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ExplainerTraumaMental health1 minute read
Trauma and your body
Headaches, tight shoulders, stomach trouble. How stress can live in the body.
Trauma is not only in your head. Many people notice it in their body first.
Common physical signs
- Tension in the jaw, neck and shoulders
- Headaches
- Stomach problems
- Feeling tired all the time
- Getting ill more often
- Pain that doctors cannot fully explain
When your body stays on alert for a long time, it uses a lot of energy and keeps muscles ready to act. That wears you down.
What helps
- Regular movement, especially walking, swimming or stretching
- Noticing where you hold tension and deliberately letting it go
- Warm baths, massage, or anything that helps the body soften
- Eating regularly, even when you are not hungry
- Seeing a doctor to rule out other causes
Your body has been working hard to protect you. Some of the work now is showing it that it can rest.
