Stressed? Your Body Might Be Holding the Answer

How many times have you heard that physical exercise helps to battle stress?

I’ve heard it a lot - but it never convinced me to go to the gym. I’ve always lived in my head and felt disconnected from my body. Only in recent years, after learning how stress really works and how much the body is involved, did I start pushing myself to do something about it.

If you’re like me and struggle with everything physical, this article is for you.

When we think of stress, we often associate it with the mind - racing thoughts, worry, or mental overload. But in reality, the body plays an even bigger role in processing stress. Understanding how our body responds to stress, and how we can support it, can help us feel calmer, more balanced, and more in control.

The Body: A Bigger Container for Stress than the Brain

While the brain may notice and interpret threats, it’s the body that carries the load of stress. Our muscles tense, our heart races, and our stomach churns. These are all physical signs that our body is reacting to a perceived danger. In fact, the body holds onto stress long after the threat has passed - through hormones like cortisol and adrenaline - and unless we give it a way to release that stress, it stays with us.

Think of the body as a container that holds the physiological effects of stress. If we rely only on the brain (e.g., trying to think our way out of anxiety), we may ignore what the body is holding. This is why physical practices - like breathwork, movement, and grounding - are so powerful. They tap into the body’s ability to process stress directly.

Living with Predators: The Roots of Stress in Ancient Humans

To understand the body’s stress response, it helps to look back in time. Early humans lived in constant awareness of real threats - predators, hunger, injury. Survival depended on the ability to quickly detect danger and react. Our nervous system evolved to prioritize survival above all else.

This ancient wiring hasn’t changed much, even though most of us no longer face life-or-death situations daily. Instead, our modern stressors - deadlines, conflicts, financial worries - trigger the same survival mechanisms that a lurking lion might have thousands of years ago.

The Fight-or-Flight Response: What’s Happening in the Body

When the brain perceives a threat, it sends a signal to the hypothalamus, which activates the autonomic nervous system. This triggers the release of stress hormones - mainly adrenaline and cortisol - from the adrenal glands.

Here’s what happens in the body:

• Heart rate increases to pump more blood to muscles.

• Breathing becomes rapid and shallow to take in more oxygen.

• Digestion slows - because who needs to process lunch when running from danger?

• Muscles tense to prepare for action.

• Pupils dilate, sharpening vision for spotting threats.

This fight-or-flight response is incredibly effective for short-term danger.

These days, we’re not surrounded by predators anymore. But our bodies have been wired for millions of years to stay alert. Our ancestors could take action - fighting or running. But we can’t exactly run from a tense meeting or fight with a colleague. If we suppress the response and do nothing, those stress hormones stay in the body - leading over time to chronic stress, anxiety, or even depression.

Helping the Body Process Stress Hormones

The good news? We can teach the body to release built-up stress, just as animals in the wild naturally do. They shake, run, or breathe deeply after a stressful encounter. I've been doing these exercises myself and taught my clients to do so. Here’s how we can do something similar:

1. Breathing Exercises

Slow, intentional breathing helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system - the "rest and digest" system that counters stress.

Box breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4.

Extended exhale: Inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 6–8 seconds. The longer exhale helps calm the nervous system.

2. Physical Exercise

Movement is one of the most effective ways to metabolize stress hormones.

Cardio: Running, cycling, swimming - these mimic the ancient "escape" response.

Yoga or stretching: Gently releases muscle tension and calms the mind.

Shaking or dancing: It may seem odd, but it’s a natural way to discharge nervous energy.

3. Body Awareness and Grounding

Sometimes just tuning into the body helps it feel safe again.

Body scans: Bring awareness to different parts of the body without judgment.

Grounding techniques: Place your feet flat on the floor, feel the support beneath you, or hold a warm object like a cup of tea.

Conclusion

Stress may start in the brain, but it’s held in the body. The more we understand this, the more we can work with our biology - not against it. By breathing deeply, moving regularly, and paying attention to our physical state, we give the body a chance to complete the stress cycle and return to a state of balance.