Stress is not only something you feel in your head. When pressure builds, a lot of people find it quietly settles into their neck, shoulders or back, and they only notice once things are aching. That tight, braced feeling is your body responding to being under load, and it is really common. The good news is that once you know to look for it, there is a lot you can do to let it go.

Why stress lands in your muscles

When you are under pressure, your body tenses up as part of its natural response, readying itself for action. That is fine in short bursts, but when stress hangs around, the tensing does too, and muscles that never quite switch off start to ache. It often shows up first in the shoulders creeping towards your ears, a tight neck, or a clenched jaw. Knowing this is a physical response, not something you are imagining, is the first step to easing it.

Catch the tension early

Because the bracing happens without you noticing, a good habit is to check in with your body now and then through the day. A few times a day, pause and notice your shoulders, jaw and hands. Are they tight? Simply dropping your shoulders, unclenching your jaw and letting your hands soften releases tension before it has time to build into an ache. It takes seconds, and done regularly it stops the stress quietly stacking up in your muscles.

Move it out through the day

Tension eases with movement, so breaking up long, still, focused stretches helps a lot. You could roll your shoulders slowly, gently turn your head from side to side, or stand up and have a proper stretch every so often. A short walk works well too, since it loosens everything and clears your head at the same time. Little and often beats one big attempt to undo a whole day's tension at bedtime.

Use your breath to settle

Your breathing is one of the quickest ways to tell your body the pressure is off. When you are stressed, breathing tends to get shallow and high in the chest, which keeps everything braced. Slowing it down, a few longer, gentler breaths with the out-breath a little longer than the in, helps your body ease out of that alert state. A minute of this between tasks can noticeably loosen your shoulders and neck.

A few things to try

• Check in with your shoulders, jaw and hands a few times a day.
• Drop and soften them whenever you notice tension.
• Break up long still stretches with gentle movement.
• Take a short walk to loosen up and clear your head.
• Slow your breathing for a minute to help your body settle.

Stress settling into your body is a normal response, not a weakness, and it tends to ease once you give it somewhere to go. Small releases through the day keep it from tightening its grip, so the pressure does not have to end up sitting in your neck and shoulders.

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