Anxiety Body Symptoms

Everybody experiences anxiety from time to time, especially when facing fears or worries. Constant anxiety can lead to a cascade of physical symptoms.

Stress or fear triggers the fight-or-flight response that causes your heart rate and breathing to speed up. If you need to escape danger, then blood and fuel will flood your muscles.

Tingling

If you are aware of a threat your nervous system triggers a response of anxiety. It releases a flood of chemicals and hormones, such as adrenaline, to boost blood flow, increase oxygen levels and enable you to respond quickly and effectively. This is the body's normal response to real life-or-death situations and is designed to safeguard you (Chand 2021). However we all feel anxious about things that do not actually pose a threat or may even be beneficial. The constant uptick in stress hormones and other physical symptoms of anxiety can be mentally and physically draining.

Tingling throughout your body is one of the most frequent symptoms of feeling anxious. It can be felt in your legs, arms or in your chest, feet, or. It could also extend towards your head and cause a headache. You can also experience it when you lie, sit or stand in the same position for a long time. It may be caused by nutritional deficiencies as well as nerve damage or compression, such as from a compressed spinal cord or pinched nerves.

Sweating is another sign of anxiety. Your body is working hard to pump more water into your sweat glands when anxious or stressed According to NIMH. It can also cause you to feel cold feet and hands because the body is pulling blood away from those areas to protect its main organs.

Persistent feelings of tiredness and exhaustion are frequently related to anxiety. It can be because of the constant fight-or-flight stress response or if you're having trouble sleeping. A physician or mental health professional can offer suggestions on how to get better sleep, such as practicing good habits and avoiding caffeine and alcohol in the evening.

Weakness

In a moment of anxiety or fear the body's fight or flight response might kick in. When you feel anxiety or fear the body's fight or flight response may begin to kick in. In time, however this constant state of mind can cause muscle fatigue and make you feel weak.

Muscles that are tight and painful can cause headaches, aches and pains, and other physical problems. If you're scared or anxious your body tenses and when it happens frequently, this can lead to tension headaches. Migraines can also be caused by tight shoulder and neck muscles.

A tummyache can be a sign you're stressed. The digestive system is directly connected to your mood, and those who experience anxiety are more likely to experience digestive issues such as stomachaches, constipation and diarrhea.

Weakness can also be a sign of anxiety as it can affect the immune system, which in turn makes you more prone to infections. A prolonged period of high anxiety symptoms levels stress hormones, such as those experienced by those suffering from anxiety, can lower the immune system's ability to battle germs.

The first step to identifying and managing the symptoms of anxiety and overthinking symptoms is to stop and examine the situation, advises Dr. Barsky. If you can discern that your physical symptoms are the result of an unending state of stress and worry, then you can take steps to break the cycle. "Distract yourself," says the expert noting that even things like watering plants or putting a jigsaw puzzle together can aid.

Lightheadedness

Anxiety can cause you feel agitated, unbalanced or as if the world is spinning. This can be a uncomfortable feeling and can also hinder you from getting active, going out or doing activities that you enjoy. Vertigo is a term used to describe dizziness caused by anxiety. However, it could also be the symptom of an inner ear problem like Benign Peripheral Constant Dizziness (BPPV).

The body's "fight or flight" stress response releases a flood of hormones and chemicals into the bloodstream to prepare for threats. This increases the heart rate, increases breathing, and alters the amount of oxygen is flowing to the brain. This can trigger a short-term feeling of lightheadedness. This is why you may feel it prior to delivering a speech, or being in a busy room. However, if your anxiety becomes chronic and you start feeling this way without explanation, it could be a sign of an anxiety disorder.

This type of anxiety-induced dizziness can last for a whole the day or more and is referred to as Chronic Subjective Dizziness or Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD). If you have an illness that causes this, it is recommended to see your doctor to get the proper diagnosis.

If you have no health issues and you are getting dizzy when you're anxious, you can try to calm yourself by taking deep breaths or by focusing your eyes on the same spot. Many ballet dancers who suffer from this type of dizziness find relief by doing this while they're performing. If this doesn't help it's always a good idea to call your family or a friend to discuss your anxiety and how they can help you. This can help ease your symptoms and stop them from spiraling out of control.

Mouth dryness

When you are anxious your breathing and heart rate will likely to change. In the fight-or-flight response the body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that increase your heart rate to get more oxygen into your bloodstream to help you react to threats. If your anxiety is persistent and you are constantly releasing stress hormones can have long-term health effects. For instance, it could alter your digestion in ways that impact your physical health like stomach pains, bloating and diarrhea.

Stress hormones can cause you to feel short of breath or breathless. This can happen when you're in a high-stress situation, for instance during an anxiety attack, or when you're preparing for an important event. However, it can also happen when you're feeling constantly anxious, with no apparent reason.

These feelings can make you feel nauseous or sick to your stomach, and it's normal for those suffering from anxiety to have digestive issues. According to the APA people who suffer from these symptoms often should consult a mental health professional.

The most important thing to keep in mind is anxiety can be extremely hard on your body, and you're not alone. If you're concerned about how you feel, talk to an GP or therapist. They can help you determine whether your symptoms are linked to a particular challenge or whether anxiety is a symptom of. They can also give you information and guidance to help you manage your anxiety. This may include recommending certain treatments or medications, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Be active and get enough rest. Relaxation exercises such as guided imagery and deep breathing can be helpful to alleviate symptoms.

Tension

Anxiety can cause the body to feel tense. It may cause pain. The reason for this is that the brain transmits signals to other areas of the body, telling them to brace for a fight or flight scenario. This can result in an increase in the size of stomach muscles and the feeling of a stomachache. This is not something to be ignored because it could lead to serious digestive problems such as ulcers or irritable bowel syndrome on the stomach lining.

Another common symptom of anxiety is heart palpitations, which are rapid and irregular heartbeats. This happens when the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released into the bloodstream. These hormones can raise the speed that the heart beats and also increase the amount oxygen that circulates through the body. The body doesn't have to be on constant alert, and when it is constantly in this state, it will be exhausted and weak.

Anxiety can also trigger sweating, cold hands and legs and lightheadedness. This is caused by an increase in blood flow to the major organs and muscles. This is part of the fight or flight response, which prepares your body for a dangerous situation. It can be triggered either through actual dangers or just thinking about them. The amygdala, or brain area, is one of the mind that controls emotional responses. It can also react to fears and cause these physical sensations.

Breathing fast and shallow can also cause anxiety symptoms to worsen. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine it is referred to as hyperventilation. It disrupts the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. This can contribute to dizziness and tingling of the feet and hands.