How Anxiety Shows Up in the Body: 5 Signs You Might Be Missing

October brings falling leaves, crisp air, and celebrations. But sometimes, even with all the fun and festivities, something still feels... off.

If you find yourself dodging party invites, jumping at more than just spooky yard décor, or feeling tense for no clear reason, anxiety might be the ghost whispering worries you can’t shake.

Unlike Halloween specters, anxiety isn’t imaginary. It’s real—rooted in your nervous system—and your body often feels it before your mind catches on.

So, let’s talk about what anxiety really is and how it hides out in your muscles, breath, and bones.(But first, unclench your jaw like the skeleton in your neighbor’s yard.)

1. Haunted by Hormones: What Anxiety Does to the Body

Anxiety is more than just nerves or stress. It’s your body’s survival system flipping on when it thinks something’s wrong—even if there’s no real threat.

Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes:

• Your brain senses danger

• The amygdala sounds the alarm

• The hypothalamus triggers your fight-or-flight system

• Stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol flood your body

• Your heart races, muscles tighten, and breathing becomes shallow—you’re ready to fight, flee, or freeze

  
  

This is great when you’re facing actual danger. But when anxiety sticks around for too long, that system gets stuck in overdrive.

Over time, chronic stress can lead to:

• Poor sleep

• Weakened immunity

• Digestive issues

• Muscle pain and tension

• Brain fog and memory trouble

  
  

2. Where the Ghosts Linger: How Anxiety Shows Up Physically

In a study of over 700 people, researchers asked participants to mark where they felt emotions in the body. For anxiety and fear, people consistently reported:

• Chest

• Arms and shoulders

• Abdomen

  
  

Sound familiar? If your shoulders are constantly creeping toward your ears or your chest feels too tight to breathe fully, that’s anxiety talking—and you’re not imagining it.

Other common places anxiety tends to “haunt” include:

• Neck and shoulders

• Jaw (hello, clenching)

• Upper and lower back

• Hips and pelvic floor

• Rib cage and diaphragm (shallow breathing)

  
  

When these areas stay tight, they send messages to your brain that something’s still wrong—even if it isn’t. That’s how the anxiety loop continues—and why it’s so important to break it.

3. Things You Can Do to Help Yourself Calm

The good news? Your body also knows how to relax—it just needs the right support. Here are five science-backed ways to help calm your system:

Lower stress hormones

Too much cortisol keeps you stuck in high-alert mode.→ Try deep breathing, quiet time, light movement, or a massage to help bring levels down.

Boost your mood naturally

Your body makes serotonin and dopamine to regulate how you feel.→ Get outside, move your body, and connect with someone you trust. (And yes, enjoy a little Halloween candy if it brings you joy.)

Switch on your “rest and digest” system

This is the opposite of fight-or-flight. It slows your heart rate and helps you feel safe.→ Sip warm tea, try box breathing, spend time in calming spaces, or schedule a massage to help nudge your system in the right direction.

Break the tension loop

Your brain listens to your body. When your muscles stay tight, it thinks the threat hasn’t passed.→ Stretching, applying heat, moving your body, or receiving bodywork can help break that loop and bring real relief.

Reconnect with your body

Anxiety can leave you feeling detached or shut down.→ Try progressive muscle relaxation, body scans, or grounding practices like touch and breath to help you feel present again.

4. Where Massage Comes Into the Monster Mash

Massage therapy isn’t a witch’s brew or a magic cure—but it’s one of the most effective ways to:

• Calm the nervous system

• Ease physical tension from anxiety

• Help you feel safe and connected to your body again

• Improve sleep, mood, and overall emotional clarity

  
  

At IVY Integrative, I work with clients who hold anxiety in specific areas—like the neck, shoulders, jaw, back, and hips. During a session, we use intentional, therapeutic techniques that support both body and mind.

Most people walk away feeling lighter, clearer, and more connected to themselves.

5. Let the Season Be Light

If anxiety has been haunting you this fall—in your muscles, your breath, or your energy—you’re not alone. And you’re not stuck, either. You don’t need to wait until burnout hits or the tension becomes unbearable. Massage therapy is a tool. So is awareness. So is simply noticing how your body feels and giving it what it needs.

This October, don’t just decorate your house. Take care of the one you live in every day: your body.

Book a massage, take a breath, and let yourself feel safe again.

Author: Chey Nichols, LMBT

References:

1. Harvard Health: Understanding the Stress Response 

2. Mayo Clinic: Stress and Your Health 

3. Mayo Clinic Health System: Massage and Mental Health 

4. Healthline: Where Emotions Live in the Body

5. AMTA: Massage for Mental Health 

6. NIH / Frontiers in Psychology: Interoception and Mental Health

Disclaimer:

This information is generalized and intended for educational purposes only. Due to potential individual contraindications, please see your primary care provider before implementing any strategies in these posts.