How Anxiety Impacts Your Physical Health

Anxiety is a normal response, and everyone feels anxious sometimes. But when you’re anxious all or most of the time, or even frequently, you may have chronic anxiety. Eventually, untreated chronic anxiety affects your physical health, although you may not realize it. 

At Moving Forward Washington, Dr. Nehemiah Zarate-Rourke, DNP, and his staff help people recognize when they’re experiencing anxiety more often than normal, as well as when it may be having a physical impact. “Anxiety” is a broad term that encompasses numerous different anxiety disorders, but treatment is available. We can provide support and suggest a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. 

More than 30% of adults in the United States will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Many aren’t aware of the physical effects of anxiety. Here’s what you need to know. 

Physical symptoms of anxiety

You’ve probably had “butterflies” from anxiety, or maybe you’ve felt the discomfort of sweaty palms. Some other, less well-known physical symptoms of anxiety include: 

• Upset stomach
• Headache
• Pounding heart
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Low libido
• Feeling very tired, even after sleeping

Along with those physical sensations, you may become depressed, feel as if you can’t stop worrying, or be irritable. 

Effects over time

External symptoms like sweaty palms tend to be short-lived, but the effects of chronic anxiety on your body can have a serious impact on your physical health. Some examples include: 

Breathing problems

Shortness of breath is a common symptom of anxiety, and not surprisingly, repeated or ongoing episodes of anxiety can lead to a higher risk of developing asthma. In one study, researchers discovered that people who had an anxiety disorder were six times more likely to develop asthma. 

Cardiovascular issues

It’s not unusual for a person experiencing an anxiety attack to think they’re having a heart attack — you may feel breathless or have a rapid heart beat. Even though it’s unlikely that anxiety will induce a heart attack in the moment, it’s possible for chronic anxiety to affect your heart health. 

Anxiety makes your heart pump faster to increase your blood flow. This is a normal physical response to a threat — but if you have chronic anxiety, the “threat” doesn’t go away, so your body doesn’t return to a normal level of functioning. Over time, your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke is higher. 

Hypertension

High blood pressure is another long-term effect of chronic anxiety, similar to the reasons your risk for cardiovascular problems is higher. An anxious episode causes your blood pressure to spike, and in a normal fight-or-flight situation, it returns to a usual level once the perceived threat goes away. With chronic anxiety, the threat remains. 

Hypertension is dangerous because it can damage your heart, brain, and kidneys over time. 

Issues with digestion

Butterflies and bellyaches are common symptoms of anxiety, and over time, you can develop more serious stomach issues. For example, having an anxiety disorder puts you at a much higher risk of developing an ulcer. Anxiety is also associated with a higher risk of irritable bowel syndrome. 

Insomnia

If you have anxiety, you may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. It can lead to an unpleasant spiral where you struggle to fall asleep and then feel anxious about not being able to go to sleep, so falling asleep becomes even more difficult. 

Get help

Anxiety can make life hard, but you can get support and direction to help you make positive changes. Dr. Zarate-Rourke has the experience and knowledge to help you find a path forward to a less anxious life. Schedule your appointment today to get started.