Stress and Pain: Breaking the Cycle with Mind-Body Techniques

By Hannah Friedman | February 28, 2025

Stress and chronic pain often go hand in hand. When you’re in pain, your body is under constant physical stress, and when you’re stressed, it can make your pain worse. This vicious cycle can feel impossible to escape, but understanding the connection between stress and pain is the first step toward breaking it.

Let’s explore how stress affects your body and some practical mind-body techniques that can help you manage it (including some content from our video library).

How Stress Affects Chronic Pain

Stress is your body’s natural alarm system. When you’re stressed, your brain sends signals that release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, preparing your body to fight or flee. This “fight-or-flight” response is helpful in emergencies but can become harmful if activated all the time. 

Chronic stress keeps your body in a heightened state, which can:

  • Increase muscle tension, leading to stiffness and discomfort.
  • Amplify pain sensitivity by increasing activity in your nervous system.
  • Trigger inflammation, which is linked to many chronic pain conditions, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia .

Chronic pain also contributes to stress, creating a loop where pain leads to stress, and stress worsens pain. Breaking this cycle requires tools to calm your body and mind.

The Mind-Body Connection in Pain Management

Your brain and body are deeply connected. Stress affects your nervous system, which plays a key role in how you perceive pain. The good news is that you can activate your parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s “rest and digest” system—to counteract the effects of stress. Techniques like mindfulness, yoga, and deep breathing can help reduce inflammation, lower cortisol levels, and even change the way your brain processes pain.

Mind-Body Techniques to Break the Stress-Pain Cycle

Here are some science-backed techniques that can help you manage stress and, in turn, improve your pain:

  1. Mindfulness Meditation
    Mindfulness involves focusing your attention on the present moment without judgment. Studies show it can reduce stress and improve chronic pain symptoms by altering pain perception .

    • Try this: Sit in a quiet spot, close your eyes, and take slow, deep breaths. Focus on your breath as it moves in and out. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breathing.
  2. Deep Breathing Exercises
    Deep breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, calming your body and relaxing tight muscles .

    • Try the 4-7-8 method: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale slowly for 8 seconds. Repeat 4 times.
  3. Yoga and Stretching
    Gentle yoga poses can relieve muscle tension and calm your nervous system. It’s a great way to combine movement with mindfulness .

    • Beginner pose: Child’s Pose—kneel on the floor, stretch your arms forward, and rest your forehead on the ground.
    • Check out our video library for yoga and stretching videos geared towards people with chronic pain.
  4. Guided Imagery
    This relaxation technique uses mental images to create a sense of calm. Research shows it can reduce pain and stress .

  5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
    PMR involves tensing and relaxing each muscle group in your body. It helps release tension and promote relaxation .

    • Start at your toes, tense for 5 seconds, and release. Move up your body, one muscle group at a time.
    • Try our progressive muscle relaxation guided meditation.

Incorporating Stress-Relief Practices into Daily Life

Starting small is key to building consistency. Here are some tips:

  • Dedicate just 5–10 minutes daily to one technique, such as mindfulness or breathing exercises.
  • Pair activities with your routine (e.g., deep breathing during your morning coffee).
  • Use apps or alarms as reminders to practice regularly.

woman in black crew neck shirt wearing black headphones

Additional Resources for Stress and Pain Management

  • Books: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD.
  • Apps: Calm, Headspace, or Insight Timer for guided meditations.
  • Videos: Check out our video library for some relaxation videos.

Conclusion

Stress and chronic pain can feel overwhelming, but breaking the cycle is possible. By incorporating mind-body techniques into your daily routine, you can calm your nervous system, reduce inflammation, and improve your quality of life. Start small, experiment with different techniques, and find what works best for you.

Try this: Pick one of the practices above and set aside 10 minutes today to try it. Notice how it makes you feel—and how it may help ease your pain over time.

A Mother With Her Daughters Sitting On Sofa meditating cross legged

Sources:

Conrad, A., & Roth, W. T. (2007). Muscle relaxation therapy for anxiety disorders: It works but how? Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(3), 243–264. ScienceDirect

Ghasemian, M., Owlia, S., & Owlia, M. B. (2016). Review of Anti-inflammatory Herbal Medicines in the Management of Pain Related to Rheumatic Disorders: A Literature Review. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research, 21(3), 232–242. PubMed Central

Goyal, M., et al. (2014). Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(3), 357–368. JAMA Internal Medicine

Posadzki, P., & Ernst, E. (2011). Yoga for low back pain: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Clinical Rheumatology, 30(9), 1257–1262. SpringerLink

Posadzki, P., & Ernst, E. (2012). Guided imagery for musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 28(6), 535–547. LWW Journals

Russo, M. A., Santarelli, D. M., & O’Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe, 13(4), 298–309. PubMed Central

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