Anxiety can manifest itself in different ways, in your energy level, attention span and, less commonly known, your bodily functions. There are physical symptoms of anxiety.
Anxiety Doesn’t Just Manifest in Your Head
If you have anxiety, you might frequently feel worried, nervous, or afraid about ordinary events. These feelings can be upsetting and difficult to manage. They can also make daily life challenging.
Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms. Think about a time when you felt anxious. Maybe your hands were sweaty or your legs were shaky. Your heart rate might have sped up. You could have felt sick to your stomach.
You might have linked these symptoms to your nervousness. But maybe you weren’t sure why you felt unwell.
Most people experience anxiety on occasion. Anxiety can be serious or turn into a disorder if it lasts for a long time, causes significant distress, or interferes with your life in other ways.
Types of anxiety include:
- panic disorders
- generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- separation anxiety
- social anxiety
- phobias
- obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Some types of anxiety have unique symptoms specific to the fears linked to the anxiety. In general, though, anxiety disorders share many physical symptoms.
Read on to learn more about anxiety’s physical symptoms and how they can affect you.
How anxiety affects your body
Anxiety can have physical symptoms that affect health and daily life.
- muscle tension
- sweating, trembling
- nausea
- fatigue
There is such a long list of examples, everyone’s anxiety manifests in different and unique ways but it all reveals the same thing, stress. Stress is the root cause of anxiety. There have been so many studies done that show a strong correlation between stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that anxiety is even linked to heart disease.
Mental health is just as important as physical health and taken so much less seriously.
Ways to Deal with Anxiety
- physical activity
- rest, sleep
- avoid alcohol
Because physical symptoms of anxiety are not well known, you may be unaware of having it. Consult a therapist if you think something might be off and you just can’t put your finger on it. There are so many people unknowingly walking around with anxiety. Typically, treatment is a combination of therapy and medication, but, outside of those, learn to rest and take time to recharge. Don’t skimp on your peace of mind, it could save your life.
If you’re interested in learning more ways to combat anxiety, check out 6 Foods that Help Get Rid of Anxiety.
