Anxiety Body Symptoms

Everyone feels anxious sometimes, especially when facing an anxiety or fear. Constant anxiety can lead to a cascade of physical symptoms.

If you are afraid or stressed, your heart rate and respiratory rate will increase. If you must escape danger, fuel and blood will flow into your muscles.

Tingling

When you perceive a danger your nervous system triggers an arousal of anxiety. It releases a flood of chemical and hormones, including adrenaline, which increases blood flow, boost oxygen levels and assist you in responding quickly and effectively. This is the body's natural reaction to life-or death situations. It's meant to safeguard you. However, many of us feel anxious about things that do not actually pose a threat or may even be beneficial. The constant increase in stress hormones, in addition to other physical symptoms associated with anxiety can be mentally and physically draining.

The most typical indication of anxiety is a tingling in your body. You may feel it in your legs, arms, chest, or feet. It could also extend up to your head and cause headaches. It may also happen when you are sitting, lying or standing in the same position for a prolonged time. It could be caused by nutritional deficiencies, nerve damage or compression, like due to a compressed spinal cord or pinched nerves.

The fact that you sweat can be an indication of anxiety. According to NIMH, your body pumps more water to sweat glands when you are anxious or in a state of stress. This can cause you to feel cold hands and feet because your body is pulling blood away to protect its main organs.

Anxiety is often accompanied by the feeling of constant fatigue and exhaustion. It could be due to the constant fight or flight stress response or if you're having difficulty sleeping. A physician or mental health professional can give you tips for a better sleep including avoiding alcohol and caffeine in the evening and implementing healthy habits.

Weakness

In times of fear or anxiety, your body's fight or flight response might start to activate. That's when your brain signals the sympathetic nervous system to release hormones like adrenaline, which increase the heart rate and permits blood to flow more quickly to your muscles, ensuring you can flee or fight off an attack. Over the long term however, this continuous state of stress and worry can cause your body to feel weak, especially when it strains your muscles.

The tight muscles are painful and can lead to headaches, aches and pains, and other physical problems. For instance, if you're startled or anxious, your body tenses up and if this happens over and over again it can cause tension headaches. Migraines can also be caused by tight shoulders and neck muscles.

A tummyache can also be a sign that you are stressed. Your gastrointestinal system is directly connected to your mood and those who experience mild anxiety attack symptoms are more likely to experience digestive issues such as constipation, stomachaches, and diarrhea.

Weakness is also a symptom of anxiety, since it can affect the immune system and make you more vulnerable to infections. A prolonged period of high levels stress hormones, like those experienced by those suffering from anxiety, can affect the immune system's capacity to fight germs.

Dr. Barsky says that the first step to identify and managing anxiety is to stop, evaluate your situation, and then take action. If you can determine that your physical symptoms are a result of an unending state of stress and worry and anxiety, then you should take steps to break the cycle. "Distract yourself," he suggests, noting that something as simple as watering your plants or putting together a jigsaw puzzle can help.

Lightheadedness

Anxiety can cause you feel dizzy, unbalanced or as if the entire world is spinning. It can be a troubling feeling and can also hinder you from getting active, going out or doing things that you like. Dizziness caused by anxiety is sometimes known as Vertigo but it could also be a symptom of a disorder that affects the inner ear like Benign Peripheral Persistent Dizziness (BPPV).

The body's "fight or fight" stress response releases a flood of hormones and chemicals into the blood to prepare for threats. This raises the heart rate, increases breathing and changes how much oxygen is flowing to the brain. This what can anxiety cause symptoms temporarily cause a feeling of lightheadedness, which is why it could occur before you deliver speech or enter the midst of a crowd. But when your anxiety becomes chronic and you start feeling this way for no apparent reason, it could be an indication of an anxiety disorder.

This kind of anxiety-related dizziness can persist for the entire day or longer and is called Chronic Subjective Dizziness or Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD). If you have a medical condition that causes this, you must see your doctor to get a proper diagnosis.

If you're not experiencing any health concerns and feel dizzy when 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 kind of dizziness get relief from this technique while dancing. If this doesn't work you, you can always contact a family member or friend to discuss your anxiety and how they can assist you. This will help reduce your symptoms and keep them from getting out of control.

Mouth dryness

If you're stressed your heart rate and breathing are likely to change. As part of your fight or flight reaction, your body releases the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol which raise your heart rate in order to increase the oxygen flow to your bloodstream. If your anxiety is persistent, the constant release of stress-related hormones can cause negative health effects. For example, it may cause your digestion to change in ways that affect your physical health, like stomach pains, bloating or diarrhea.

In addition to altering your heart rate, these stress hormones can cause you to feel sluggish or out of breath. This is often the case in stressful situations, such as when you are preparing for an important event or during an anxiety attack. It could also happen when you are constantly anxious and without any reason.

These feelings can make you feel nauseous or sick to your stomach, and it's not uncommon for people with anxiety to have digestive issues. According to the APA, people who suffer from these symptoms often should seek out a mental health professional.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that anxiety can be very difficult on your body, and you're certainly not the only one. Consult a GP when you're concerned about your anxiety. They can help you determine if your symptoms are related to a particular issue or if you suffer from an anxiety neurosis symptoms condition. They can also provide you with details and suggestions on how to manage anxiety. This could include suggesting certain medication or therapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Try to stay active and get enough sleep. Relaxation exercises such as guided imagery and deep breathing can help to ease symptoms.

Tension

Anxiety can cause the body to feel tense. It may cause pain. The brain sends signals to tell other parts of the system to prepare for a fight-or-flight scenario. This can result in a knot in the stomach muscles, and a feeling of stomach pain. This isn't something you should ignore since it could cause serious digestive problems like irritable bowel disorder or sores in the stomach lining, also known as ulcers.

Heart palpitations are another common symptoms. They are fast and irregular heartbeats. This occurs when the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline are released into the bloodstream. These hormones boost the speed that the heart beats and increase the amount of oxygen that is circulated around the body. The body doesn't have to be constantly alert, so when it is always in this state, it will become exhausted and weak.

Cold feet and hands, and light-headedness are also symptoms of anxiety. They are caused by an increased blood flow to the major organs and the muscles. This is a part of the fight or flight response, which prepares the body for a potentially dangerous situation. It can be triggered by actual dangers or just thinking about them. The amygdala, or brain area, is one of the brain that regulates emotional responses. It can also react to fears and cause these physical sensations.

Rapid and shallow breathing can also cause anxiety. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine this is known as hyperventilation. It upsets the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the bloodstream. This can cause dizziness and burning sensations in the feet and hands.