Your Body Knows When You’re Breaking—Here’s How I Learned to Hear It

Anxiety often wears the mask of overthinking, but what I didn’t realize until much later was how loudly my body had been screaming long before my brain caught on.


It started subtly tight shoulders that never relaxed, constant fatigue despite eight hours of sleep, and a fluttering stomach that felt like I was perpetually waiting for exam results. At first, I chalked it up to "being busy." But it wasn’t just stress. It was chronic, internal chaos.

According to the World Health Organization, over 301 million people globally live with an anxiety disorder (2023). Yet, we’re trained to think of it as just a “mental” issue. In reality, anxiety is a full body experience.

I learned this the hard way when I visited a doctor convinced I had a heart condition. My chest was tight, I had dizzy spells, and I was always out of breath. But the ECG was normal. So was the bloodwork. What wasn’t normal? My nervous system stuck in fight or flight mode.

Before my brain spun stories, my body raised red flags. Now, when my jaw clenches or my shoulders rise to my ears, I pause. It’s a physical alert, not just a posture problem.

I used to roll my eyes at breathwork. Now I do it like my life depends on it because sometimes, it does. Just five minutes of slow belly breathing activates the vagus nerve, shifting the body from panic to calm. Science backs this too deep breathing reduces cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone (Harvard Health Publishing, 2021).



I learned that 90% of the body’s serotonin our feel good neurotransmitter is produced in the gut. No wonder my stomach reacted first. Anxiety isn't “in your head.” It’s in your digestive tract, your skin, your heart rate.

I’m not anti-medication it saves lives. But for my case, daily walks, yoga, and stretching became my medicine. A study in Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022) found that even 20 minutes of physical activity can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety.

I used to feel guilty for resting. Now I treat naps like I do meetings scheduled, respected, and non-negotiable. Anxiety taught me that burnout isn’t a badge of honor.

I still have anxious days. But now, I treat my body like an ally, not an afterthought. Because the mind is powerful but the body is wise. And sometimes, healing begins not in overthinking, but in simply listening.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, check in with your body. It might be whispering truths your mind isn’t ready to hear yet.

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