When Anxiety Shows Up in Your Body: Understanding Somatic Symptoms

When most people think of anxiety, they picture worrying thoughts. But for many women, anxiety shows up just as strongly-sometimes even more strongly-in the body. These are called somatic symptoms: physical sensations that happen when our nervous system is activated by anxiety.

What Are Somatic Symptoms?

Somatic symptoms are the ways our body “speaks” when we’re anxious. They can include:

• Racing heart

• Shortness of breath

• Stomach pain or nausea

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Muscle tension or headaches

• Sweating, trembling, or feeling shaky

Often, these symptoms feel so intense that a woman may wonder if she’s dying, having a heart attack, or in need of the ER. It’s no wonder panic attacks send so many people to the hospital-anxiety can feel like a medical emergency.

Anxiety and GAD in the DSM-5

According to the DSM-5 (the diagnostic manual therapists use), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is defined as excessive worry occurring more days than not for at least 6 months, difficult to control, and accompanied by symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbances.

Left unchecked, GAD can lead to panic attacks and other overwhelming experiences-making it hard to separate what’s physical from what’s mental.

The CBT Loop

Here’s how it often works:

1. A physical sensation (like a racing heart) shows up.

2. The brain jumps in with a thought: “Something’s wrong. Am I dying?”

3. That thought makes the anxiety worse.

4. The body reacts again (faster heart rate, more dizziness).

And the cycle continues. This is what we call a CBT loop-thoughts fueling feelings, leading to physical reactions or behaviors, fueling more thoughts.

The best way out? Learning to support and regulate the nervous system-even though in the moment, that’s the last thing your body feels like doing.

5 Tips to Calm Somatic Anxiety Symptoms

Here are five ways you can begin calming your body when anxiety shows up physically:

1. Grounding Breaths – Slow, deep breaths signal safety to your nervous system. Try inhaling for 4 counts, exhaling for 6.

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation – Gently tense and release different muscle groups, reminding your body to let go of tension.

3. Temperature Change – Splash cool water on your face or hold an ice cube. Sudden temperature shifts can reset your system.

4. Gentle Movement – Walk slowly, stretch, or shake out your arms to release adrenaline.

5. Speak Safety – Remind yourself: “This is anxiety, not danger. My body is safe.”

God’s Design for Our Bodies

It’s easy to dismiss all of this as “just stress.” But in therapy, we take it seriously. We slow down enough to notice what your body is really saying, and then work together to regulate your nervous system so we can begin addressing the deeper causes of anxiety.

Remember-God designed your body. Caring for your body through rest, hydration, nutrition, movement, and stillness isn’t weakness-it’s wisdom. It’s a way of honoring the temple He entrusted to you.

You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone

If anxiety has you stuck in a cycle of scary physical symptoms, please know you’re not alone and you’re not broken. With support, you can learn to regulate your body’s alarm system, address the thoughts behind the symptoms, and find peace again.

If you’re ready to start the journey of healing from the inside out-body, mind, and spirit-let’s talk.

👉 Schedule a free consultation today.