Mind Body Healing for Anxiety

I have a vivid memory of sitting in my former therapist’s office many years ago in the same chair that I had sat in dozens of times. I was talking about something that was an ongoing extremely stressful situation when I noticed that I got very cold. I was so cold that I started shivering. I looked over at the gray cloth couch, which I never paid much attention to before and noticed a blue and gray striped wool blanket. It was the first and the last time that I asked her if I could use it; I highly preferred to stick to my space in the chair and never deviated, which is probably why something so seemingly insignificant as borrowing a blanket sticks out in my mind. As I wrapped the blanket around me and continued my session, I was still cold but the blanket seemed to help the shivering somewhat subside. My therapist didn’t comment on the sudden change in my physical comfort. Years later I learned that trembling and shaking are symptoms of such disorders as anxiety, a panic attack, or PTSD. The physical and the emotional can be extremely interconnected in healing. It’s why mind-body techniques are so valuable.

For years, that day stuck out in my mind. Intuitively, I felt that I was more than just really cold, but I didn’t have an explanation. As I’ve learned more about anxiety symptoms in recent years, I’ve started taking notice of physical cues. When I’m in the presence of someone who says he or she is feeling anxious and complains of physical symptoms such as a stomachache; begins nervously shaking his or her legs; or even starts shivering and complaining of being cold, I note that their mental state is likely manifesting into a physical outlet.

As I’ve written about before, mental health problems including stress can have physical effects on your body. Extreme stress, duress, anxiety, or a panic attack, can result in very uncomfortable physical symptoms. When the body senses danger and goes into a fight or flight mode, that protective energy is exerted in various ways. Whether the person experiences a short-term bout or is undergoing a long-term issue, the body will often react when it’s under stress.

Physical symptoms of heightened anxiety or a panic attack might include:

Nausea or stomachaches
Feeling like you can’t breathe even if your breathing is normal
Rapid breathing or rapid heart rate
Shaking or trembling
Headaches
Fatigue
Feeling like you want to take off running
Sweating

This is your body’s way of telling you, “Hey, something is going on that you need to pay attention to and I’m going to release stress hormones to protect you from danger.”

Of course, I need to say there that the aforementioned symptoms could also be the result of another health issue and that if you experience any of these you should consult with a doctor.

Mind Body Techniques to Help with Anxiety

If traditional therapy alone isn’t working, consider adding in a physical component to release the built-up chemical stress. Known as mind body techniques, these practices can help your mind and body to connect and slow down together. (Check out this grounding meditation as an example.)

1. Coherent breathing. – Also known simply as deep breathing, coherent breathing is a practice of focusing on inhaling and exhaling at a specific pace. For example, inhale for four seconds and exhale for four seconds, inhale for five seconds and exhale for five seconds, and so on and so forth. Check out this article on coherent breathing for more examples.

2. Mindful movement. – I first learned about mindful movement in a book that I purchased by Thich Nhat Hanh called, Mindful Movements Ten Exercises for Well-being. This is one of my favorite mind-body relaxation techniques because it involves matching your inhale and exhale breaths to movement. For example, while standing, inhale as you raise your arms over your head. Pause. Exhale as you lower your arms to your side. Repeat this sequence three times for four total reps. I like to imagine that as I inhale and raise my arms that I’m inviting positive, loving, peaceful energy in, and as I exhale and lower my arms that I’m releasing all negative energy and tension.

3. Yoga. – I have to admit that I’m not someone who practices yoga very often, if ever. I prefer mindful movement. However, yoga can have incredible benefits in helping to connect your mind to your body with a focus that helps you slow down, balance out, and come into a relaxed state of awareness.

“Yoga grounds you in the body. You’re moving in a slow and controlled way, focusing your eyes, and breathing in specific patterns that mirror how you would breathe in a relaxed state. People tend to focus on only the physical part of yoga, but that’s only one of eight limbs. Meditation is another aspect, following your breath and regulating it. Yoga also helps you build awareness of anxious thoughts that you may otherwise be unaware of going through your day-to-day. For example, you become more aware of when your mind wanders because if you fall out of a pose, you immediately realize that you need to refocus on the moment. It also helps you observe things that you may be feeling, which is really helpful to be aware of because once you know you’re feeling a certain way, you can make decisions to help you care for your wellbeing the rest of the day.”
– Kristen Llorca, Founder of Wild Wonder, Yoga and Meditation Specialist

4. Exercise. – Exercise is often overlooked in mind body healing techniques for anxiety. However, the benefits can be monumental. Not everyone likes to sit still. I totally get it. If solo runs, bike rides, weight training, or even walking are more your speed, consider using these exercises as opportunities for mind-body healing. The key is to focus on the mind body aspect, rather than exclusively on the training part. For example, a walking meditation where you focus on each step, being aware of your breath at a specific pace.

“Recently I’ve seen a lot of success with physical training and output that’s focused on relieving tension from the chest and shoulders, as this is a typical spot where people complain they hold tension from anxiety, i.e. feeling like a weight is on your chest, trouble breathing due to a tight chest, shrugging if shoulders due to tension etc. So lately, I’ve been recommending exercises such as push-ups, bench press, shoulder press, and floor press as ways to relieve tension from anxiety through strength training!! It provides blood flow to those areas while relieving the tension!!”
– Adrienne Capeless, MSW, CPTA, Founder of Talk Lift Heal, a training facility that combines talk therapy with personal training