Anxiety
When worry runs ahead of real danger: what is happening in your brain, and the steps that calm it.
The main read
When worry runs ahead of youAnxiety is your alarm system firing without a fire. What is going on in the brain, and the steps that help it settle.8 min readInfographics
The stress, anxiety and sleep loop
- StressCortisol stays high at night
- Poor sleepThe brain's alarm becomes more reactive
- AnxietySmall worries feel bigger
Sources: Chrousos 2009; AASM/SRS 2015
Text version
Stress keeps cortisol high at night, which leads to poor sleep. Poor sleep makes the brain's alarm more reactive, which feeds anxiety. Anxiety makes small worries feel bigger, which adds to stress. Breaking any one link helps the others.
Stress vs anxiety
Stress
Anxiety
Cause
A response to a pressure you can name
Worry that continues without a clear trigger
How long
Usually eases when the pressure passes
Can last after the pressure has gone
How it feels
Felt as overwhelm, tension, irritability
Felt as dread, unease, “what if”
What helps
Helped by solving or reducing the pressure
Helped by calming the alarm itself
Sources: WHO 2023
Text version
Stress vs anxiety. Cause: stress is a response to a pressure you can name; anxiety is worry that continues without a clear trigger. How long: stress usually eases when the pressure passes; anxiety can last after it has gone. How it feels: stress feels like overwhelm, tension and irritability; anxiety feels like dread, unease and “what if”. What helps: for stress, solving or reducing the pressure; for anxiety, calming the alarm itself. Both share the same stress-hormone system.
Herbs in the Ayurvedic view
Questions people ask
What is the difference between stress and anxiety?
Stress is a response to a pressure you can name, and it usually eases when the pressure passes. Anxiety is worry that continues without a clear trigger, or out of proportion to it.
When should I get help for anxiety?
When it lasts most days for several weeks, gets in the way of work, study or relationships, or comes with panic attacks. Talking therapy works well, and Tele-MANAS (14416) is free and confidential.