Where Stress Hides in Your Body

Therapists notice the same pattern every day: people carry stress in specific parts of the body, often without realising it.

The usual hiding places

• Neck and shoulders: the most common. Shoulders lift towards the ears when we are anxious or concentrating.
• Jaw: clenching during the day or grinding at night.
• Forehead and temples: frowning at screens, leading to tension headaches.
• Upper back: between the shoulder blades, from hunching over laptops and phones.
• Lower back: from long hours of sitting and driving.
• Stomach: a tight belly and shallow breathing.
• Hands: clenched fists, tight forearms from typing and scrolling.

A two-minute body scan

Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Move your attention slowly from your forehead down to your feet. At each area ask, "Is this tight?" Then breathe out and let it soften. Doing this twice a day builds awareness.

Release techniques at home

• Drop your shoulders every time you check your phone
• Rest the tip of your tongue behind your top teeth with lips closed to relax the jaw
• Roll a tennis ball under your feet or against the wall behind your upper back

When to get professional help

If the same area stays tight week after week, it often needs more than stretching. Tell your therapist where your stress hides and they will spend more time there. Try a Balinese massage or deep tissue massage.