When Your Body Alarms: Understanding the Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

We often frame anxiety as a mental battle—a storm of relentless thoughts. But this only tells half the story. The truth is, the physical symptoms of anxiety are often the most overwhelming part, a stark reminder that this condition has a very real, very tangible footprint on our bodies.

I was reminded of this powerfully today. Out of nowhere, my heart started tap-dancing in my chest. The familiar, unsettling rhythm of palpitations had returned, despite no obvious trigger. This has been a recurring challenge for me, one that I manage with consistent medication. And in moments like these, it is utterly, completely exhausting.

Thankfully, these intense episodes are rare for me now; it had been nearly two years since I last felt this level of physical unease. After taking my medication, the system recalibrated, and the sensation faded. But in that moment, the experience was a powerful testament to one crucial fact: anxiety is not “all in your head.” It is a real, physiological reaction—your body sounding an alarm for a threat it perceives, even if your conscious mind has already moved on.

This is Your Body’s Wisdom, Not a Malfunction

What I’ve come to understand is that these intense physical symptoms of anxiety aren’t a sign of a broken body. They are a form of Body Wisdom.

Your body has its own innate intelligence and its own timeline for processing stress. While your mind might have logically dismissed a worry, your body’s nervous system can remain on high alert. The heart palpitations, the tight chest, the knotted stomach—these are not signs of weakness. They are your body’s faithful, if overzealous, way of saying, “I am still here, standing guard. I am trying to protect you.”

Fighting this response, or panicking about the sensations, only confirms to your body’s alarm system that there is, in fact, a real emergency. It turns up the volume.

So, how do we start to dial it down?

A Technique to Soothe Your Body’s Alarm System

The goal isn’t to stop the feeling by force, but to change your relationship with it. Instead of meeting it with fear, meet it with curiosity. This technique, often used in mindfulness and somatic therapy, can help you manage the physical symptoms of anxiety.

The next time you feel a wave of physical unease, try this:

1. Place a Hand: Gently place your hand on the part of your body where you feel the sensation most strongly—your chest, your stomach, your throat.
2. Breathe: Take a few slow, deep breaths, directing the air into that space.
3. Acknowledge Neutrally: In your mind, or softly out loud, offer a simple, neutral acknowledgment. You might say:

“This is my body’s alarm. It is trying to protect me.”

That’s it. You are not trying to make it go away. You are simply observing it without judgment. You are shifting from being a victim of the alarm to a witness of it.

This practice of Mindful Observation is how you start to de-escalate your body’s emergency response. For more ways to calm your nervous system, explore our guide on breathing exercises for instant calm.

You Are Not Your Anxiety

The journey with anxiety is often long, and managing the physical symptoms of anxiety is a practice, not a perfect science. If your symptoms are severe or persistent, it is always best to consult a healthcare professional to rule out other causes.

Remember, by learning to listen to our body’s wisdom—and responding not with fear, but with compassion—we can begin to find a new sense of peace, both in our minds and in the very fibers of our being. For further reading on understanding the mind-body connection, check out our post on what your nervous system is trying to tell you.