Why stress affects your body

If you’ve ever ended a long day with aching shoulders, a pounding head, or a churning stomach, you’ve felt the physical weight of stress. It’s not imagined, and it’s not “all in your head”. It’s your body’s built-in survival system at work.

The good news? Just as stress affects the body, there are practical ways to reverse the damage and restore balance.

Stress begins as a biological response. When you face a challenge, whether that’s a high-stakes meeting, a looming deadline, or a sudden change, your body’s fight-or-flight system switches on. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline flood your bloodstream, your heart rate increases, and your breathing becomes faster and shallower.

In short bursts, this reaction is useful. It sharpens your focus and gives you the energy to act. But our bodies were designed for stress that comes and goes, not the kind that lingers for days, weeks, or months.

When stress becomes chronic, your nervous system never fully returns to its calm “rest and digest” state. Over time, that constant activation takes a toll on nearly every part of your body.

When you live with high stress for too long, it can start showing up in ways you might not immediately connect to your mental state.

– Your muscles may be the first to signal trouble. Tension builds in your shoulders, neck, and jaw, sometimes so gradually you don’t notice it until you feel a headache coming on.

– Your sleep can be affected, too. Racing thoughts or a restless body make it hard to drift off, and even if you do sleep, you may wake feeling unrefreshed.

– Your digestion might also take a hit. Stress can cause stomach aches, bloating, or changes in appetite, as your body diverts energy away from non-essential functions in “survival mode.”

– Your immune system might not be able to fight off coughts and colds. That’s because chronic stress can suppress your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off illness.

– Your energy might feel drained as a result of being on constant alert, which can lead to burnout; a deep, lingering exhaustion that rest alone doesn’t seem to fix.

If stress were purely mental, you could talk yourself into feeling calm. But because it’s a physical response, your body needs to be part of the solution.

Your mind and body are in constant communication. If your body is holding tension, breathing rapidly, and producing stress hormones, your brain will read that as a sign that you’re still under threat, even if you’re not.

That’s why mental willpower alone isn’t enough. To truly shift out of stress mode, you need to send your body the signal that it’s safe to relax. When your body calms down, your mind will follow.

Sophrology is a gentle, structured practice that combines breathing techniques, light movement, and guided visualisation to calm both mind and body. It was developed in the 1960s by neuropsychiatrist Alfonso Caycedo and is widely used in Europe for stress management, resilience, and wellbeing.

When it comes to reversing the effects of stress, Sophrology works on multiple levels:

• Physical release – Gentle movements help relax tight muscles and improve posture, which can relieve tension headaches and physical discomfort.
• Breath regulation – Guided breathing slows your heart rate, lowers cortisol, and supports your body’s shift back into a calm state.
• Mental clarity – Visualisation exercises redirect your focus away from stress triggers and towards feelings of ease and safety.
• Resilience building – Regular practice helps your nervous system recover more quickly after stress and makes it less reactive to future challenges.

Sophrology is a flexible practice that can easily be slotted into your daily routine. You can practice it at your desk, on a commute, or in a quiet corner of your home – no special equipment needed.

You don’t have to wait for a holiday or a major life change to feel less stressed. A few minutes of intentional practice each day can start shifting your body out of high alert and into recovery mode.

To get you started, we’ve created a free stress relief session in the BeSophro app here. In just a few minutes, you’ll be guided through breathing, gentle movement, and visualisation to help release tension and restore a sense of calm.

Try it daily for a week and notice how your body begins to respond, perhaps your sleep feels deeper, your muscles softer, or your mind clearer. Small changes, repeated consistently, can make a big difference.

No matter how long you’ve been living with stress, it’s possible to reverse much of its impact. By understanding how stress affects your body and using techniques that actively restore balance, you can break the cycle.

Sophrology offers a practical, accessible way to calm your nervous system, release physical tension, and build resilience for the future. And perhaps most importantly, it reminds you that your body and mind can work together, not just to survive stress, but to recover and thrive beyond it.