Last year I was getting sick nearly every month. I’d feel it start in my throat or my nose — a wave of congestion, heat, inflammation. I was just constantly exhausted for no reason. A locked jaw. Tight shoulders. Tension in my throat. I just never felt at peace and free.
I thought my immune system was weak or I just kept getting sick from others, but now I understand: My body wasn’t malfunctioning. My body was overwhelmed.
When your body thinks you’re in danger — even if the “danger” is a toxic relationship, unprocessed emotions, perfectionism, or just trying to keep it all together.
Chronic stress literally suppresses the immune system and keeps the body in a loop of low-grade inflammation. That’s why symptoms like congestion, fatigue, neck tension, sore throats, and breakouts are so common.
Internal stress can literally cause physical pain and sickness.
The Science: Stress Makes the Body Sick
Chronic stress triggers a sympathetic nervous system response — fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. In this state, your body shuts down everything that isn’t “essential” for immediate survival. Including:
- Your immune system
- Your digestion
- Your hormone regulation
- Your ability to detox
- Your pain tolerance
When this state lasts long enough, you start to experience:
- Inflammation
- Chronic colds or congestion
- Hormonal imbalances
- Skin flare-ups
- Digestive issues
- Physical pain (especially neck, back, jaw, chest, hips)
It’s unprocessed survival energy.
And your body is doing its best to hold it all together.
“But I’m Not That Stressed…”
Most people don’t think they’re stressed—because they are used to it. You might just be one of them, and that’s okay, I was too.
When you’ve grown up in survival mode, your body NORMALIZES constant tension.
Fearing the worse becomes expected.
Holding your breath becomes unconscious.
Bracing your body becomes a habit.
And eventually, you don’t even notice — until your body speaks louder.
How to Heal: Nervous System Regulation + Somatics
What helped me stop getting sick and start feeling safe in my own skin wasn’t another supplement or a hit workout. It was finally learning how to regulate my nervous system and release what I was holding.
This included things like:
- Somatic movement: shaking, stretching, unwinding tension
- Crying: fully and unapologetically
- Screaming: in the car, into pillows, or even singing to songs
- Breathwork: calms nervous system, brings attention to breath + present moment
- EFT tapping: let go of old emotions/beliefs
- Vocalize Fears: releasing that negativity energy by saying them aloud
- Journaling: getting those endless fearful thoughts out of the mind, and onto the page
- Self Love and Compassion: acceptance and love towards yourself, no negative self talk
- Body Scan: talking to your body, remind it that your safe
- More nervous system regulation techniques
Your body doesn’t need to be “fixed.” It needs to feel release.
