Honestly folks, we’ve all got stuff going on. Life can get stressful as heck, and even sometimes when good things are happening your body may not wanna cooperate and just NOPE itself right outta there. That’s when things like mild anxiety can kick in (thanks universe).
Mild anxiety is a tricky little feeling that might make you feel restless, irritable and make it hard for you to stop worrying. It’s common and will happen to a lot of people over the course of their lives – whether that’s by making it harder to get to sleep, tensing you up and giving you muscle pain or just plain having difficulty concentrating.
And look, at this point we’ve all been there. Whether you’re going through a rough time at work, you’re stuck in an awkward social situation or you’re just stressed out with life’s general little bothers, periods of mild anxiety can be hard to avoid. They aren’t super intense and usually pass relatively quickly, but they can be FRUSTRATING.
Not sure if you’ve ever experienced it before? Here are a few little annoying ways it might rear its ugly lil’ head physically.
1. Nervous tension
Without even realising it, there’s probably a reasonable chance that while you’re reading this, right this second, your shoulders are pretty tense. Now that you’re conscious of it, have a lil’ think about why that might be. If it’s because of mild anxiety, your neck and shoulders will cop it the worst, but you might find that your whole body is wound up tighter than a corset (and might even have a similar dodgy effect on your posture tbh).
2. Irritability
Okay grumps, this is definitely one to watch out for. It’s understandable that mild anxiety may get you feeling pretty grumpy – especially when you might be dealing with all the other symptoms on this list. When you keep worrying about something and that worry refuses to leave your brain, it can get you pretty frustrated. All you want is for it to go away and that has an effect on your mood.
3. Lack of concentration
If you’re in the middle of a hectic day and things are starting to make you feel a little overwhelmed, paying attention and staying on task can seem like mammoth asks. Your concentration zips right out the window and you’ll most likely be stuck circling those worries around your head instead of being able to focus on the stuff you actually have to do.
4. Muscle pain
We’ve discussed nervous tension, but on a whole other level you may also experience muscle pain on top of that. Whether that manifests in slight cramps or just flat out soreness, it’ll depend on your body. But keep an eye out so you can get an idea of what muscle soreness is just day-to-day strain (it’s all part of getting older, folks) and what is a result of mild anxiety.
5. Weird sleep patterns
Are you finding yourself suddenly staying up waaaay later than normal because your brain just won’t stop worrying? Then finding yourself yawning like you could fit your entire office into your gob while you sit at your desk, trying not to doze after a dodgy night’s sleep? Mild anxiety can definitely keep you lying awake in bed, sending your sleep patterns way out of whack.
So next time you find yourself feeling like this, have a think about your circumstances and try to figure out whether or not you might be dealing with mild anxiety. Being conscious of it is the easiest way to keep chill and make sure you get enough sleep.
