When Anxiety Hurts: Understanding the Physical Symptoms of an Overwhelmed Nervous System
You’re lying in bed, exhausted, but your chest is tight. Your jaw aches. Your shoulders are tense. Your stomach is in knots.
And yet, when you try to think of a reason why, you come up empty.
This is one of the many frustrating realities of living with anxiety. Sometimes it doesn’t show up as racing thoughts or worst-case scenarios. Sometimes it shows up in your body.
Pain. Tension. Fatigue. Nausea.
You might start wondering if something is medically wrong, Googling symptoms in the middle of the night, or scheduling doctor appointments to rule things out.
But when all the labs come back normal and the doctor says, "It's probably stress," you might feel confused or even dismissed.
If this sounds familiar, I want you to know: you're not imagining it.
Anxiety can absolutely cause real, tangible physical symptoms, even pain.
And it’s not all in your head.
How Anxiety Lives in the Body
Anxiety isn’t just a mental experience. It’s a full-body state that activates your nervous system and prepares you to fight, flee, or freeze in response to a threat, even if the threat is just a looming to-do list or an overwhelming interaction.
Your body doesn’t differentiate between a bear in the woods and a toddler tantrum before school drop-off. Stress is stress. And when your nervous system gets stuck in that activated state, it begins to take a toll.
Here are some common physical symptoms that can be rooted in anxiety:
Muscle tension (especially in the jaw, neck, shoulders, and back)
Chest tightness or shortness of breath
Stomach issues like nausea, bloating, or IBS
Headaches or migraines
Fatigue or exhaustion, even after sleeping
Heart palpitations or racing heart
Dizziness or lightheadedness
This is your body saying, "I’m carrying too much."
And for many moms, especially those who are constantly on alert, these symptoms become a daily baseline so normal that you don’t even realize how uncomfortable you’ve been.
Why It Happens (Especially in Moms)
When you're holding the mental load, juggling the needs of your family, and pushing yourself to keep up appearances, there often isn’t space to pause and process how you feel.
So your body does it for you.
You might not cry or panic or even feel "anxious." But your nervous system is still working overtime. And the body keeps the score.
Add to that the hormonal shifts of postpartum, sleep deprivation, and lack of support and it’s no wonder your body is sounding alarms.
The Cost of Ignoring Physical Anxiety
It’s tempting to write these symptoms off as "just stress" and keep pushing through.
But ignoring physical anxiety doesn’t make it go away.
It can lead to:
Chronic pain or illness
Panic attacks
Burnout and exhaustion
Disconnection from your body
Emotional numbness or irritability
When you live in a constant state of tension, your body forgets what it feels like to be safe. And healing starts by rebuilding that sense of safety not just in your mind, but in your body.
What Healing Can Look Like
You don’t have to live like this. Your body is wise. It’s not betraying you, it’s trying to protect you.
Therapy can help you understand the messages your body is sending. Together, we explore:
Where tension lives in your body and what it might be connected to
Tools to help your nervous system come out of survival mode
Somatic techniques to reconnect with and feel safe in your body
How to release the guilt that comes with rest, stillness, and care
Small shifts add up. One moment of stillness. One breath. One choice to listen to your body instead of overriding it.
This is the work. And it’s possible.
You’re Not Broken. You’re Carrying A Lot.
If you’re a mom dealing with unexplained pain, tension, or chronic stress symptoms, I want you to hear this:
You’re not weak. You’re not making it up. And you’re definitely not alone.
Your anxiety is valid. And so is your pain.
You deserve support that doesn’t dismiss your experience but helps you understand and work with it.
Ready to Feel at Home in Your Body Again?
If you're tired of pushing through the pain and ready to reconnect with your body in a kinder, more grounded way, therapy can help.
I offer free 15-minute consults so we can talk about what you're carrying and how I can support you.
You don’t have to keep living in a body that feels like a battlefield. Let’s help you feel safe in yourself again.
