A lot of people today are not aware or do not realize that anxiety has some physical symptoms so it’s important that we recognize the signs. If you experience physical symptoms, you may have anxiety issues and it’s important that you seek treatment from health professionals to prevent further effects on your health. When an individual struggles with anxiety, it’s hard to function or move forward resulting in being unproductive on a day-to-day basis.

Understanding the effects of anxiety to your body can give options to treat them or how you will address potential medical conditions. Below are some signs of anxiety and how you can spot them.

Common Symptoms Of Anxiety

Headache: It is a very common experience for people with anxiety to have headaches especially if you are in a situation that is causing you severe anxiety as a result of stress going on through your body.

Nausea: You may feel nauseous after eating or when you are in a situation that can make you nervous. Avoid spicy or acidic food and beverages. The stress can cause a buildup of acid in your stomach and will create digestive issues.

Frequent Urination Or Diarrhea: Some people may experience frequent urination or diarrhea when they experience anxiety. It is our body's reaction to stress due to anxiety.

Rapid Heartbeat: During an anxiety attack, you may feel that your heart is pounding in your chest. An increase of heart rate frequently for a long period of time may increase your risk for heart disease and heart conditions over time such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

Insomnia: Trouble having a good sleep due to the mind that focused on things that happened throughout the day or what might happen tomorrow. The higher the anxiety, the more you will have trouble sleeping

Lesser-Known Symptoms

Fatigue
Perfectionism
Being Indecisive
Avoidance
Cold Hands and Feet

Hidden signs of anxiety

Increasing difficulty in school or work
Making excuses for avoiding social gatherings
Zoning out
Hypervigilance (looking around, watching your back)
Hair loss
Hair pulling (trichotillomania)
Skin picking (Excoriation disorder)
Feeling a tightness in your throat

Food to Avoid that Can Trigger Anxiety

Alcohol: Drinking alcoholic beverages could mess up your sleep which can raise anxiety due to lack of enough rest.
Fruit Juice, Soda, or Diet Soda: High sugar intake can cause some health conditions like obesity and high blood pressure and also be linked to depression and mood swings.
Coffee: Excessive caffeine can trigger palpitations, shaking, and insomnia.
Bread Toast: White bread are made with processed flour that will turn to blood sugar after eating.
Dairy: It is known to contain important nutrients but also causes digestive issues like bloating, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, and leaky gut. Study shows that it triggers inflammation in the brain.
Gluten: This has been a suspect in most health issues, causing digestive distress, headache, and skin problems. It also affects the gut and the brain.
Processed Foods: It contains a lot of salt that can raise blood pressure and can increase workload to the heart.

Ask for Help

If you think you regularly experience the symptoms of anxiety listed above, it’s important to receive support and utilize tools and resources that can help reduce anxiety. A few tools that I find helpful: