We all know that stress can wreak havoc on our bodies. But have you ever considered how your emotional health might be playing a role in your physical symptoms? Conditions like gut issues, IBS, migraines, autoimmune diseases, insomnia, hormonal imbalances, frequent illness, and even severe PMS could all be linked to a dysregulated nervous system. But here’s the kicker: this isn’t just about your body being out of whack—it’s often a result of unprocessed emotions that are stuck in your system.

When we’re in a prolonged stress response, our bodies release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Normally, these hormones would be metabolized and flushed out once the stressful event passes. But when we don’t have healthy ways of processing stress and emotions, those hormones build up, leading to chronic stress and, ultimately, burnout. And the longer they stick around, the more likely they are to contribute to physical issues.

So, what’s really happening when we suppress our emotions, and why does it matter? Let’s dive into it.

Repressing vs. Suppressing Emotions: What’s the Difference?

First, it’s important to understand the difference between repressing and suppressing emotions.

• Repressing emotions is often unconscious. You might be in a situation where you disagree with something but don’t even realize how much it bothers you until later. It’s like your body and mind are hiding the truth from you because it feels too uncomfortable to confront.
• Suppressing, on the other hand, is a conscious choice. You’re aware that you’re angry, frustrated, or upset, but instead of expressing it, you decide to shove it down. Maybe you don’t want to rock the boat, or you’re afraid of causing conflict, so you hold it in.

While both repressing and suppressing might feel like good short-term strategies, they have long-term consequences on your nervous system and your health.

What Happens to Our Health When We Suppress Our Emotions?

There was a fascinating study done at UC Berkeley that highlights the impact of emotional suppression on our nervous system. In the study, participants were shown disturbing images—things that would naturally trigger an emotional response. Some participants were told to suppress their emotions, while others were allowed to react freely. The results? The group that suppressed their emotions showed heightened activation of their sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the fight-or-flight response. In other words, by holding in their emotions, their bodies entered a state of stress, even though they weren’t in any immediate danger.

This reaction is fine if it happens occasionally—like not laughing at a funeral or holding back from yelling during a heated dinner conversation. But when emotional suppression becomes a habit, it takes a serious toll on our physical and emotional health.

I’m currently reading The Myth of Normal by Dr. Gabor Maté, and it’s blowing my mind. In his work, Maté talks about how chronic illness is often linked to patterns of emotional suppression. He’s seen these patterns time and time again in patients dealing with ca litany of illnesses. The common thread? These people often suppressed emotions like anger, sadness, or frustration, not because they chose to, but because they had learned to do so as a way of coping with life’s challenges.

And here’s the really wild part: We live in a society that often rewards this kind of emotional suppression. Traits like being self-sacrificing, endlessly giving, or always putting others first are often celebrated. We see these characteristics as strengths—kindness, generosity, compassion—but we confuse them with the idea that we need to suppress our own emotions to uphold these values. But suppressing emotions is not the same thing as being compassionate or generous.

The Cost of Suppressed Emotions on Your Body

When we habitually suppress our emotions, our body perceives it as a form of stress. This activates our fight-or-flight response, releasing a flood of stress hormones like cortisol. Over time, these unprocessed emotions build up in the body and manifest as the physical symptoms we talked about earlier—gut issues, chronic pain, migraines, autoimmune diseases, and more.

And here’s the kicker: unprocessed emotions don’t just go away. They get stored in the body, sometimes for years or even decades, and continue to create stress in the system. This is why so many of us feel like we’re in a constant state of burnout or are dealing with chronic health conditions without any clear solutions.

So, What Can We Do?

The first step is compassion. Instead of beating yourself up for feeling a certain way or suppressing your emotions, get curious. Ask yourself, “What do I need right now?” instead of “Why am I like this?” This shift in perspective can help you start to unpack those emotions and process them in a healthy way.

Emotions are actually a form of intelligence. They’re signals that your body is sending you about what’s going on beneath the surface. When you start to identify the feelings and the physical sensations that come with them, you can respond to them with kindness instead of judgment.

Here’s an important truth: emotions don’t last forever. In fact, research shows that emotions only last for 90 seconds to three minutes when we allow ourselves to fully feel them. But when we suppress or repress them, that’s when they linger, creating stress in the body and contributing to chronic health issues.

Ready to Take Action?

If you’ve struggled with expressing your emotions or feel like it doesn’t feel safe to do so, or if you’re dealing with one of the physical conditions we’ve talked about and you’re ready to try something new, book a discovery call with me. Somatic release work, which is my bread and butter, is incredibly powerful in helping you release stored emotions and reset your nervous system.

It’s not “just” about emotional health—your physical health depends on it. You deserve to feel better in both your mind and body, and I’d love to help you take that step toward healing.

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