomach pain or nausea
- Headaches or dizziness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Sweating or chills
These symptoms are not imagined. They are rooted in your nervous system. And dismissing them as nothing more than nervous thoughts does a serious disservice to anyone who is struggling.
Why Somatic Symptoms Are Often Misunderstood
In everyday conversations—and even in some medical settings—there’s a persistent myth: if your pain or discomfort isn’t caused by an obvious physical illness or injury, then it must be “all in your head.” This mindset stems from an outdated and unhelpful division between physical and mental health, as if the brain and body are separate systems operating in isolation. But neuroscience paints a far more interconnected picture.
The Vagus Nerve Is Anxiety’s Silent Messenger
The vagus nerve is a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system. This nerve runs from the brainstem down through the neck and into the chest and abdomen, connecting your brain to your heart, lungs, and digestive tract. When you’re anxious, the vagus nerve transmits signals that can cause real, tangible symptoms—like nausea, stomach cramps, chest pain, or difficulty breathing. They’re your nervous system’s way of reacting to perceived danger.
The Amygdala Is Your Brain’s Fear Alarm
The amygdala is a small almond-shaped structure in your brain responsible for detecting threats. Think of it as your built-in alarm system. When it senses danger—whether real or imagined—it sends distress signals that activate your body’s fight-or-flight response. Your heart races. Your muscles tense. Your stomach churns. Even if the threat is simply an upcoming meeting or a social interaction, your amygdala can make your body behave as if it’s in real physical danger.
Chronic Stress Overwhelms the HPA Axis
The HPA axis is a hormonal system involving the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. Chronic activation of this system, which is very common in people with anxiety disorders, throws your body’s hormone levels out of balance. The result? Difficulty sleeping, weakened immunity, digestive issues, fatigue, and more. These are biological changes—chemical and physical shifts happening in real time—not exaggerated feelings or signs of weakness.
Disrupted Interoception Creates a Cycle of Distress
Even your body’s ability to read itself—a process known as interoception—can be disrupted. People with anxiety disorders may become hyper-aware of every heartbeat, muscle twitch, or gurgling stomach. Over time, this hypersensitivity can amplify anxiety and perpetuate the cycle of distress. When internal signals become a source of fear instead of information, it’s easy to feel like your body is working against you. In reality, it’s trying to protect you.
Your Body Isn’t Lying—It’s Speaking
As trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk puts it in his groundbreaking work The Body Keeps the Score, traumatic and anxious experiences become embedded in our physiological patterns. Your body remembers even when your mind tries to move on. This doesn’t make you dramatic or weak. It makes you human.
Understanding this brain-body connection is essential not just for healing but for reclaiming your self-trust. When you honor what your body is telling you, you open the door to real, sustainable recovery—not just from anxiety’s symptoms, but from the silence and stigma that often surround them.
Small Steps That Can Help You Reclaim a Sense of Control
If you’re overwhelmed by physical symptoms of anxiety, you don’t have to fix everything overnight. Start with simple steps to calm your nervous system:
- Practice deep breathing. Try the 4-7-8 technique: Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8. This calms the vagus nerve and lowers heart rate.
- Ground yourself with the 5-4-3-2-1 method. Name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste. This brings your mind back to the present.
- Move your body. Walking, stretching, yoga, or other forms of gentle movement help release muscle tension and reduce stress hormones. If the weather permits, exercising outside offers additional benefits.
- Watch your diet. Low blood sugar or dehydration can mimic anxiety symptoms.
- Create a sensory comfort kit. Essential oils, a soft blanket, calming music, or a stress ball can help regulate your sensory system when your anxiety starts to flare up.
You Don’t Have to Deal With Your Anxiety Alone
If your anxiety is making it hard to function, it may be time to seek professional support. Therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Somatic Experiencing (SE), and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) are all powerful tools in helping the body and mind work together again.
At Raleigh Oaks Behavioral Health in Garner, North Carolina, our compassionate care team is ready to help you explore treatment options tailored to your unique needs. Reach out today for a free, confidential assessment—and take the first step toward feeling better, both in your mind and your body.
