Can Anxiety Come From Your Body?
Typically, we begin treating anxiety by exploring our thinking which is often helpful but not foolproof. When anxiety persists despite our best efforts to work on our minds (like in talk therapy) we can look to the body for new solutions. It can be easy to forget that our brains are connected to our bodies and ignore what is going on physically. Instead of always trying to “fix” our thoughts, we can look to the body for ways to heal.
Ellen Vora, M.D., in her new book, The Anatomy of Anxiety: Understanding and Overcoming the Body’s Fear Response, explores several factors in the body that can contribute to anxiety.
Inflammation: Inflammation of the body is a condition that can be caused by everything from diet to stress or even birth control. However, many people do not realize that it can also change how we feel. In fact, it can literally change our brain composition and how it functions. Particularly, it can affect the amygdala and neurotransmitters in relation to threat, which may also contribute to anxiety. This is because inflammation is akin to a side effect of the immune system. In other words, the body perceives something as a threat and signals the body to fight off the intruder. However, when nothing actually attacks the body, the inflammation is in vain and can leave the body feeling needlessly anxious. Make it stand out
Improper Breathing: Another physical cause of inflammation is improper breathing. Many people take on the toxic habit of shallow chest breathing, and many of us hold our breath when we are feeling stressed, which only makes matters worse. However, by training the body to do slower belly breathing, you can make your body feel relaxed and reduce your anxiety symptoms.
Caffeine: Another common cause of anxiety is caffeine. Although many people use it to help them be more energetic, it can also serve to stimulate the cortisol within the body, which can feel exactly like anxiety to the body. In addition, with excessive use, caffeine can also worsen the physical effects of stress by raising blood pressure and magnifying the cardiovascular response in general.
Sleep Habits: How and when you sleep can play a major role in whether or not the body feels anxious. This is because sleepless nights can trigger the brain to exhibit less activity within the medial prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain that regulates emotions. Moreover, the amount of sleep we get each night can directly affect how anxious we feel the next day. This is because being deprived of sleep can also raise stress hormones, which can cause anxiety and, thus, trigger insomnia.
Poor Diet: Lastly, your diet can majorly affect how your body experiences anxiety. For instance, common conditions such as low blood sugar can trigger feelings of nervousness, heart palpitations, anxiety, and more.
Overall, anxiety is a mental health concern that physical symptoms can often trigger. Rather than focusing on the cognitive aspects of this condition, you may need to put attention to the physical causes. Over time, by addressing the issues mentioned here, you will likely decrease your feelings of anxiety.
