Why Is Anxiety Body Symptoms So Effective In COVID-19?
Anxiety Body Symptoms
Everyone feels anxious sometimes, especially when facing an anxiety or fear. Constant anxiety can lead to a cascade of physical symptoms.
Fright or stress triggers the fight-or-flight response, which causes your heart rate and breathing to speed up. Fuel and blood flow through the muscles in case you have to flee from danger.
Tingling
If you sense danger your nervous system triggers an arousal of anxiety. It releases hormones and chemicals such as adrenaline to improve blood circulation, increase oxygen levels and enable you to respond faster and more effectively. This is the body's natural response to situations that could end your life. It's designed to protect you. However many of us are anxious about things that do not actually pose a threat or even have a positive impact. The constant rise in stress hormones, as well as other physical symptoms linked to anxiety can be physically and mentally draining.
The most frequent indication of anxiety is a tingling in your body. It can be felt in your legs, arms, chest, or feet. It could also extend up to your head and cause headaches. It can also occur when you lie, sit or stand in the same position for a prolonged period of time. It could be caused by nutritional deficiencies or nerve damage. It can also be caused by compression such as a compressed spine cord or pinched nervous system.
The sweating can also be an indication of anxiety. Your body is working hard to pump more water into your sweat glands when you're worried or on edge according to NIMH. It can also cause you to feel cold in your hands and feet because the body pulls blood away from these areas to protect the organs that are most important to it.
Persistent feelings of tiredness and exhaustion are frequently associated with anxiety. You could be experiencing anxiety due to the constant fight-or flight response or due to difficulty sleeping. A physician or mental health professional can give you tips for a better sleep including staying away from caffeine and alcohol at night and implementing good habits.
Weakness
The body's fight or flight response could kick in when you feel fear or anxiety. That's when your brain signals the sympathetic nervous system to release hormones, such as adrenaline, which increases your heart rate and enables blood to flow faster to your large muscles so that you can run away or fend off a threat. In the long run however, this constant state of heightened stress and worry can cause your body to feel weak, especially as it wears down your muscles.
Tight muscles can be painful and can lead to a variety of physical ailments, such as headaches, aches and pains. For instance, when you're stressed or nervous your body starts to tense up when you're stressed, and if it happens over and over again it can cause tension headaches. Migraines can also be caused by tight shoulders and neck muscles.
If you experience stomach pain it could be a sign of anxiety too. The digestive system of your body is directly linked to your emotions, and those who experience anxiety are more likely to suffer from digestive issues such as constipation, stomachaches and diarrhea.
Weakness is also a symptom of anxiety, since it can affect the immune system and make you more prone to infection. A prolonged period of high levels stress hormones, similar to the ones experienced by people suffering from anxiety, can reduce the immune system's capacity to battle germs.
The first step to identifying and managing symptoms of anxiety is to stop and examine your situation, says Dr. Barsky. If you are able to discern that your physical symptoms are a result of a state of constant anxiety and stress, then you can take steps to end the cycle. "Distract yourself," says the expert, adding that even something as simple as watering plants or putting a jigsaw together can be helpful.
Lightheadedness
Anxiety can cause you feel dizzy, unbalanced or as if the entire world is spinning. It can be a distressing feeling and it can also prevent you from being active, out, or engaging in activities you like. Dizziness caused by anxiety is sometimes known as Vertigo, but it can also be a symptom of a disorder in the inner ear like Benign Peripheral Persistent Dizziness (BPPV).
Stress response, also known as "fight or flee" in the body, releases hormones and chemicals to prepare you for the possibility of danger. This can increase the heart rate and breathing, and also alters the amount of oxygen that is being delivered to the brain. This may cause a temporary feeling of lightheadedness. That is why it could occur before you deliver an address or in an area that is crowded. If your anxiety is chronic and you are experiencing this without a reason, then it could be an anxiety disorder.
This type of anxiety-induced dizziness can last for a whole the day or more and is referred to as Chronic Subjective Dizziness or Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD). It is recommended to consult your doctor in case you have a medical issue that triggers this.
If you don't have any health issues but feel dizzy when anxious, try to calm yourself by breathing deeply or by looking at an exact spot. This is how ballet dancers manage to ease this type of dizziness while dancing. If this doesn't work it's always a good idea to call your family or a friend to talk to them about your anxiety and how they can assist you. This will reduce your symptoms and prevent them from spiraling out of control.
Mouth dryness
Whenever your anxiety is intense you're likely to experience changes in your heart rate and breathing. As part of the fight or flight response, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which raise your heart rate to get more oxygen into your bloodstream to enable you to react to threats. If you suffer from chronic anxiety the constant release of stress hormones could have long-term health effects. For instance, it can alter your digestion in ways that affect your physical health like stomach pains, bloating and diarrhea.
Stress hormones can cause you to feel exhausted or breathless. This is often the case in stressful situations, like when you're preparing an important event or in the midst of an anxiety attack. However, it can be a sign that you're anxious often and without apparent reason.
These feelings can make you feel nauseated or sick to your stomach, and it's common for people suffering from anxiety to experience digestive issues. According to the APA people who experience these symptoms regularly should seek out a mental health professional.
The most important thing to keep in mind is anxiety can be extremely hard on your body, and you're definitely not the only one. If you're worried about how you're feeling, talk to an GP or therapist. They can help you determine if your feelings are related to a specific challenge or whether anxiety is a symptom of. They can also provide details and suggestions on how to manage anxiety. This may include recommending specific treatments or medications, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Make sure you are active and sleep enough. You can also do relaxation exercises like guided imagery or deep breathing, to help ease the symptoms.
Tension
Anxiety can make the body feel tense and uncomfortable. It can cause pain. The brain sends signals that signal other parts of the system to prepare for a fight-or-flight scenario. This can cause a knotting in the stomach muscles, and a feeling of stomachache. This is not something you should ignore because it could lead to serious digestive issues, such as irritable bowels syndrome or ulcers on the stomach lining.
Heart palpitations are another frequent sign. They are characterized by rapid and irregular heartbeats. This occurs when stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline are released into the bloodstream. These hormones boost the rate of heartbeat and also increase the amount of oxygen circulated around the body. The body doesn't need to be on constant alert, and when it is constantly in this state, it will become weak and exhausted.
Anxiety can also trigger sweating as well as cold hands and legs, and lightheadedness. They are caused by an increased blood flow to the major organs and the muscles. This is a part of the fight or flight response, which prepares the body for a dangerous situation. It is triggered by real dangers or just by thinking about them. The amygdala, an area of the brain that controls emotional responses, can also react to thoughts of fear and trigger physical sensations.
Breathing shallow and fast can also exacerbate anxiety symptoms. This is referred to as hyperventilation. It disrupts the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This can lead to dizziness and sensations of tingling in feet and hands.