There are many things that can cause tension, from anxiety and depression to a negative, traumatic experience. If you find that your mind and body have gone into overdrive, it can make it difficult for you to relax.
Tension itself is not a cause of mental health disorders. Still, feeling tense to the point where it's impacting your daily life or causing panic attacks may be a symptom of conditions like generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder.
Loosen up. Our first tip for combatting tension is to improve that stiff, hunched posture. Take a moment right now: exhale slowly, pull your shoulders away from your ears, sit back…now take a few slow, deep breaths in and out. Close your eyes for a moment (if it is safe to do so!) and let your body loosen.
Stress, anxiety, and depression, coming on the heels of non-stop pressure to achieve, physically interfere with the body's relaxation mechanisms. Meditation, yoga, and breathwork have been shown to have powerful effects on the body and the mind.
In some instances, yes, restlessness is a symptom of ADHD. The condition can also affect the ability to focus and pay attention. These can lead to unaccomplished tasks, mistakes, or emotional outbursts that can then trigger anxiety, restlessness, or the general feeling of being unable to relax.
Chronic stress is highly detrimental to your physical and mental health and overall well-being. A common symptom of many mental health disorders, including anxiety and ADHD, is persistent worry and fear. When your innate fight-or-flight response is perpetually “on,” it is nearly impossible to relax.
Possible causes of anxiety can include genetics, stressful situations, previous traumas, medications, and physical health issues. Not all of the things that cause anxiety are obvious or observable in your daily life. Whatever the cause of your anxiety, know that support is available.
Tensing is a manifestation of stress, and modern day stressors like work or commuting can lead to chronic tension. Similarly, acute pain and chronic illnesses can heighten the frequency and magnitude of tension.
Psychological Causes of Tension
In many cases, feeling tense is due to putting too much pressure on ourselves and overexerting our brain – causing us to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. You may feel like you cannot relax, or you have forgotten how it feels to be calm. This mental stress can cause our body to tense.
Breathe deeply.
Breathing techniques are incredibly helpful when you are trying to learn how to relax immediately. You can do this anywhere and at any time. All you need is to take 5 minutes off and focus on your breath. Breathe in fresh cool air through your abdomen and breathe out warm air releasing all your tension.
There may be several reasons why your muscles are always tight. The most common reasons are dehydration, poor sleeping positions, muscle weakness, and muscle inhibition.
Indeed, stress symptoms can affect your body, your thoughts and feelings, and your behavior. Being able to recognize common stress symptoms can help you manage them. Stress that's left unchecked can contribute to many health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
[3][4] Chronic muscle tension is a common symptom of hyperstimulation (chronic stress). As long as the body is hyperstimulated, one, or a group of muscles, can remain tight. Moreover, recent research has found that psychological stress can negatively affect pain modulation (the body's ability to regulate pain).
Myotonia occurs when your muscles aren't able to relax after they contract. Genetic changes usually cause myotonia, which can appear at birth or any age. Symptoms vary depending on the type of myotonia. You can manage symptoms with lifestyle changes, medications, supportive devices and physical therapy.
If you're feeling anxious all the time, or it's affecting your day-to-day life, you may have an anxiety disorder or a panic disorder.
Do you often find yourself worrying about everyday issues for no obvious reason? Are you always waiting for disaster to strike or excessively worried about things such as health, money, family, work, or school? If so, you may have a type of anxiety disorder called generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety. Other foods, including fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids. A study completed on medical students in 2011 was one of the first to show that omega-3s may help reduce anxiety.
Everyone gets anxious sometimes, but if your worries and fears are so constant that they interfere with your ability to function and relax, you may have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is a common anxiety disorder that involves constant and chronic worrying, nervousness, and tension.
The mind of a person with ADHD is full of the minutiae of life (“Where are my keys?” “Where did I park the car?”), so there is little room left for new thoughts and memories. Something has to be discarded or forgotten to make room for new information. Often the information individuals with ADHD need is in their memory…
Clinicians can designate the severity of ADHD as “mild,” “moderate” or “severe” under the criteria in the DSM-5. Mild: Few symptoms beyond the required number for diagnosis are present, and symptoms result in minor impairment in social, school or work settings.
Restlessness and fidgety behavior associated with ADHD can be reduced by taking exercise breaks. Walking and running, and activities like yoga or meditation that incorporate deep breathing and mindfulness can be beneficial and induce relaxation and calm.
But my muscles are already tight, that must mean that they are already too strong/overactive? This train of thought is in the vast majority of cases, incorrect. Muscles that feel tight are generally short and weak. The common misconception surrounding strength training is that it will make your muscles really tight.