Why Do I Feel Anxious All the Time?

Anxiety Isn’t Always “Just Stress”: 10 Hidden Reasons You May Feel Anxious, Overwhelmed, or On Edge

Many people assume anxiety is simply a mental health issue, the recent education about mental health pushes that perspective. But what if your anxiety is also a physical symptom, of something deeper and something you can do to heal?

At Eagle Acupuncture, we frequently meet patients who describe feeling:

  • Overwhelmed

  • Irritable

  • Restless

  • Easily startled

  • Unable to relax or unwind

  • Mentally exhausted

  • Feeling overstimulated

  • Stuck in “survival mode” or “dysregulated”

Some patients have experienced anxiety for years, practically their entire lives. Others suddenly develop symptoms, seemingly out of nowhere, despite never struggling before.

While counseling, stress management, and mental health support are incredibly important, and we do refer out for those services, anxiety can also be influenced by underlying physiologic factors that deserve investigation.

What Does Anxiety Actually Feel Like?

Anxiety does not always appear as excessive worry.

Anxiety could show up as:

  • Racing thoughts that never seem to stop

  • Difficulty sleeping

  • Heart palpitations like a flutter in your chest

  • Chest tightness that can even creep up into your throat, ears or neck 

  • Digestive discomfort,  lack of appetite, or stomach pain

  • Frequent waking at night

  • Irritability and Rage

  • Brain fog or slow to respond cognitively

  • Difficulty concentrating or easily distracted

  • Feeling overwhelmed by normal tasks

For many people, anxiety affects the entire body, not just the mind. This is where TCM really shines. 

1. Chronic Stress and Nervous System Overload

The human body was designed to handle stress in short bursts, on rare occasions.

Unfortunately, modern life has created continuous stress without adequate recovery. From the second we wake up to the moment we lay down, we are go, go, go. We have hundreds of thousands of images bombarding our brain daily. 

Work demands, friend balancing, parenting, caregiving, volunteering, financial pressures, school stress, fertility struggles, chronic illness, online FOMO, doom scrolling,  and sleep deprivation can keep the nervous system stuck in a constant fight-or-flight response.

Over time this may contribute to:

  • Anxiety and restlessness 

  • Poor sleep

  • Fatigue and Exhaustion

  • Digestive problems

  • Hormone imbalances

  • Increased inflammation

  • Increased Pain Sensations

  • Headaches or Migraines

  • Increased period pain

2. Blood Sugar Swings

Many people become anxious when blood sugar drops. This can happen when you don’t eat frequently enough or you eat too much sugar or carbohydrates, or you have pre-diabetes, diabetes or PMOS (formerly PCOS) poly metabolic ovarian syndrome. 

Symptoms may include:

  • Shakiness or weakness

  • Sweating usually without exertion

  • Irritability and Easy to Anger

  • Racing heart

  • Panic-like sensations

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • An internal buzzing feeling

  • Sensation as extreme as a heart attack

Balanced meals  (think meat, veggie and slow burning complex carbs), with adequate protein 10-30 grams of protein, often improve symptoms significantly.

3. Thyroid Imbalances

An overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism can absolutely mimic anxiety.

Symptoms may include:

  • Nervousness

  • Palpitations, heart jumping around

  • Insomnia

  • Heat intolerance

  • Weight changes, usually unexpected weight loss

  • Restlessness

  • Fidgeting 

Even subtle thyroid dysfunction can influence mood and emotional balance.

4. Hormone Changes

Women commonly notice increased anxiety during:

  • PMS the week before their period

  • PMDD

  • Perimenopause fluctuations even when on hormones

  • Menopause even if using HRT

  • Fertility treatment cycles and especially the two week wait

Hormonal fluctuations can affect neurotransmitters involved in mood regulation.

Many women report to us:

“I don’t feel like myself anymore.” “I am not unhappy, I just can’t calm myself down”

Hormones may be part of the root cause and needs a serious conversation. We can test for these in our practice. 

5. Poor Sleep

Lack of restorative sleep can dramatically increase anxiety.

Sleep and mental health are closely connected.

Even a few nights of inadequate sleep can lead to:

  • Increased worry

  • Irritability or anger

  • Reduced stress tolerance

  • Feeling overstimulated by noises or people

  • Difficulty concentrating

Improving sleep quality often improves anxiety as well.

6. Nutrient Deficiencies

The nervous system depends on proper nutrition.

Low levels of certain nutrients may contribute to symptoms such as:

  • Anxiety

  • Fatigue

  • Brain fog

  • Poor concentration

Common nutrients we test include:

  • Iron

  • Vitamin D

  • Vitamin B12

  • Folate

  • Magnesium

7. Digestive Dysfunction and the Gut-Brain Connection

The digestive system and nervous system constantly communicate.

Emerging research continues to demonstrate the importance of the gut-brain connection we have been recognizing and treating  in TCM for centuries. It is always rewarding to a TCM doctor when modern medicine catches up to TCM medicine and feels they are proving something new, when really, they just found a different language to explain what we have known and treated for a very long time. 

Digestive issues commonly associated with anxiety include:

  • Bloating

  • Food sensitivities

  • Constipation

  • Diarrhea

  • Pain with Eating

  • Gut microbiome imbalances

For some patients, improving digestive health leads to significant improvements in mood and their ability to cope.

8. Excess Caffeine and Stimulants

Coffee can be wonderful.

Too much coffee can feel like anxiety. Energy drinks are traditionally frowned upon for many reasons. They can make anxiety awful. 

High caffeine intake may contribute to:

  • Heart Palpitations

  • Jitteriness

  • Overreactions to situations

  • Insomnia

  • Restlessness

  • Increased stress sensitivity

This is especially true in highly sensitive individuals, watch your caffeine intake and try going without for a week.

9. Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation affects more than your joints and muscles.

It may also influence your brain, mood, energy, cognition, and nervous system regulation.

When inflammation remains elevated for prolonged periods, patients frequently report:

  • Fatigue that does not get better with sleep

  • Brain fog

  • Anxiety and Restlessness 

  • Low motivation

10. Living in a Constant State of “Doing”

Many high-achieving individuals become trapped in a cycle of constant productivity. If they aren’t doing something, they think they are bad, lazy or worthless. 

Their nervous system rarely experiences true rest. Even if they shut their eyes, their mind is in a fury of thoughts. 

They may look successful on the outside while internally they are feeling exhausted, inadequate, anxious, and overwhelmed.

The body eventually begs for rest and for true recovery.

The question is whether we listen. One of the best side-effects of acupuncture is rest and calm. We can calm the nervous system unlike anything else. Whether we are treating Bell’s Palsy, OCD, a sports injury, infertility, back pain or menopause, the anxious feeling that overwhelms most people just melts away. 

The Traditional Chinese Medicine View of Anxiety

Traditional Chinese Medicine has recognized the connection between emotional and physical health for thousands of years. The are intertwined and we treat them both. 

From a Chinese medicine perspective, anxiety may involve patterns such as:

  • Heart Blood Deficiency with or without Spleen Qi Deficiency

  • Heart Yin Deficiency

  • Liver Qi Stagnation

  • Liver Fire Rising

  • Kidney Yin Deficiency

  • Phlegm Misting the Mind

  • Blood Stagnation 

These are just a few differentiating patterns we discern. Each pattern presents differently and requires individualized treatment.

This personalized approach is one reason two patients with anxiety may receive completely different treatment plans with unique acupuncture points and herbal medicine.

How Acupuncture May Help

Research has shown that acupuncture may influence the autonomic nervous system, helping shift the body away from a chronic fight-or-flight state. This is not voo-doo and to say so, is quite insulting. This is not make believe and to insinuate, only make the person saying so look ignorant. This is time-tested, study evaluated, peer-reviewed, proven medicine. 

Patients commonly report improvements in:

  • Stress reduction and resilience

  • Sleep quality and restoration

  • Emotional regulation

  • Muscle tension

  • Mental clarity

  • Overall well-being

Many describe acupuncture as helping their body remember how to relax. Others say it was the best nap of their lives. We know the truth- their body and their mind are finally healing. 

You Are Not Weak. Your Body May Be Asking for Help.

Anxiety is real.

Stress is real.

This medicine is real. 

This is not about being  “all in your head.”

Sometimes anxiety is a signal that the body needs support, recovery, nourishment, or deeper TCM and functional medicine investigation.

The goal is not simply to suppress symptoms but to regulate and heal your body and mind.

The goal is to understand why they are occurring and what to do about it.

Looking for Natural Medicine and Support for Anxiety and Stress in Eagle, Idaho?

Dr. Kristen Burris, DAcCHM and Mr. Tony Burris, L.Ac., MSTOM provide acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, and functional medicine evaluations designed to help patients uncover potential contributors to anxiety, stress, fatigue, hormone imbalance, and nervous system dysregulation. Contact us today to learn more and schedule an appointment.

Serving Eagle, Boise, Meridian, Star, Nampa, Middleton, Kuna, and the greater Treasure Valley.


Colin Eggleston