Sometimes there is no clear reason. The day is fine, nothing has gone wrong, and yet your chest is tight, your thoughts are racing, and your body feels braced for something it cannot name.
That feeling has a name: anxiety. And recognising it is the first step to softening it.
What anxiety can feel like
It is not always panic. It can be:
- A tight chest or shallow breathing.
- A racing mind that will not settle.
- Restlessness, or a sense of dread with no source.
- Trouble sleeping or a stomach in knots.
Your body is not betraying you. It is trying to protect you — just a little too loudly.
A grounding exercise for right now
When it rises, try the 5-4-3-2-1 practice. Slowly name:
- Five things you can see.
- Four things you can feel.
- Three things you can hear.
- Two things you can smell.
- One thing you can taste.
This gently pulls your mind out of the spiral and back into the present moment.
When to reach for more support
If anxiety is showing up most days, getting in the way of work, sleep, or relationships, that is a sign to talk to someone — a trusted friend, a counsellor, or a professional from our Find Support directory. Reaching out is not weakness. It is wisdom.
Uwam is a peer-support community, not a clinic. If you are in crisis, please contact a crisis helpline straight away.
New articles every week. Never miss one.
Join the sisterhood