Why Reconnecting with Your Body is the Key to Overcoming Anxiety, Stress, and Feeling Stuck

1 . Introduction: Understanding Disconnection in a Busy World

Many women, especially multi-job juggling women, moms and caregivers, experience disembodiment as they prioritize others’ needs over their own. This often leads to a disconnect between the mind and body, resulting in stress, anxiety, and even a sense of numbness. Psychologically, this detachment happens as a coping mechanism—a way of pushing through overwhelming tasks by “shutting off” physical and emotional signals. it may even feel like 'numbness' on the long run.

Tell me if you experience this, you wake up in the morning feeling exhausted from previous day, waking up multiple times during sleep, your body hasn’t fully recovered, and you already have a list of things to do, and you can’t seem to be motivated to carry out what seems to be like a burden at the moment, and you wish someone would just lift you up and say ‘I’ll do it for you’ so that you can linger in the bed for a tad longer. This is an indication that you body is crying for help. Let’s untangle what this means on a psychological (your mind) and neurological (your nervous system) level so you can understand yourself better.

2. What is Embodiment

According to Camille Mori , embodiment may refer to a cantering and acknowledgement of the felt and physical body as an active agent in the experiencing, processing, and interpretation of one’s environment. Let's not make it so complicated. Embodiment is simply practice of coming back into the body, tuning into its needs, and restoring balance. This reconnection helps us process emotions, release tension, and ground ourselves in the present moment.  Simpler version : coming back home to yourself.

3. Why Embodiment Matters for Women with Busy Lives

Let’s take a look at the fascinating ways our body work in practice of embodiment.

3.1  Feeling Grounded Amid the Chaos

From a psychological perspective, practice of embodiment encourages presence, which is foundational for managing stress. Being fully in the moment interrupts the automatic stress-response loop, while allowing the nervous system to calm down.

3.2  The Role of the Nervous System

Chronic stress keeps the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight mode) activated. Practice of embodiment helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), which reduces cortisol levels and creates a state of calm. Practices like mindful breathing and gentle movement signal to the brain that it’s safe to relax, breaking the cycle of anxiety. This helps the body come into a state of trust.

3.3  Building Emotional Resilience

By paying attention to the body’s sensations (such as tightness, fatigue, or restlessness), we can better process emotions rather than suppress them. This builds emotional resilience, making it easier to face challenges head-on without becoming overwhelmed. You may fear of doing new things, but your courage to do it will outweigh the fear, and that’s a sign of emotional resilience. As a Holistic Health Coach and a yoga teacher, I love watching my clients build their emotional strength week after week as it brings a glow, a different vibe around them and it’s like watching a beautiful flower bloom.

 4. Psychological Signs of Disembodiment

Understanding these psychological signs that your body and mind display is critical in lasting making changes.

4.1  Running on Autopilot

When you feel stuck in routines, disconnected from their physical and emotional needs, it often leads to a sense of detachment or numbness. This detachment can prevent them from fully experiencing joy or processing stress. This means you will do the same thing over and over again without any thoughts involved. For example, waking up to a phone screen, running through e-mails, and getting ready to go to work, driving frantically to work, living a very predictable almost-robotic days.

4.2  Physical Symptoms

Tension in the shoulders, tension headaches, migraines, gut issues, and trouble sleeping are often the body’s way of signaling stress, even if the mind is too busy recognizing it.

4.3  Mind-Body Disconnect

Psychologically, disembodiment stems from being stuck in the mind’s narrative—worries about the future or ruminating over past events—leaving little space for self-care or mindfulness.

5.  Practical Ways to Reconnect with Your Body (and What Happens Psychologically)

5.1 Mindful Morning Breath (5 Minutes)

We often associate mindful breathing with just sitting in a lotus pose and placing your palms. It can be done in many ways. If you prefer laying on bed (just make sure you don’t doze off). Taking 5 to 10 deep, mindful breaths first thing in the morning helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system (the body’s relaxation response), setting the tone for a more grounded, calm day. It also improves mental clarity and reduces anxiety levels before the demands of the day start piling up.

Imagine waking up and before even stepping out of bed, you take five deep breaths. Your shoulders relax, your thoughts settle, and you start the day feeling centered. That five minutes of intentional breathing helps you approach the morning rush with more patience, even when the kids are fighting or you're running late. You’ll notice you’re more present, less reactive, and able to maintain a calm focus.

On days when you skip this, you may immediately jump into action, mind swirling with to-do lists and deadlines. Your body tenses up, heart rate increases, and by mid-morning, you already feel frazzled. You might snap at your partner or feel overwhelmed before even leaving the house.

What it does: Focusing on your breath as you wake up not only grounds you in the present moment but also activates the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for decision-making and emotional regulation. This short 5-minutes  practice improves cognitive clarity, setting you up for an uplifting day ahead.

Psychological effect: Deep breathing also reduces the activity of the amygdala, the brain’s fear center, which helps decrease feelings of anxiety.

5.2 Mini Body Check-Ins (Throughout the Day)

Body check ins can be a practice of asking yourself, if you’re feeling uneasy anywhere in your body, a sensation, to simply closing your eyes to go through each of your body parts like how it’s done during Yoga Nidra. These body check-ins are a mindfulness practice that encourages you to bring awareness to any areas of tension or stress accumulating in your body. By consciously releasing that tension, you prevent stress from building up and becoming overwhelming. It also brings you back into the present moment, allowing for greater focus and emotional balance.

When you do the check-in: You’ve been at your desk for a couple of hours, and instead of powering through, you take 30 seconds to close your eyes and notice how your body feels. You realize your shoulders are tight, your jaw is clenched, and you’ve been shallow breathing. You take a few deep breaths, relax your muscles, and return to your work with renewed focus.

When you don’t: Without these check-ins, tension builds throughout the day. By the time evening rolls around, you have a headache, back pain, and feel irritable without even realizing why. The stress manifests physically and mentally, leading to emotional exhaustion.

What it does: Pausing to check in with your body brings awareness to where stress is accumulating, allowing you to release it. This practice incorporates mindfulness, which studies show reduces anxiety, depression, and even chronic pain. This practice can help you detach from judgement of your own body promoting a more compassionate relationship with your body.

Psychological effect: These check-ins encourage the brain to stop multitasking and focus, reducing the sense of overwhelm and helping you to re-center during hectic moments.

5.3  Embodied Movement (10 Minutes)

Embodied movement is anything that ranges from slow flow body movement in form of slow dance, restorative yoga, simple side stretches on office chair (when at work), simply raising your legs on the wall with your hips close to the wall, and just being there. Moving your body intentionally helps release built-up tension and stress. It also provides a natural boost of endorphins, improving your mood and emotional resilience.

Even 10 minutes of gentle movement releases tightness in your hips, back, and neck, and you feel more energized. As a result, you approach the rest of the day with more mental clarity and emotional calm.

Without movement, stress compounds in your body. By late afternoon, you’re drained, your body feels stiff, and even small tasks start to feel overwhelming. Mentally, you may feel foggy or sluggish, making it harder to get through the day with a positive mindset.

What it does: Movement practices such as restorative yoga or gentle stretching releases tension and creates somatic awareness—the conscious perception of bodily sensations. This connects the body and mind, which helps process stored emotions and stress that may otherwise remain stuck. (a kill-joy space as I call it)

Psychological effect: Moving the body in mindful, intentional ways stimulates the limbic system (the emotional center of the brain), helping you process difficult feelings. It also boosts serotonin and dopamine, promoting feelings of happiness and calm.

5.4 Grounding Practice Before Bed (5 Minutes)

A grounding practice before bed helps you unwind both physically and mentally. It allows your nervous system to shift into relaxation mode, helping you sleep more deeply and wake up feeling refreshed. The practice of stillness signals to the body that it’s time to rest, which can prevent tossing and turning. Grounding practices before bed is practicing your body to come back to your life force, that is your ‘prana’-your breath. It could be any pranayama (breathwork) that resonates with you.

When you do grounding before bed: You place one hand on your chest and one on your belly, taking slow, deep breaths before sleep. You feel your heart rate slow, your mind quiets, and you fall asleep faster. Your sleep is more restful, and you wake up feeling recharged, ready to face the next day.

If you skip the practice, you may lie in bed replaying stressful thoughts or worrying about the next day. Your mind stays active, your body remains tense, and sleep is restless or delayed. You wake up feeling tired and groggy, setting a negative tone for the day ahead.

What it does: Grounding yourself before sleep by placing your hand on your chest or belly and practicing deep breathing helps transition your body into a restful state, reducing hyper-arousal from stress. It also fosters a sense of safety and calm.

Psychological effect: This practice increases vagal tone, which refers to the activity of the vagus nerve. A high vagal tone is associated with better stress management and a stronger ability to self-soothe.

5.5 Reclaiming ‘Me Time’ in Small Doses

If you are someone who want to embrace the mindful life, be inspired, then this small doses of ‘me time’ might just do the trick.

The Power of Stillness: Even small moments of stillness, like enjoying a cup of tea or stepping outside for fresh air, help bring the mind and body into alignment. In yoga philosophy, stillness aligns with the practice of Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) from the eight limbs of yoga, where external distractions are minimized so you can tune into your internal world. Personally, I love preparing my ceremonial cacao after a hectic day, as a place of setting an intention, to open my heart chakra, and being grateful that I am simply breathing.

Psychological effect: Incorporating stillness enhances the brain's ability to move out of reactive, stressed states into a more parasympathetic state, allowing for relaxation and restoration even when time is limited.

6.0  Conclusion : Small Shifts, Big Impacts

Embodiment practices, combined with the principles of mindfulness and yoga, are simply tools given by humanity us to break free from cycles of stress, overwhelm, and anxiety. These simple, everyday moments of connection help you dance with the universe, with joy, rather than building tension and feeling stuck with the challenges that are often blessings in disguise.  

You will witness how small moments of embodiment can create a significant shift in how you keep stress at bay and balance your busy life. By prioritizing these simple practices, you reclaim control over your body and mind, improving your overall well-being. On that note, I hope this helps you begin your mindful practices of embodiment and watch how it creates a ripple effect in your emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

About the Author

I’m Baita, a certified yoga teacher, a yoga nidra teacher and holistic health coach I’m dedicated to helping women reclaim their energy, health, and sense of self without overwhelm of stress and anxiety.

With a blend of yoga, mindfulness, somatic practices and personalized health coaching, I support women in reconnecting with their bodies, improving gut health, and restoring emotional balance. My approach is holistic and grounded in both my professional background and personal healing journey, so I deeply understand the challenges my clients face.

As the founder of Sankalpa Space, an online platform for mindful living, I offer 1:1 coaching, yoga, and wellness tools to help you create lasting change. I know firsthand how burnout can affect your mind, body, and relationships—from my years as a pharmacist and health professional who struggled to maintain balance. After my own journey of transformation—including a degree in Psychology and deep exploration of yoga—I’m here to share the tools that helped me heal.

I write to empower women juggling multiple roles—mothers, professionals, caretakers—so they can thrive, not just survive, in today’s fast-paced world. I believe in living with ease, joy, an open heart and a cheesy smile!

I am here for it all and to show you how it’s done. Your journey is about to become lit!

Follow me on Instagram @breathewithbaita or reach out to learn how I can support you on your path to wellness.