Stress: Where I Feel It in My Body

Stress: Where I Feel It in My Body

What to do:
Stress does not only happen in our thoughts. The body can respond to stress before we consciously recognise that something is difficult.

Use this worksheet to explore where stress shows up physically for you. Think about your breathing, jaw, shoulders, stomach, chest, head, muscles, posture, sleep and energy.

You may notice that certain situations create stronger responses than others. These might include conflict, uncertainty, deadlines, sensory overload, social situations, unexpected changes or feeling that too much is expected of you.

Try to identify your earliest physical signs rather than only thinking about what happens when stress becomes intense.

Then consider what helps your body settle afterwards. This could be movement, quiet, breathing space, sensory comfort, talking to somebody, reducing demands or simply allowing yourself time to recover.

The purpose is not to remove every stress response. It is to become more familiar with your body's early warning signs so you can respond sooner.

‍