How Chronic Stress Shows Up in the Body (And What Actually Helps)
- Eleri Morris
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
You don’t always feel stressed.
Some of the people I see wouldn’t describe their lives as particularly overwhelming, yet their bodies tell a different story.
Persistent shoulder tension that never fully settles. A jaw that’s always clenched. Sleep that doesn’t leave you feeling rested. Pain that eases for a short while, then quietly returns.
These are patterns often associated with ongoing stress - not as a mental state to analyse, but as something the body holds onto over time.
Stress isn’t just a mental or emotional matter; it’s something the body responds to
Stress is often talked about as a mental or emotional state. In reality, many of the effects people notice are physical responses in the body, rather than a mindset issue.
When the body is under ongoing demand or pressure (emotional or physical), it can shift into a protective state that is often described as fight or flight.
In this state:
muscles stay contracted and tense
breathing becomes shallow
digestion is deprioritised
rest becomes lighter and less restorative
Over time, if the body doesn’t get enough opportunity to properly settle, this protective state can begin to feel like the default.
And being told to “just relax” rarely helps. Tension isn’t a conscious choice; it’s often the body responding to ongoing demands.
Where chronic stress commonly shows up in the body
Neck and shoulders
These areas are often where people first notice tension building when they feel under pressure. Chronic stress often creates a sense of holding things up emotionally and physically which can lead to ongoing tightness, reduced movement, and recurring discomfort.
Jaw and face
Jaw clenching and facial tension are common for people under prolonged stress. It’s often an unconscious action, happening during the day or overnight and can contribute to headaches, neck pain or a feeling of pressure around the head.
Digestion
Ongoing stress can influence how the gut feels and functions for many people. When the body is in a protective state, digestion often becomes secondary. This can show up as bloating, discomfort or a general sense of tightness through the abdomen.
Sleep
Many people feel exhausted yet struggle to switch off. Sleep may be light, broken, or unrefreshing, often experienced when the body hasn’t fully shifted into rest.
Repeating pain patterns
One of the most common frustrations I hear is: “Why does the same pain keep coming back?” When stress is ongoing, muscles can return to familiar holding patterns, even after hands-on work has helped them soften temporarily.
Why relief doesn’t always last
Massage can be incredibly helpful… but it doesn’t exist in isolation.
If the body remains on high alert, muscles may relax during a session but re-tighten soon after. This doesn’t mean the treatment hasn’t worked; it means the body hasn’t yet learned that it’s safe to let go for longer.
Factors that influence longer-term change include:
how stressed or overloaded the nervous system is overall
daily habits and postures
workload and recovery time
spacing and consistency between sessions
This is why a one-off treatment often feels good, but a thoughtful approach over time tends to create more lasting change.
What actually helps chronic stress in the body
Supporting the body when stress has been ongoing is less about forcing muscles to relax, and more about allowing the body to feel safe enough to soften.
What can feel supportive:
hands-on work that is responsive, not routine
pressure that feels supportive rather than overwhelming
time for the body to settle at the start of a session
consistent, well-timed treatments rather than sporadic appointments
At Renew Therapies, every session begins with a consultation so the treatment can be adapted to how your body is responding on that day. This allows the work to respond to both muscular tension and how settled the body feels overall (which are often connected).
Is this something you recognise?
If you live with ongoing tension, recurring pain, poor sleep, or a sense that your body never fully switches off, stress may be playing a bigger role than you realise.
Massage can be a supportive part of helping the body move out of constant protection and into a state where it can rest and respond more easily.
If you’re unsure what would be most helpful, you’re very welcome to get in touch to talk it through before booking.
Comments