When the season starts to shift from Summer to Fall, it always brings back memories of my health anxiety two years ago. This was well before I had ever learned about somatic work, or how anxiety doesn’t just live in our thoughts - it shows up in our bodies, too.

Maybe your stomach twists, your chest tightens, or you suddenly feel off-balance for no clear reason.
If you’ve ever said, “I feel sick when I’m anxious,” - this is actually quite common and YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Your body is simply trying to protect you.

Why Anxiety Feels Physical

When your nervous system senses threat - even emotional stress - it can activate the same responses it would during real danger. This was an evolutionary mechanism to keep us safe, even though now our dangers are different than it was ions ago.
You’ll notice - your heart races, digestion slows, muscles tense, and your stomach might churn.
It’s your body’s way of saying, “Something feels off - please pay attention.”

When experiencing these sensations - the goal isn’t to make those sensations disappear, but to help your body feel safe again (which doesn’t necessarily mean sensation-free or symptom free).
That’s where somatic (body-based) support can make a BIG DIFFERENCE (and something I wish I had learned way earlier in life).

3 Gentle Ways to Calm Your Body When Anxiety Feels Physical

1. Ground Into the Present Moment (Using Your Senses)

When your body feels unsettled for any reason, anchoring in your senses brings you back to now.
Try this:

Name 5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste or imagine tasting

This exercise gently signals to your body: “We’re safe right now.”

2. Soften Tension Through Gentle Movement

Anxiety often creates hidden muscular tension - in your jaw, stomach, or shoulders.
Try slow, deliberate movement:

Roll your shoulders back
Unclench your jaw
Place one hand on your heart, one on your stomach, and take a soft breath
Movement tells your body that energy can move through instead of staying stuck.

3. Create a ‘Soothing Plan’ for Hard Moments

Having a simple plan helps you feel less powerless when anxiety strikes.
Write down:

3 grounding activities that help (like stepping outside, breathing, or stretching)
2 calming reminders (like “This will pass” or “I’m safe to feel this”)
1 supportive person or practice to reach for

This small act of preparation tells your nervous system, “We have what we need.”

If You’d Like Extra Support…

If your anxiety often feels physical - like nausea, tension, or shakiness - you don’t have to navigate that alone. I know how scary these sensations can feel (especially at night, when everyone else is asleep) but I want you to know - YOU CAN HANDLE THIS.

The Feel It, Don’t Fear It Kit was created as a gentle, guided resource for moments JUST LIKE THIS.
It includes printable tools, audio support, and somatic practices to help you feel grounded, steady, and safe in your body again, thus allowing your mind to calm down as well. I used this kit during my international travels and it helped immensely.

✨ Explore the kit → [Feel It, Don’t Fear It Kit]

Also: going through health anxiety and this experience is what led me to learn more about somatic work through IWA. I received my Integrative Somatic Practitioner Certification through them, and now have the tools to bring my body and mind back into balance when life happens. If you’re curious about deepening your healing journey, I highly recommend enrolling in the IWA program as well. You can use my code LISA for $50 off your enrollment.

Final Thought

Your body isn’t the enemy. I thought this for such a long time.
It’s simply communicating what it needs - safety, gentleness, and presence.
When you learn to listen instead of fight it, calm and safety becomes possible again. And over time, you build resilience and these moments don’t rattle you as much.

DISCLAIMER: This is not medical advice. If you are experiencing symptoms or sensations that you are truly concerned about, I highly recommend you to visit your primary care doctor to rule out anything serious. When I had uncomfortable physical sensations years ago and thought something was wrong with me, I went to multiple doctors, and nothing showed up. That was when I knew that my symptoms and sensations were tied to my dysregulated nervous system/health anxiety.