November 16, 2024
Learn effective strategies to deal with stress and what it does to us from headaches to gut pain.
It causes everything from headaches to gut pain.
A 2025 January report from Mental Health UK revealed that 91% of adults experienced high or extreme stress levels over the past year. While stress impacts mental well-being, it also affects physical health, often manifesting as back pain, jaw pain, headaches, or digestive issues. A 2021 study of 8,473 individuals found that severe stress increased the risk of chronic lower back pain by 2.8 times compared to the general population.
However, stress-related physical pain isn’t inevitable, according to James Davies, an osteopath and performance coach who has treated elite athletes and celebrities and authored the bestselling book Body. Davies emphasizes that proactive measures can help shield our bodies from the physical toll of stress.
James notes that “around 90 percent of my clients have stress and anxiety so chronic that they’re seeing physical consequences.” Many clients experience tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, or chest, as well as headaches and digestive issues, without realizing these symptoms are stress-related.
While some stress, like a tight deadline, can motivate us, it becomes harmful when this heightened state persists. Prolonged stress creates muscle tension that affects tendons and joints, leading to exhaustion and compromising the immune system, increasing susceptibility to illness. Davies emphasizes the importance of recognizing stress as a potential source of physical pain and addressing it early.
He identifies several key areas where stress-related pain may appear, along with strategies for managing it.
Stress Headaches
Stress headaches, particularly tension headaches, are a common physical manifestation of stress.
James Davies describes them as “usually affecting both sides of the head around the temples or across the forehead like a tight band.” These headaches often result from muscle contractions in the back of the head and neck due to a stressful event, causing dull pain that may worsen with neck movement. If massaging the area offers relief, it’s likely a stress headache. (However, if symptoms include vomiting, blurred vision, or numbness, medical attention is necessary.)
To ease a stress headache, Davies suggests gently massaging your temples in a circular motion to encourage blood flow. Simultaneously, practice deep, diaphragmatic (or “belly”) breathing, which reduces muscle tension in the upper body. With each breath, focus on expanding your abdomen on the inhale and contracting it on the exhale. This helps lower the heart rate, reducing stress and anxiety effectively.
Stretch first thing to prevent neck and shoulder ache
According to James Davies, posture often reveals stress.
“You only need to see someone’s posture to know if they’re stressed,” he says. Many people unknowingly raise their shoulders toward their ears, creating a “stress posture.” This constant tension shortens neck and shoulder muscles, reducing blood flow and causing pain. Additionally, poor posture, like slumping shoulders or looking down frequently (common when stressed or using devices), also contributes to muscle tension.
To counter this, Davies recommends starting each day with a stretch to open up the shoulders and reverse hunching. Upon rising, stand with feet apart and stretch both arms upward in a 10am and 2pm position, leaning slightly back. Hold for 30 seconds. Next, try a neck stretch by imagining “pencils” extending from your eyes; draw a figure eight with them a few times in both directions. Then, visualize a pencil on your chin and repeat. These simple movements can help relieve muscle tension and improve posture throughout the day.
When stress arises during the day, James Davies suggests checking for tension by tilting your left ear toward your left shoulder, and then repeating on the right. If you notice tightness, it’s likely stress-related.
To release tension, try a simple neck massage: place one hand around your throat, just under your chin, and gently run it down toward your collarbone. This soothes muscles, promotes blood flow, and activates the lymphatic system to remove waste.
For a deeper stretch, place the heel of one hand on your breastbone, press downward with the other hand on top, and tilt your chin up, moving your head back slightly.
Additionally, Davies recommends rolling your shoulders forward and back—a quick and effective way to relieve stress tension that can be done anywhere, like sitting in a car or on the bus.
A painful jaw is likely to be stress-related
Stress often manifests in jaw pain, as clenching or grinding can cause the jaw muscles to become tight.
According to James Davies, excessive talking or overeating under stress can also overload the jaw, leading to discomfort. Signs of stress-related jaw pain include aching when chewing, sore temples, headaches, and ringing ears. Ideally, you should be able to open and close your mouth, shift your lower jaw side-to-side, extend it forward, and fit three sideways fingers between your teeth without pain, clicking, or locking.
For relief, Davies suggests opening your mouth wide and gently moving your lower jaw side to side. Additionally, try placing a clean thumb inside your cheek, pressing gently outward for five seconds to release tension.
Using a tennis ball for daily jaw relaxation can also help. Lie down and place the ball at the base of your skull, where tiny muscles and blood vessels often tighten under stress. Gently move the ball in circles to alleviate tension and relieve pain in the face and scalp. This exercise can be done for as long as feels comfortable.
Techniques to relieve tension in your lower back
James Davies describes the lower back as “the epicentre for pain,” affecting 80% of people at some point with symptoms like aching, stiffness, or spasms that can spread to the buttocks and legs.
This area endures significant daily pressure from body weight, and stress can exacerbate discomfort by tightening neck, shoulder, and mid-back muscles, which all impact the lower back. Additionally, stress can cause blood vessels to contract, reducing blood flow to the back muscles and leading to pain.
Davies advises noticing patterns in your back pain. If discomfort worsens in the office or during high-pressure periods, it’s likely linked to stress.
Lower-back pain can also stem from stress-induced conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). James Davies notes, “Most of the clients I see with IBS arrive at my door with lower-back pain and won’t have realised that the two are often connected.”
To relieve lower-back tension, Davies suggests a few simple decompression techniques:
Start your morning with a gentle stretch in bed: lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the mattress, arms by your sides. Inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your belly, then exhale slowly. Repeat for one minute to relax the lower back.
In the evening, try lying on the floor with your legs on the sofa at a 90-degree angle for five minutes. This position helps decompress the lower back and realign the pelvis, relieving stress-induced tension.
Avoid ‘stress eating’ to calm your digestive system
The gut is highly susceptible to stress-related pain.
James Davies, who experienced digestive issues under the intense pressure of working at the Olympics, explains that stress-induced IBS can be triggered by elevated cortisol levels, which cause colon spasms and reduce beneficial gut bacteria. Stress also often leads to poor lifestyle choices—reaching for junk food, fizzy drinks, alcohol, and reducing water intake and exercise—all of which can exacerbate gut issues. Eating too quickly, common when stressed, also hinders proper nutrient absorption and contributes to digestive discomfort.
To alleviate gut tension, Davies recommends a self-massage. Begin on the lower-right side of the abdomen (near the appendix) and use the finger pads to massage in a circular motion, moving up and around the gut. If you encounter any tight areas, pause, gently press down, and take deep breaths for a few seconds before resuming. This massage technique can help release tension held in the gut and support digestion.
Use breathing techniques to relieve a tight chest
According to James Davies, the chest is the “main centre of the stress battle”.
High levels of cortisol and adrenaline cause chest muscles to contract, and prolonged stress can make these muscles increasingly tight. This tension can then create a cycle of stress, as chest pain may lead to worry about heart problems.
However, it’s important to recognize that stress-related chest pain is different from more serious conditions. If symptoms include dizziness, numbness, disorientation, or profuse sweating, it’s essential to seek medical advice to rule out cardiac issues.
The ribs can experience muscular tension due to poor posture and rounded shoulders, a common stance when feeling anxious. James Davies suggests checking for stress-related tension by feeling for chest pain or observing yourself in the mirror to see if you’re breathing deeply or primarily from the upper chest.
To reduce this tension, practice slow, deep breaths from the diaphragm to ease pressure around the chest. You can also lie on the floor with a foam roller positioned vertically along your spine and stretch your arms out wide. This position helps open up the chest, relieving tension and encouraging proper posture.
Daily routines to help stop stress turning into physical pain
Starting your day with a cold blast can offer numerous benefits, according to James Davies and fans like David Beckham and Joe Wicks.
Cold exposure through ice baths or cold showers encourages increased blood flow, can boost metabolism, and, over time, lowers cortisol levels, helping to reduce stress. Many also report improved mental clarity and energy.
If a full ice bath feels daunting, even splashing your face with cold water or a brief dip can be effective. For a quick morning boost, try placing the cold shower head on your chest or standing under a cold shower for a few seconds — but never stay in icy water for more than 15 minutes.
Take regular saunas
Studies indicate that regular sauna use can lower cortisol levels and release feel-good endorphins, helping to alleviate anxiety.
James Davies highlights saunas as a great form of meditation: “You’re away from the world, you get to relax, and you can’t take your tech with you, so you’re having an enforced screen break.” This tech-free time encourages relaxation and mindfulness, making it a valuable stress-relieving practice.
Call your friends
“One of the best ways to reduce tension in the body is by talking about how we feel.”
“That doesn’t have to be with an expensive professional,” says James Davies. “It can be with a friend, family member, or even by talking to yourself—I often do that out loud in the shower or garden in the morning, expressing what’s worrying me about the day ahead.” Expressing concerns aloud, even to oneself, can help relieve stress and provide clarity.
Go to bed earlier
“Sleep is the ultimate chance to reset after a fight-or-flight stress response,” says James Davies.
He recommends at least six hours of sleep each night, though most people will benefit from more. Lack of sleep, even for a single night, can make us tired and irritable, and prolonged sleep deprivation affects overall health and mood.
To improve sleep quality, Davies suggests going to bed earlier, as the most restorative deep sleep occurs before midnight. He also advises keeping phones out of the bedroom to avoid the dopamine stimulation from screens, which can increase stress levels before bed and upon waking.
Body by James Davies (HarperCollins £10.99).
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