Why Do I Shake When I'm Anxious, and How Do I Calm It?
Stress hormones leave your muscles tense and twitchy, and trembling can follow. Trying to hold it still adds tension, while gentle movement and a slow out-breath can make it easier to sit through.
You shake when you are anxious because anxiety sets off the fight-or-flight response: stress hormones circulate and ready your muscles to move, and trembling is one of the signs that can follow. It is part of a natural alarm response, though tremor has other causes too. This post covers the mechanism, internal shaking, what helps in the moment, and when shaking needs a doctor.
Why your muscles shake when you are anxious
A perceived threat starts the fight-or-flight response. Cleveland Clinic explains that heart rate and breathing rise to send oxygen to your major muscle groups, and lists being tense or trembling among the signs: stress hormones are circulating, so you may feel twitchy, "like your muscles are about to move at any given moment."
The same page notes that psychological stress, such as an important work meeting, can set off this response too. Your body then reacts as if the meeting were a real danger, even though there is nothing to fight or run from.
Trying to stop the shaking adds tension. Keeping your hands still means tensing muscles that are already tense, and hiding the shaking adds the worry that someone will notice. The NHS lists trembling and shaky limbs among panic symptoms and says panic attacks, though frightening, are not dangerous. The brain side is in what happens in your brain during a panic attack.
Visible shaking, internal shaking, and the shakes afterwards
Anxious shaking usually rises with the alarm and eases as it drops. It can show in your hands, arms or legs, or stay internal, a buzzing inside the body that nobody else can see.
Trembling can also continue after a panic attack. Cleveland Clinic notes that the stress response switches on in an instant, while the return to your normal state varies from person to person, so shaky hands and legs can outlast the fear. For next-day exhaustion, see the panic attack hangover.
The NHS lists stress, tiredness, anxiety, caffeine, alcohol, smoking and being very hot or cold among the things that make a tremor more noticeable. Caffeine gets its own post in caffeine and anxiety. The same page notes that a slight tremor is normal.
Shaking is also a symptom of low blood sugar, which the NHS says usually affects people with diabetes who take insulin or some other diabetes medicines. If you have diabetes, follow your treatment plan rather than assuming the shaking is anxiety.
What helps in the moment, and what makes it worse
You cannot switch the tremor off on command. If you know the shaking is anxiety, these steps can make it easier to sit through.
Lengthen the out-breath. Breathe out a little longer than you breathe in. The calm breathing exercise gives you a pace.
Use the big muscles. Walk, shake out your arms, or press your palms against a wall for a few breaths, then let your arms relax.
Get warm. Cold makes a tremor more noticeable, so add a layer or run warm water over your hands.
Let it run. Plant your feet and let the shaking happen. It usually settles as your body calms down.
Some habits work against you. Gripping a cup or your hands adds tension. Holding your hands out to check always finds some movement, because a slight tremor is normal. Searching your symptoms mid-episode feeds the checking cycle described in what is an anxiety loop. If scanning your body is hard to stop, 5-4-3-2-1 grounding moves your attention outward. For a full panic attack, the steps are in how to calm down during a panic attack.
When shaking needs a doctor
Feeling anxious does not rule out other causes of a tremor, and shaking when you do not feel anxious is worth showing a doctor.
Call your local emergency number for a drooping face, weakness or numbness in an arm or down one side of the body, slurred speech or sudden confusion, whether or not you are shaking. The NHS lists these as signs of a stroke and says to get help straight away even if they stop. Get emergency help too for severe withdrawal symptoms after stopping drinking, such as visible shaking, confusion, hallucinations or a seizure. The NHS warns that stopping suddenly can be very dangerous for someone dependent on alcohol. The ordinary morning-after version is in anxiety after drinking.
See a doctor if a tremor is getting worse over time or affecting your daily activities, as the NHS advises, or if it began after a new medicine. Some medicines can cause a tremor, but do not stop a prescribed one without asking your doctor. An overactive thyroid can cause nervousness, anxiety and trembling, along with signs such as weight loss despite a bigger appetite. A blood test can often show whether the thyroid is involved.
Holding a tremor still tenses muscles that are already tense. Try gentle movement and a slow out-breath instead.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
Are anxiety tremors dangerous? +
Cleveland Clinic lists trembling among the signs of the stress response. The NHS says panic attacks, though frightening, are not dangerous. See a doctor if a tremor is getting worse, affecting your daily activities, or showing up when you do not feel anxious. Call your local emergency number straight away for sudden weakness, speech difficulty or confusion, even if these stop.
What is internal shaking from anxiety? +
Internal shaking is a trembling or buzzing feeling inside the body that other people cannot see. Because nothing shows, it is easy to keep checking for it, which keeps your attention on the feeling. If it stays when you are calm or comes with new symptoms, have it checked.
Why do I shake after a panic attack? +
Cleveland Clinic notes that the stress response switches on in an instant, while the return to your normal state varies from person to person, so trembling can continue after the fear eases. Sit somewhere warm, breathe out slowly, and let it settle without checking it.
Can I shake from anxiety without feeling nervous? +
Feeling nervous is not the only thing that makes a tremor stand out. Besides anxiety, the NHS names stress, tiredness and caffeine, and it notes that a slight tremor is normal. If shaking shows up when you do not feel anxious, show it to a doctor rather than assuming it is anxiety.
Author
Sebastian Cochinescu · Founder, Anima Felix
Founder of Anima Felix. Writes about everyday anxiety patterns, practical calming tools, and how conversational product design can support people in anxious moments.
Read author profileWhere Anima Felix fits
While the wave passes
If your shaking belongs to an anxiety pattern a doctor has already looked at, Anima Felix offers guided breathing and grounding exercises to use while the alarm settles. It does not assess a tremor, find its cause, or replace medical care.
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