How To Navigate Loss Of Appetite, Insomnia, And Other Physical Symptoms Of Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are some of the most common mental health conditions in the U.S. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 31.1% of U.S. adults experience any anxiety disorder at some time in their lives. 

While anxiety disorders are generally viewed as mental health conditions, their signs and symptoms can also affect your physical health. The Anxiety & Depression Association of America notes that many people with anxiety disorders also have co-occuring diagnoses or physical illnesses.

If you’ve been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and seeking relief from your physical symptoms, you deserve thoughtful, compassionate treatment to help you surpass these challenges. Today, we’ll explore the common physical effects of anxiety, as well as therapeutic strategies to restore and maintain your overall health. 

What is anxiety?

Before delving into the physical effects of anxiety, it’s helpful to clarify how psychologists define anxiety. As a general term, anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of apprehension, tension, and worried thoughts, as well as physical changes like increased blood pressure. 

From time to time, most of us experience anxiety in response to short-lived stressful events, like a high-stakes presentation or a final exam. When a person experiences persistent and recurring intrusive thoughts, however, they may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, like generalized anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders come in many forms, including: 

• Generalized anxiety disorder, Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder that causes continual and excessive worry about various things.
• Panic disorder, A panic disorder is characterized by frequent, seemingly spontaneous panic attacks, coupled with a fear of having panic attacks in the future.
• Specific phobias - These are strong, irrational fear reactions to certain places, situations, or objects.
• Social anxiety disorder, Social anxiety disorder is defined by intense anxiety of being judged or rejected in social situations or performance-related situations. – 

Other types of anxiety disorders include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and any of these disorders may be exacerbated by generalized stress and other illnesses or mental health disorders. Before beginning to treat any symptoms, it’s best to meet with a doctor and confirm your diagnosis and determine the ideal treatment. 

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

What are the physical symptoms of anxiety?

While the various types of anxiety disorders have different impacts on daily life, many of their symptoms overlap, and all are defined by an underlying state of anxiety. 

Some of the most commonly reported physical symptoms of anxiety include: 

• Insomnia
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness and lightheadedness
• Increased heart rate and chest pain
• Sweating
• Feeling weak
• Headaches
• Nausea and loss of appetite
• Difficulty concentrating

However, you may experience only some of these physical symptoms or primarily notice the emotional side of anxiety, characterized by recurring, intrusive thoughts or concerns. 

Managing the physical effects of anxiety: Loss of appetite, nausea, and more

Regardless of how anxiety takes form in your mind and body, you deserve compassionate and thorough treatment for all of your symptoms. 

We’ll explore potential treatments and techniques to manage some of the physical signs of anxiety, followed by the benefits of therapy for those seeking to overcome these symptoms. 

1. Loss of appetite and nausea

When you’re anxious, an upset stomach – and subsequent aversion to food – is one of the most common responses. 

Research suggests that a loss of appetite is more common among people with anxiety, given the effects of anxiety on activity in the sympathetic nervous system. When anxiety sends your body into “fight or flight” mode, anything irrelevant to your immediate survival – like your next snack or a grumbling stomach, for instance – is pushed to the periphery of your focus. 

The result? You may forget or delay regular meals, which can affect your energy levels, immune system functioning, and other bodily functions in both the short and long term.

What to do: 

For many people with anxiety, the most immediate solution to poor appetite is creating a food schedule. Even if you’re struggling to notice your hunger cues, you can check off your nutritional needs by adhering to a daily routine of healthy meals and snacks. 

If loss of appetite is paired with nausea or a general aversion to food, focus on meals that are easy to eat, like smoothies and other “drinkable”, nutritionally dense options. 

For an added boost, pair a healthy food schedule with regular exercise, which can reduce your overall anxiety while stimulating your appetite. 

2. Insomnia

Insomnia is a common symptom of anxiety and other mental health conditions. Characterized by persistent, severe sleep disturbances, insomnia can hinder your ability to function in daily life and eventually lead to other health challenges.

You may spend the late-night hours ruminating about concerns in bed, or even develop anxiety about the act of falling asleep itself. This form of anticipatory anxiety can complicate your bedtime routine and ability to achieve regular, restorative sleep.

What to do: 

If you’re simultaneously living with anxiety and insomnia, there are several steps you can take to lessen your nocturnal worries and catch more z’s. Typically, you can take the first step by assessing your sleep hygiene, which describes the comfort and cleanliness of your sleeping space, your consumption of caffeine and alcohol, and other factors that affect sleep quality. 

With a solid foundation of sleep hygiene, other techniques for managing sleep anxiety include:

• Getting regular exercise, which has been shown to promote better sleep through the release of endorphins.
• Developing a yoga or mindfulness practice to manage anxiety throughout the day.
• Using other relaxation techniques like deep breathing exercises before bed to calm your mind and reduce stress.

3. Shortness of breath

Shortness of breath is one of the most common symptoms of anxiety – but even so, it’s not always easy to manage. If you’re regularly struggling to catch your breath, you may find it difficult to engage in moderate exercise, hold conversations with colleagues, or maintain your sense of calm in other everyday situations.

While breathlessness is rarely pleasant and can even be scary, you can generally overcome this feeling with patience, practice, and the quiet power of deep breathing exercises.

What to do: 

Depending on your needs, you can work with your doctor and potentially a therapist to develop a toolkit of deep breathing exercises. Some popular strategies include:

• Pursed lip breathing, which involves slowly inhaling through your nose and then exhaling through your mouth while puckering your lips.
• Assorted deep breathing exercises like abdominal breathing, “countdown to calm,” and body scans.
• Mindfulness meditation and yoga, which emphasize the connection between your thoughts, anxiety, and physical sensations in your body.

Easing the physical symptoms of anxiety with therapy

Whether you’re living with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or another anxiety type, depending on the severity of your anxiety symptoms, you may choose to consult a licensed mental health professional for further support. Coupled with advice from a medical doctor, therapy can help you understand the emotional side of your symptoms and develop personalized coping strategies.

While some people prefer traditional, in-person therapy to talk through their anxiety, a growing number of individuals and couples use online therapy to work toward their relationship and mental health goals. Using an online platform like Regain, you can connect with a board-certified therapist within a few days of completing a short questionnaire. All Regain therapists have at least three years of professional experience, and many guide their clients through the challenges of anxiety, physical health conditions, and relationship concerns.

Several studies show that online therapy can be just as effective as face-to-face therapy, including a 2021 study of a six-week-long, therapist-guided online treatment compared to a self-help, email-delivered therapy program. Both programs utilized cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy techniques and were designed to treat anxiety and depression, and the researchers noted significant improvements in patients’ symptoms after completing the programs. While both interventions were effective, the therapist-guided online therapy resulted in larger reductions of anxiety and depression, demonstrating that online psychotherapy can be efficient and accessible for a wide range of people. 

Takeaway

Although the physical symptoms of anxiety can be overwhelming, therapists and doctors have a strong understanding of how to treat and manage these symptoms. If you’ve noticed a significant and prolonged shift in your appetite, insomnia, shortness of breath, headaches, or other bodily changes, the first step is to contact your doctor for medical advice.

Outside the doctor’s office, a therapist can help you create a plan to manage both the physical and emotional side effects of anxiety and offer treatment like cognitive behavioral therapy. With a customized blend of coping skills and self-care strategies, you can combat the physical effects of anxiety and uncover your best self: physically, mentally, and in your most important relationships.