How to Stop Shaking From Anxiety: 10 Tips from an Expert

What is “Anxiety Shaking”?

Bodily tremors are a common symptom of Anxiety and Panic Disorders alike. This trembling or shaking can occur in one or many of the body parts, for example, in the hand, leg or even encompassing the whole body. It is a physically expressed impact on the body and can even be caused by the body’s stress response, namely the fight, flight or freeze response.

Though it may cause stress and interfere with daily activities, knowing about potential causes and how to apply some of the averting measures can help fight this shaking, regain control and find relief.

What’s Important to Know About “Anxiety Shaking”?

Since we now know that ‘anxious shaking’ stems from the stress that the body experiences, let’s have a look at some key facts that are important to know:

1. When the body experiences stress, a bunch of hormones like Adrenaline and Cortisol flood the system, causing the muscles to tense and release as the stressor fades. This is what makes you shake.

2. Although the duration of such ‘shaking’ varies and is subjective to individuals, it can last until the stressor ends which can be a few seconds or even a few minutes.

3. While uncomfortable, anxiety shaking is typically harmless and temporary. The symptoms experienced can be one or any combination of the following- racing heart, palpitations, trembling or tremors in the body, nausea, and muscle tension.

4. There are treatments available over domains of therapy as well as meditation if the prior isn’t a favourable choice.

Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder is defined as a mental and behavioural anxiety disorder characterized by sudden and unexpected episodes of intense fear or panic.

These ‘episodes’ may or may not be accompanied by certain physical symptoms like palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pains, and/or nausea. One such symptom is a shaking or trembling feeling in the limbs.

This is the body’s acute stress response composed of hormonal surges, increased heart rate and muscle tension. 

Shaking and Tremors

Tremors are a neurological condition that involves shaky movements commonly occurring in the hands. Other body parts that it is known to affect are the legs, joints, torso and even the vocal cords in some cases.

While mostly non-threatening, tremors are known to cause challenges while navigating even the simplest daily routines. Stress is the most recurrent factor causing tremors.

These can be constant but also may occur occasionally, it varies amongst different people. Understanding the link between anxiety and shaking helps in addressing and managing these symptoms.

Is it Anxiety or a Panic Attack?

Anxiety is a neurological state characterised by intense feelings of inexplicable fear or worry. This may be accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and stomach churning. These symptoms are comparatively less intense than a panic attack, although they prolong over a longer duration. 

A panic attack has more intense symptoms that occur over brief periods. It is also important to know that not everyone who experiences panic attacks has panic disorder since panic attacks don’t have a singular trigger. Social settings, relationship problems and stressful work life are just some of the many reasons from which anxiety stems. Let’s have a look at a few examples: 

Example 1: You’re at home receiving live updates on your hometown that was unfortunately struck by a landslide. You keep thinking of your family and whether they are keeping well. Thinking about your home, your parents, your friends and everybody that you care about consumes your mind. You feel stressed, helpless and overwhelmed. You feel tired and anxious about how long this disaster will prolong, and when and if your family will make it to safety.

Example 2: You are in the middle of an argument when suddenly you are struck with intense chest pain and heaving. You experience unexpected breathlessness and agitation. The prior is an example of anxiety wherein while the feelings are less intense they prolong over a longer duration as compared to the following which describes a panic attack with unexpected and sudden symptoms that may feel more intense but prolong over a shorter duration. 

What Causes Anxiety-Induced Shaking?

Anxiety is a normal response to stressful situations induced by hormonal surges and feelings of worry, anxiety and fear. Let’s now have a look at some common factors that cause the body to shake:

• Hormones: In a stressful situation hormones like adrenaline and cortisol flood the system in preparing the body for its fight or flight response, leading to shaking.
• Muscle contractions: When feeling anxious, muscles in the body tend to contract and open as and how the stressor is experienced. As the stressor fades, muscles open which causes trembling.
• Breathing: Rapid breathing and chest heaving decrease carbon dioxide in the blood causing hyperventilation. In these situations, people often experience dizziness and shaking.

Other Symptoms of Anxiety and Panic Disorder Include

Panic and Anxiety disorders induce more symptoms in addition to shaking: 

• Racing heart
• Breathlessness
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Nausea
• Inexplicable pain in the body
• Hot flashes
• Dryness in the mouth
• Numbness in the body
• Feelings of detachment
• Fear of impending doom or angst

How to Stop Shaking from Anxiety? 10 Immediate Relief Techniques

While relatively harmless, shaking can cause disruptions in everyday life tasks. A few ‘immediate relief’ techniques would include: 

1. Progressive muscle relaxation 

PMR is a form of exercise that enables mindfulness around the body’s muscle tension. One way to do this is to think of your body from head to toe. Starting from the bottom, tense your muscles in the feet for five seconds, then release and relax. Continue this process from the toes up. This helps alleviate anxiety by engaging the muscles for a different and in a way, controllable purpose. 

2. Yoga 

Yoga enables a meditative approach toward anxiety. It combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to reduce stress and anxiety. Poses such as the Child’s Pose and Corpse Pose promote relaxation and can help calm the nervous system, reducing shaking. Regular and repeated practice of Yoga can make it habitual and even become a part of your daily routine. 

3. Boxed breathing 

Also known as square breathing, boxed breathing is a breathing exercise that involves inhaling for four seconds, holding for four seconds, exhaling for four seconds and then holding for four seconds. Repeat this cycle a few times till you feel grounded. This technique helps regulate breathing, reduce stress, and calm the body, which can lessen shaking. The purpose of this exercise is for you to bring mindfulness and attention to your breathing pattern.

4. Change your temperature

It is possible to reduce shaking that stems from anxiety by regulating one’s body temperature. Rinsing one’s face with cold water, having an ice pack, or taking a warm bath can help interrupt the flow of worried thoughts and soothe the muscles.

5. Grounding techniques

These include thinking of what you can see, hear, touch, smell and feel around you as a way of helping you get back to the present time.

For instance, in 54321 anxiety grounding, name five things that one can observe, four things that one can feel with fingers, three things that one may listen to, two things related to the sense of smell, and one thing concerning the sense of taste. It has been observed that this practice grounds you in the current moment diminishing anxiety and shaking.

6. Deep Breathing

Some exercises like deep breathing, including diaphragmatic breathing, can help in calming the nervous system. Inhale gently through your nose and let your stomach expand, then slowly release the air through your mouth. Continue with this for several minutes to minimize anxiety and shaking.

7. Visualisation

This involves creating a picture of a calm environment or location in your mind. Try to imagine sitting in a quiet and unworried place in your mind that brings you comfort. These mental images are useful in decreasing anxiety and other symptoms such as tremors.

8. Aromatherapy

It combines the use of meditation and essential oils indulging the sense of smell to help reduce stress. Some of the fragrances including lavender, chamomile and bergamot have relaxing benefits for individuals. Put it in a diffuser dilute the oils and massage it in your skin or simply inhale and let the oils help relax your body.

9. Medications

A case of repeated and recurrent intense feelings of fear or angst could be related to chronic anxiety or Panic disorder. Medication can be an effective treatment for anxiety shaking. Common options include:

• Benzodiazepines: Other types of interventions may include rapid-acting medications that minimize anxiety reactions.
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): Depression and related anxiety that may be helped by certain antidepressants.
• Beta-Blockers: Anti-anxiety drugs that minimize tangible manifestations of anxiety, including trembling.

10. Therapy

Counselling with a professional can assist in finding the source of shaking and anxiety. Effective options include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Employ more on altering negative thought processes and behaviours.
• Exposure Therapy: Slows down personal interaction with situations that trigger anxiety and helps people overcome their fear of it.
• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): It is a mix of mindfulness meditation and stress relief strategies.
• Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT): IPT is a brief therapy approach, and it is time-limited. That works to relieve the client of the culpability they feel for their symptoms of anxiety and instead shifts the blame to the symptoms themselves and/or the scenarios linked with them.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): ACT is a therapeutic framework based on values. This model aims at discovering a person’s value system and practising the approach to the outside world based on these values
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT like other forms can be categorized under CBT. DBT assists persons in being able to distinguish the middle path between the poles of any thought. For example, between ‘I can do this’ and ‘I can’t do this’ there is a middle ground. This would be ‘Sometimes it feels like I can’t do this task, but I understand the situation well enough to know that either way, it’s okay.’

When Does Shaking from Anxiety Become a Real Problem?

While anxiety in itself might not feel so threatening underlying concerns may be. It’s normal to have your body acknowledge and respond to stress however help is always available if these come to cause interruptions in your daily routine. 

Here’s a checklist to  determine whether getting professional help might be the best option: 

• Does it affect your ability to perform daily tasks and impact your overall well-being?
• Does it continue to manifest even after you employ various coping mechanisms?
• Does it interfere with personal activities or cause noticeable unease or avoidance behaviours?

Other Health Conditions That Can Cause Shaking

Besides anxiety, shaking could occur due to various other underlying factors. Several health concerns have symptoms that include tremors. 

1. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Imagine you are living with the chronic effects of trauma and coping with unprocessed traumatic memories. This keeps you on edge for ongoing threats or attacks.

2. Parkinson’s Disease: A condition that affects nerves and produces shaking in the body.

3. Hyperthyroidism: A condition that makes metabolism to be high and is also known to lead to shaking.

4. Multiple Sclerosis (MS): A neurological disorder that impacts the brain, and causes shaking symptoms.

5. Essential Tremor: It is a neurological disorder involving the central nervous system that induces rhythmic shaking of the body.

Is Anxiety Shaking Dangerous?

While shaking due to anxiety does not pose any serious harm, it can cause discomfort and hinder daily activities. Nevertheless, many other things can cause shaking, and before self-diagnosing, one should seek medical advice.

Does Anxiety Shaking Go Away?

Treatment for anxiety shaking is possible through proper management of anxiety disorders. Shaking can be minimized or eliminated through other measures including relaxation techniques, therapy sessions, and the use of medication-based treatments. We need to emphasize that the time frame for effect may differ from one person to another depending on the level of anxiety.

What Can I Expect if I Have Shaking from Anxiety?

If you experience shaking from anxiety, you can expect:

• Fluctuating symptoms depend on stress levels.
• Episodes of shaking during high anxiety or panic attacks.
• Improvement with consistent use of coping techniques and treatments.

Are Anxiety Shakes Normal?

Anxiety shakes are common, and they occur when we experience stress and anxiety. Shaking is one of the significant manifestations during anxious situations and is observed often in persons with anxiety disorders. It may occur frequently and at a high intensity in some individuals while infrequently and at a low intensity in others.

What Triggers Anxiety Shaking?

Common triggers for anxiety include: 

• Underlying health concerns
• Elevated stress levels
• Poor sleep pattern
• Increased heart rate
• Increased blood pressure
• Rapid breathing
• Public or social settings
• Stressful situations

When To See a Doctor?

If shaking due to anxiety becomes frequent, severe, or affects your daily life, it's important to consult with a healthcare professional. Persistent symptoms may indicate that your anxiety needs a more structured treatment plan. Additionally, if you experience other symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, or difficulty breathing along with shaking, seek medical attention immediately to rule out other possible conditions.

A doctor can provide a thorough evaluation to determine whether your shaking is purely anxiety-related or if there are other underlying issues. They may suggest a combination of therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes tailored to your needs. Remember, seeking help is a proactive step toward managing your anxiety effectively.

FAQs

1. When Should I Worry About Anxiety Shaking?

Anxiety shaking can be distressing, but understanding when it becomes a serious concern is important for managing your health. 

You should be concerned about anxiety shaking if it interferes with your daily activities or if it's accompanied by other symptoms that might suggest a more serious condition. For instance, if the shaking is severe enough to impact your ability to work or perform daily tasks, or if it occurs alongside symptoms like intense panic attacks, it's time to seek professional help.

In general, anxiety-induced shaking should be addressed if it feels uncontrollable or persistent. Consult with a mental health professional who can help you develop coping strategies and, if necessary, recommend treatment options to alleviate the shaking and address the underlying anxiety.

2. How Do You Stop Shaking from Anxiety at Night?

Anxiety can disrupt your sleep and contribute to shaking if it bothers you at night. Addressing this issue is crucial for improving your overall well-being and sleep quality. 

There are a few simple steps that you can incorporate into your nighttime routine to help ease anxiety:

1. Engage in calming activities before bed, such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practising meditation. Avoid stimulating activities and screens that can interfere with sleep.

2. Ensure your bedroom is conducive to sleep. This includes a comfortable mattress, a cool and dark room, and minimising noise.

3. Refrain from consuming caffeine or heavy meals close to bedtime, as these can exacerbate anxiety and disrupt your sleep.

4. Use relaxation techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation to calm your mind and body before sleep.

If nighttime shaking persists, consider consulting with a healthcare professional who can help identify potential causes and provide targeted interventions. Addressing underlying anxiety through therapy or medication may also be beneficial.

3. How Do You Stop Shaking from Anxiety After Eating?

Shaking after eating can be a troubling experience. Managing this symptom involves both dietary and anxiety-related strategies.

• Eat Balanced Meals: Consume well-balanced meals with a mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Avoiding large, heavy meals can also prevent digestive distress that may contribute to anxiety.
• Avoid Sugar Foods: High sugar intake can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which may trigger anxiety and shaking. Opt for foods with a low glycemic index to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
• Practice Mindful Eating: Eat slowly and mindfully to reduce anxiety related to meals. Pay attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues, and try to enjoy the eating experience.
• Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Dehydration can exacerbate anxiety and lead to physical symptoms such as shaking.

If shaking persists after eating despite following these strategies, it may be helpful to consult with a dietitian or a mental health professional. They can offer personalised advice to address both dietary and anxiety-related concerns.

4. How Do You Calm Anxiety Shaking Immediately?

When anxiety strikes, it can be helpful to have immediate strategies to calm your body and mind.

• Practice deep breathing.
• Grounding Techniques
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Use a stress ball.

Incorporating these techniques into your routine can help you manage shaking from anxiety more effectively. Practising them regularly can also enhance your overall ability to cope with anxiety.

Conclusion

Managing anxiety-induced shaking involves a combination of immediate strategies and long-term solutions. By understanding when to seek professional help, recognising when anxiety shaking becomes a serious concern, and employing effective techniques to calm yourself, you can reduce the impact of shaking on your life. Implementing these tips, from deep breathing and relaxation techniques to dietary adjustments, can significantly improve your ability to manage anxiety and its physical symptoms.

By incorporating these solutions into your daily routine, you can take control of your anxiety and reduce the occurrence of shaking, leading to a more balanced and less stressful life. Remember, finding the right combination of strategies may take time and experimentation. Consult with healthcare professionals if needed, and practice self-care to support your overall mental and physical well-being.

Citations

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