12 lesser-known anxiety symptoms that might surprise you
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Sometimes your physical or emotional weirdness could actually be anxiety. Uncover 12 lesser-known symptoms of anxiety, how to spot them, and 10 steps you can take to feel better.
Have you been feeling off lately, but can’t put your finger on it? If you’ve been struggling with fatigue, vision that feels a little blurry, your jaw feels tight, or you keep misremembering details that should be burned into your brain, you could be experiencing symptoms of anxiety.
Most of us think of anxiety as panic attacks, racing hearts, and hyperventilating, and while these symptoms are true of anxiety disorders, anxiety has a wide range. Some symptoms of anxiety are pretty sneaky.
So, if you’re not feeling right and don’t know why, here’s a look at some lesser-known anxiety symptoms that could be causing you distress. They may surprise you.
12 lesser-known (and possibly surprising) anxiety symptoms
Many of us think of anxiety as racing thoughts, rapid heartbeat, and constant worry. But it can also appear in ways you might not expect. Here are the different types of lesser-known anxiety symptoms you should keep in mind for those days when you just feel weird.
3 cognitive symptoms of anxiety
Anxiety can mess with your mental clarity and cause memory loss, overthinking, and catastrophizing everything.
Memory lapses or brain fog: Struggling to remember names, to-dos, or what you just were about to say could be an anxiety symptom.
Indecisiveness and overthinking: Making a decision feels impossible. You loop through pros and cons endlessly and second-guess yourself into paralysis.
Intrusive thoughts or catastrophic thinking: Unwanted, repetitive thoughts or extreme and irrational thoughts might mean you’re experiencing anxiety.
3 mood-based & emotional symptoms of anxiety
Feeling anxious can show up in your emotional world in ways that feel out of sync or disproportionate.
Irritability or short temper: You might find yourself snapping at loved ones or losing your cool over small things because you feel overwhelmed.
Emotional numbness or detachment: If you feel nothing at all, this could be your mind’s way of shutting down to avoid emotional overload.
Persistent dread or anticipatory anxiety: Constantly feeling like something bad is going to happen, even when there’s no evidence, could be a sign of anxiety.
3 physical symptoms of anxiety
Anxiety can manifest in physical symptoms and possibly mimic other conditions.
Jaw tension, teeth grinding, or facial tightness: Chronic tension in your jaw or face muscles could be a result of stress being stored physically, especially when you sleep.
Muscle twitching or trembling: If you notice little spasms or shakes, particularly when you’re trying to relax, this might be a symptom of excess adrenaline or nervous system dysregulation.
Chest tightness, dizziness, or hot flashes: These symptoms are often confused with other health issues, but they can be part of the body’s stress response.
3 sensory & perceptual symptoms of anxiety
Feeling anxious can distort your perception of the world around you in both big and small ways.
Blurry vision or visual distortions: During high stress, your pupils could dilate or the muscles around your eyes could tighten. This might lead to temporary changes in your vision.
Hypersensitivity to sound or light: If bright lights cause you to feel dizzy and everyday noises start to feel painful, this could mean your nervous system is in high-alert mode.
Feeling “zoned out” or detached from reality: Feeling like you’re watching your life from the outside, or like the world around you is slightly unreal, is also an anxiety symptom.
How to manage lesser-known symptoms of anxiety: 10 tips to feel better
Experiencing lesser-known anxiety symptoms can make you feel like your body and brain are malfunctioning. But you’re not malfunctioning; your body is just trying to protect you.
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, here are 10 ways to feel better.
1. Validate what you’re feeling
Acknowledge that what you’re experiencing is real. When you write down your symptoms or say them out loud, it can help build a bridge between your body and your awareness.
Try jotting down what you’re noticing in your journal. It might be as simple as “Feeling spacey today,” or “Keep forgetting basic things.”
2. Use your body to anchor your mind
When anxiety makes your mind foggy, grounding can bring you back. Two helpful practices are pressing your feet into the floor and clenching and releasing your fists.
You could also do the 5-4-3-2-1 method by looking around you right now and naming five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you can taste.
3. Breathe slower
Deep breaths are great, but a slow exhalation can signal to your nervous system that you’re safe. So, aim for a longer exhale than inhale.
Try breathing in for four seconds and out for six seconds for a few rounds, especially when your body feels overstimulated.
Read more: 10 types of breathing exercises (and how to practice them)
4. Watch your caffeine
Caffeine can spike anxiety symptoms like twitching, heart palpitations, and jitters. To better keep your anxiety at bay, notice when and how much caffeine tends to make you feel off.
Consider switching to decaf or a herbal tea for your second cup of coffee. (Here are seven tips to calm your caffeine jitters if you’ve drank too much coffee today.)
5. Gently move your body
A short walk, some light stretching, or even standing and shaking out your limbs can help discharge anxious energy stuck in your muscles.
If you’re feeling physically buzzy or mentally foggy, try a 5-minute walk outside. As you walk, pay attention to how your feet feel on the ground.
6. Nurture your sensory system
Calming your senses can help reset your system, especially if you’re experiencing symptoms such as blurry vision, noise sensitivity, and skin irritation.
To soothe yourself, use a weighted blanket for pressure-based comfort and light a candle with a scent you love. You may also want to keep earplugs on hand for when the sound becomes overwhelming.
7. Limit information overload
Constant notifications, emails, and doomscrolling can keep your nervous system on high alert. To de-stress, set screen-free breaks.
Take a 10-minute break without your phone between tasks or before bed. During this time, try something non-stimulating, such as staring out the window, stretching, or sipping water.
💙 Create a more balanced relationship with your phone during the Build Healthier Phone Habits series with Dr. Aditi Nerurkar.
8. Practice low-effort mindfulness
Mindfulness is about paying attention on purpose, even briefly. This can take you out of your anxiety-filled head and bring you back to the present.
Two practices you could try are pausing while washing your hands to feel the water temperature and taking one minute before meals to breathe and notice your surroundings.
💙 Listen to Mindfulness with Tamara Levitt to help bring you back into your body.
9. Talk to a professional
A therapist can help you work through your symptoms and lessen your shame spiral.
Start by saying, “I’ve been having some weird symptoms I think might be anxiety. Can I talk it through with you?”
10. Build small pockets of calm into your day
A few minutes of self-care a day can help you create fundamental shifts in how your nervous system handles stress.
You could do two minutes of breathwork before a meeting or add a “no multitasking” rule for your first 10 bites of lunch. You could also listen to a calming song in the car.
Read more: 20+ self-care practices to help you prioritize your wellbeing
Lesser known anxiety symptoms FAQs
What are some lesser-known anxiety symptoms?
Common but lesser-known anxiety symptoms are jaw tension, blurry vision, muscle twitching, memory lapses, and emotional numbness. Many times, these symptoms are chalked up to poor sleep, stress, or even illness. But they can be rooted in anxiety.
These symptoms can be unsettling because they’re not as recognized. In fact, a lot of the time, many people worry that there’s something physically wrong with them, which can create more anxiety.
Can anxiety really cause jaw pain or blurry vision?
Anxiety can cause jaw pain and blurry vision. Jaw pain is usually caused by subconscious clenching or grinding, particularly at night. This tension is a physical manifestation of the body's response to stress. It can then lead to muscle soreness, headaches, and even temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).
On the other hand, blurry vision can happen when your body’s fight-or-flight response is triggered. Stress hormones like adrenaline can change how your eyes function, including altering pupil dilation or reducing blood flow to the eyes. This can then make your vision feel fuzzy or strained.
Why do I keep zoning out during conversations?
Zoning out, or dissociating, is the brain’s attempt to protect you from overstimulation or emotional overload. A lot of people think this is laziness or rudeness, but most of the time, it’s actually an anxiety coping mechanism.
When you feel this way, ground yourself by noticing what you can feel, hear, or see around you. Doing this can help bring you back into the present.
What are unusual anxiety behaviors?
Some unusual anxiety behaviors are avoiding certain places or people, obsessively checking things, picking at your skin or nails, over-planning, and constantly needing reassurance. It can also look like irritability and snapping at loved ones.
These behaviors are often misunderstood, but they’re usually just attempts to regain control, soothe discomfort, and prevent perceived threats.
How do I talk to my doctor about my unusual anxiety symptoms?
Start by being as specific as possible and describing what you’re noticing. You might say, “I’ve been getting random jaw pain and blurry vision, and I think it might be stress-related.” You could also write down your symptoms ahead of time if that helps, especially if they’re hard to articulate.
Additionally, it’s more than okay to say, “I’m not sure this is anxiety, but I just want to rule it out.” A good provider will take your concerns seriously.
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