HerGuru Hypnotherapy and Coaching is a Berkshire-based practice offering hypnotherapy, coaching to high-performing professionals. The practice helps them manage work stress and work anxiety. HerGuru Hypnotherapy and Coaching
Back to All Episodes
Your Body Says Panic, Your Mind Says Fine | Work Anxiety Explained
Aug 05, 2026 26:42 S4 E33

Your Body Says Panic, Your Mind Says Fine | Work Anxiety Explained

0:00 / 26:42

About this episode

Contact us by whatsapp on +447485622662- let us know what you think of this episode.

High-functioning anxiety often masquerades as productivity. Your body sends distress signals—tension, racing heart, exhaustion—while your mind insists you're fine and in control. With guest Elke Scholz, we explore why high-achieving women experience this body-mind disconnect and share a powerful nervous system reset you can use at your desk in 2 minutes. Stop ignoring what your body is telling you about work stress before it becomes burnout.

Your body can be in full panic while your mind insists you’re okay, and that disconnect is one of the most confusing parts of work stress anxiety. Cheryl sits down with Elka to trace anxiety back to its less obvious roots, especially for high-functioning women juggling careers, caregiving, and the pressure to be “good” at everything. Instead of treating anxiety as one big problem, we treat it like a set of clues and start narrowing it down.  

We dig into physical drivers that often get missed: caffeine tolerance, alcohol rebound anxiety, sugar crashes, dehydration, and the way sleep debt can wreck your emotional resilience after just a couple of nights. Elka shares how food sensitivities can trigger a body-based anxiety attack even when you feel mentally fine, plus why hormones and blood markers matter. If your finances are fine, your relationship is solid, and you still feel like you’re “freaking out”, we talk about why thyroid issues and iron deficiency are worth checking with a professional.  

Then we zoom out to modern overstimulation and the stress of constant inputs. Phones keep us in FOMO and alert mode, and Elka describes the striking difference between frantic scrolling and the calm that comes from quiet, nature, and gentle sensory grounding. We also name the “shoulds”, perfectionism, and self-doubt that push high standards into chronic anxiety, and we touch on high sensitivity, memory triggers, and trauma held in the body.  

If you want practical coping tools, Elka offers a free two-page PDF you can pick from, plus Cheryl shares a playful idea for a movement-ready playlist to help refill your cup. Subscribe for more conversations on work anxiety and nervous system regulation, share this with someone who’s quietly carrying too much, and leave a review so more listeners can find the support.

The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. If you have a specific health concern or condition, please consult a qualified Healthcare professional for more details. Check out herguru dot uk forward slash disclaimers

Support the show

If this episode helped, please share it with someone who needs a calmer five minutes:

https://followthepodcast.com/workstressanxiety

If you'd like to support the podcast, leaving a review genuinely helps other overwhelmed humans find it without having to survive another "10x your mindset" podcast first:

https://lovethepodcast.com/workstressanxiety

Got feedback, a question, or a future episode suggestion?

https://podcastfeedback.com/workstressanxiety

Work Stress Anxiety by ABGW is part of HerGuru Hypnotherapy and Coaching™ and grounded in the ABGW Method®.

Calm first. Reality first. Then change.™

Connect with Cheryl Paris

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylparis/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/abgwblog


Shared stories are anonymised.

This podcast is provided for educational and self- reflective purposes only and does not constitute medical, psychological, legal, workplace, or professional advice.

Disclaimer:
https://herguru.uk/disclaimers/

© Cheryl Paris. Copyright 2026. All rights reserved.

Chapters

Key Takeaways

  • High-functioning anxiety often appears as productivity while the body sends distress signals like tension, racing heart, and exhaustion that the mind dismisses.
  • Physical factors including caffeine tolerance, alcohol rebound anxiety, sugar crashes, dehydration, sleep debt, food sensitivities, thyroid issues, and iron deficiency can trigger anxiety symptoms.
  • Modern overstimulation from constant phone use and FOMO keeps the nervous system in alert mode; quiet time and nature provide calming sensory grounding.
  • Perfectionism, "shoulds", and self-doubt can push high standards into chronic anxiety, particularly affecting high-achieving women balancing careers and caregiving.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is high-functioning anxiety?

High-functioning anxiety masquerades as productivity while the body sends distress signals like tension and racing heart, but the mind insists everything is fine and under control.

What physical factors can trigger anxiety?

Caffeine tolerance, alcohol rebound anxiety, sugar crashes, dehydration, sleep debt, food sensitivities, thyroid issues, and iron deficiency can all trigger anxiety symptoms.

How does modern technology affect anxiety?

Phones keep the nervous system in FOMO and alert mode through constant inputs and frantic scrolling, whereas quiet time, nature, and gentle sensory grounding promote calm.

Who is the guest on this episode?

Elke Scholz (also referred to as Elka in the notes) is the guest who explores high-functioning anxiety with host Cheryl.

How can I contact the podcast?

You can contact them by WhatsApp on +447485622662 to share feedback about the episode.