1249: When Anxiety Feels Physical: Dizziness, Brain Fog, And Feeling Unsteady
The Anxiety Coaches Podcast
Gina Ryan
4.6 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 27 May 2026
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In today's episode, Gina discusses some of the more disturbing physical symptoms that anxiety can present us with. These symptoms can strike us at any time and often lead us to think there is something medically wrong with us. A range of these symptoms are explored: what causes them and what can be done to quiet them when we realize that anxiety is the cause. Listen in for great tips on how to reduce and eliminate some of anxiety's worst bodily sensations and symptoms!
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Quote:
Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.
-Christopher Germer
Chapters
0:26 Anxiety Dizziness Explained
3:25 Breathing and Carbon Dioxide
6:49 Body Tension and Triggers
8:41 Calming the Nervous System
10:06 Movement and Meditation
12:10 Healing Happens Gradually
14:08 Watch Caffeine and Stimulants
17:25 Change the Inner Script
18:36 Hope and Recovery
Summary
In this episode, we look at the dizzy, lightheaded, off-balance feeling that can happen when anxiety is high. We describe how these sensations can appear during everyday situations, how they can quickly trigger fear, and how that fear can intensify the symptoms.
We explain some possible physical causes of anxiety-related dizziness, especially changes in breathing. When we breathe faster and more shallowly, carbon dioxide levels can drop, which may lead to lightheadedness, tingling, feeling unreal, chest tightness, unsteadiness, vision changes, or brain fog.
We also discuss other contributors, including muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, jaw, and scalp, as well as blood sugar swings, dehydration, sleep deprivation, overstimulation, and caffeine or other stimulants. We note that these sensations are real, but they are often linked to a dysregulated nervous system rather than a medical emergency.
We then share practical ways to help the body feel steadier: gentle diaphragmatic breathing, movement such as walking or stretching, meditation or quiet nervous system rest, reducing overall nervous system load, and paying attention to triggers like caffeine and lack of sleep. We also emphasize using non-catastrophic self-talk during symptoms.
We close by encouraging patience and self-compassion, noting that recovery often happens gradually as the nervous system learns safety again.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the anxiety coaches podcast, a relaxing and informative show where we explore anxiety, panic, and PTSD, sharing how you can overcome them for life. |
| 0:23.1 | Aloha. |
| 0:24.2 | Welcome back to the anxiety coaches podcast. |
| 0:27.5 | I'm your host and coach, Gina Ryan, and I am so happy to be with you again today |
| 0:34.1 | as together we can consider the many ways to bring your mind and body back to its |
| 0:40.5 | natural peace and calm. In today's episode, I'm talking about something that feels incredibly |
| 0:48.1 | unsettling when your anxiety is high, and it's that dizzy, lightheaded, or off-balance kind of feeling. Maybe you've felt this |
| 0:57.7 | before. I don't know. Maybe we felt it when you were standing in the line at the grocery store, |
| 1:02.6 | or maybe you felt it while you were driving. I used to feel that way when I was driving and I was |
| 1:08.2 | super anxious. Maybe while walking through a crowded store or even |
| 1:13.5 | just sitting at home on the couch. You suddenly feel floaty, disconnected, kind of wobbly, |
| 1:20.7 | or maybe even like you might faint. And if you've ever experienced this, you already know how quickly your mind jumps to, |
| 1:30.9 | what if something is seriously wrong with me, right? |
| 1:34.1 | Immediately, that's what the mind thinks. |
| 1:36.4 | And of course it does, because when the anxious mind starts searching for danger, |
| 1:42.5 | the nervous system responds immediately. And your body says, |
| 1:46.9 | oh, we're in danger now. Okay, let's prepare. Now this is how we get in the cycle. Suddenly, |
| 1:56.3 | the symptoms begin to intensify. Your heart races more. Your breathing changes, right? And your muscles |
| 2:05.5 | begin to tighten. And of course, the thoughts begin to spiral. And now you're caught in the |
| 2:13.0 | anxiety loop. So today I want to gently walk through what might actually be happening in the body |
| 2:20.3 | during these moments, because knowledge is power. If you can understand this more, |
| 2:26.5 | you can begin to be more gentle with yourself. And let's see why anxiety can absolutely create these sensations. |
... |
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