Most of us brush it off - it’s just screen time, bad posture, or being tired. But when those little signs keep repeating, your body may be telling you something more: stress isn’t just in your head. It’s settling into your body too.

How Stress Begins

When you’re under pressure, your nervous system moves into “fight or flight.” Muscles tighten, breathing gets shallow, and the body gets ready to deal with challenge. If the stress passes, your body relaxes again.

But for many of us, the stress doesn’t pass. Work demands, family responsibilities, constant “busy-ness” - your system stays switched on. And that’s when small signals start to appear.

How It Builds Over Time

At first, it’s easy to ignore. A headache here or there. A bit of tension across the shoulders. Maybe some jaw clenching at night.

But the longer your body stays in this heightened state, the more those symptoms take hold. Headaches become more frequent. The heaviness in your body lingers. Muscles stay tight, even when you’re resting.

It’s not weakness, and it’s not “all in your head.” It’s your nervous system trying to cope with more than it can release.

What People Often Try

Most people do what makes sense:

• Take painkillers for headaches
• Book the occasional massage
• Stretch their neck or shoulders when it gets too much

These things help - but usually only for a while. Because they treat the symptoms, not the reason your body is stuck in tension.

A Different Approach: Acupuncture and Reflexology

This is where therapies like acupuncture and reflexology can make a difference.

• Acupuncture helps calm the nervous system and release muscle tightness. It can ease headaches, relax the jaw and shoulders, and remind the body how to shift back into balance.
• Reflexology works more gently through the feet, but the effect can be just as powerful. Clients often leave feeling lighter in the head and body, with tension that’s been held for weeks beginning to melt away.

The difference is that these therapies don’t just soothe symptoms. They help your body reset - so it doesn’t keep falling back into the same cycle.

You Don’t Have to Keep Pushing Through

If you’ve been living with headaches, jaw pain, or constant tightness in your shoulders, your body may be telling you it’s time for support.

Stress doesn’t have to take root in your body. With the right care, it is possible to release, reset, and find your way back to ease.

At George Street Wellness Clinic, I offer gentle therapies to support both mind and body - so you can stop just coping, and start feeling well again. You can learn more about acupuncture here and reflexology here.