Why Anxiety Drains Your Energy
Have you ever felt completely wiped out after a stressful day or even just a regular day? Anxiety can do that. It’s more than just feeling nervous. It’s your body and brain working overtime in an attempt to keep you “safe” from perceived (and real) danger.
When anxiety shows up, your body shifts into survival mode. It’s alert, ready to protect you at all costs. Your heart rate might increase, your muscles may tense up, and often your mind scans for potential danger. Over time, that constant state of alertness takes a serious toll on your energy levels
Here are a few reasons why anxiety can leave you feeling so drained:
1. Your body is pumping hormones.
When you feel anxious, your brain releases adrenaline and cortisol, stress hormones that prepare your body to fight, flee, freeze or fawn. These are called “trauma responses,” and you can engage in all of them or just one or two. Once that surge passes, your body has to recover, leaving you exhausted.
2. You’re trying to process what is and isn’t real.
An anxious brain struggles to separate real danger from perceived threat. That constant internal debate,“Is this actually something to worry about?” is mentally exhausting, and will most likely leave you feeling physically drained.
3. You’ve just felt multiple emotions at once.
Anxiety is part of an inner system of many different emotions.It often brings fear, frustration, shame, guilt, and overwhelm right along with it. Feeling several emotions simultaneously can leave you emotionally and physically spent. It is also a gentle reminder to give yourself some dedicated time to actually feel your feelings and sift through the ones that need to be felt through.
4. You’re exhausted from brain fog.
When your nervous system is overstimulated, focus and memory take a hit. You might feel foggy, forgetful, or mentally “checked out.” That fog is your brain’s way of conserving energy and gearing up for protecting and defending you from danger or perceived threat.
5. You’re probably in overdrive and sensory overload.
Anxiety heightens your awareness of everything, sounds, sensations, people, and places. While that hyper-vigilance once helped us survive danger, it’s exhausting when your environment feels constantly “too much.”
6. Your nervous system is out of balance.
When anxiety becomes chronic, your body spends too much time in high alert and not enough in rest-and-digest mode. This imbalance keeps your energy low even when you’re trying to relax. This is why many therapists (like me!) recommend engaging in mindfulness routines that help to lower your cortisol levels and regulate your nervous system.
A Gentle Reminder:
If you’ve been feeling more tired lately, it might be time to pay attention to your body’s signals. It could be anxiety.Your body and mind have been working hard to keep you safe, even when you don’t realize it.
Try to give yourself permission to rest without guilt. Calming your nervous system can help your energy slowly return.You don’t have to push harder; you just need to support your system in finding calm again.
Ready for Support?
If you’re noticing constant fatigue, brain fog or emotional overwhelm, therapy can help you understand what your body is trying to tell you. I offer virtual therapy for children, teens, and young adults across New York state, helping clients learn to regulate anxiety and restore balance. I’d be glad to connect.
