Laura Rose Ogden, Author at Sensitive Refuge

How Being a Highly Sensitive Person Affects Your Body Physically

Laura Rose Ogden — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Being a highly sensitive soul isn’t just in your head — it’s also in your skin, your nervous system, and even your pelvic floor muscles.

It is a physically taxing experience to be highly sensitive. In fact, research shows that sensory processing sensitivity (the other name for high sensitivity) is increasingly being linked to physiological reactions.

If you’re a highly sensitive person (HSP), you probably know this already — you’ve felt physically tired or pained from having your senses be overwhelmed. Scary movies, loud parties, and upsetting news (and more) can all cause physical reactions in a highly sensitive person’s body.

I did some more research into this because of my own health journey recently. I’ve been seeing a pelvic floor physiotherapist for several months. (Generally, they can help women strengthen their pelvic floor muscles, which can be impacted by things such as childbirth, surgery, menopause.)

As a result of seeing this specialist, I have learned so much about the way being highly sensitive can take a toll on your muscles, skin, nervous system, and more. I’ve also learned how my sensory sensitivity is linked to feelings of anxiety, and how that has affected my muscles and the nerve receptors in my skin. Fascinating!

After learning about this, I went on to do more research, which I will elaborate on below. In short, I’ve discovered many other physiological reactions we highly sensitive people can have, including headaches and a stressed-out digestive system.

Being highly sensitive is a full-body experience. And I wanted to share what I’ve learned in case anyone else might find it helpful. So, here’s what I’ve learned about how being a sensitive soul can take its toll on your body (and don’t worry, it’s not all bad, I promise).

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4 Common Ways Your Sensitivity Is Affecting Your Body

Headaches

If you’re highly sensitive, you probably have had your fair share of headaches. Whether you’re overwhelmed by a long meeting of constant talking, a concert with too many bright lights and sounds, or just had an emotionally taxing day… Point being, if you’re overwhelmed, you’re likely to feel it in your head at some point.

Psychology and physiology are linked in many ways; for highly sensitive people, the connection can be even more sensitive and obvious. You might get headaches more often, or more intensely.

Research has found that people with higher sensitivity are more likely to get migraines. That makes sense because highly sensitive people may have a heightened response to stress and stress is a major contributor to migraines — especially chronic migraines. So, if you’re an HSP suffering from frequent migraines, you are far from alone.

To help combat this, try and take note of when and where you notice yourself getting headaches. This might help you avoid certain places, people, and times that you know overwhelm you physically. (Also, carrying ibuprofen or panadol with you can go a long way.)

Personally, I have been getting headaches regularly since I was a child. My advice is to take yourself to a dark, quiet room and lie down, put a cold, wet washcloth on your forehead, and close your eyes. A cold, quiet shower — that includes getting your head and hair wet — can work wonders, as well.

Muscular Contractions

Your body reacts to being overwhelmed mentally in unexpected ways; one of these is through muscular contractions. Research has found that anxiety and stress are among the causes of muscles contracting. Furthermore, your muscles can chronically contract as a way to avoid and stifle any overwhelming feelings of overstimulation.

So check yourself when you’re overstimulated or overwhelmed to see if your muscles are tight or clenched. These things can work both ways: Relaxing the body can help you relax and sit with overwhelming thoughts and feelings. You can try meditating, doing yoga, journaling… anything that helps bring you peace.

This can work its way to your digestive system, clenching and tightening the muscles around your intestines and creating digestive issues. Which I will talk about next…

Digestive Issues and Gastrointestinal Stress

As above, the muscles in your body can affect your digestion if you’re clenching and tensing as a reaction to being oversensitive to external stimuli or emotions. There is a lot of research to back this up, too, how our emotions affect our digestive system — and, usually, not for the better. For instance, you can feel nauseous in the gut if you’re nervous, or pain in the stomach if you’re stressed.

Further studies show that your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is sensitive to your emotions. This is especially noticeable in people with no obvious GI disorders who experience a distressed gut, whether it’s increased stomach pains or stomachaches.

Highly sensitive folks can experience this more than others, as we can even be sensitive to the emotions of others, as well as often being more stressed by the world around us.

It’s important to listen to your gut — physically and via your “gut feeling” — when it is telling you that you are stressed out. It’s an indicator that you are overwhelmed and need time alone to decompress and relax.

Hypersensitive Nerves

In my own physiotherapy, I’ve learned how my sensitivity to external stimuli is linked to feelings of anxiety and has caused the nerve receptors in my skin to be on high alert. This phenomenon is referred to as “hypersensitive nerves.”

It can come and go depending on your stress levels, and it is more likely to be a problem if you are regularly hyperstimulated or stressed. This leads your nerves to being on high alert as a defense mechanism. The nerves in your skin react as though you are being threatened and send off big warning signals to your brain. You might feel highly reactive and sensitive to anything touching your skin — which is common among HSPs. (Goodbye, itchy sweaters and tags! However, the reaction can become quite more heightened.)

This is important for highly sensitive folks to be aware of because we are more sensitive to external stimuli. If you are regularly in an environment where your stress response is triggered and hyperstimulated, you can develop a nervous system response that includes heightened sensitivity to touch.

Luckily, this isn’t a permanent or harmful condition; it simply indicates that you are feeling overstimulated and need to take time for yourself away from any stressful environments. (And, of course, speak to your healthcare provider if you have chronic, persistent nerve sensitivity. You want them to rule out any other potential conditions.)

Need to Calm Your Sensitive Nervous System?

HSPs often live with high levels of anxiety, sensory overload and stress — and negative emotions can overwhelm us. But what if you could finally feel calm instead?

That’s what you’ll find in this powerful online course by Julie Bjelland, one of the top HSP therapists in the world. You’ll learn to turn off the racing thoughts, end emotional flooding, eliminate sensory overload, and finally make space for your sensitive gifts to shine.

Stop feeling held back and start to feel confident you can handle anything. Check out this “HSP Toolbox” and start making a change today. Click here to learn more.

The Big Takeaway: Listen to Your Body!

If there’s one piece of advice you take away from this article, make it this: Listen to (and be kind to) your body!

Being highly sensitive can make your muscles tight, put your skin receptors on alert, and give you headaches and even stomach pain. But that doesn’t mean being highly sensitive is a bad thing. (Just look at this article for all the things I love about being a highly sensitive person!)

Just because we burn out quickly, get overwhelmed, and feel stressed more often doesn’t mean we have to suffer. All it means is that you need to take time to look after yourself — to think about where you hold tension, if you’re breathing normally, if you’re clenching your muscles, and so on. Don’t ever underestimate the mind-body connection.

Have you noticed ways that your body is affected by being highly sensitive? Comment below!

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14 Things I Love About Being a Highly Sensitive Person

Laura Rose Ogden — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Sensitive souls are often at odds with society — and that actually makes us all the more valuable.

In the past, I’ve sometimes felt ungrateful for being a highly sensitive person (HSP) — especially when having to leave an event early due to overstimulation or when I was unable to enjoy an action movie without my hand on the remote the entire time in order to control the sound level. But now, I’m finding new ways to see being an HSP as an asset — not a hindrance.

This is something many highly sensitive people take time to accept, because society stigmatizes sensitivity as a weakness or an obstacle. That kind of message used to make me see my own sensitive personality as a drawback instead of the bonus it is.

But I’ve decided that it isn’t the sensitive souls who are at odds with society — rather, society is at odds with highly sensitive people. I’m here to tell you that there are plenty of great things about being highly sensitive that you may not even know yet, things other people don’t necessarily have the privilege of experiencing. And these things make life more interesting, more deep, more distinct, and more detailed. Here are all the reasons I love being a highly sensitive person.

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14 Things to Love About Being a Highly Sensitive Person

1. It makes you an amazing detective.

It’s probably no news to you that you pay a lot of attention to the tiny details. You notice the nuances in sounds, smells, sights, tastes, and feelings on a level other people cannot.

While it might not always be pleasant to smell or hear at a heightened level, you sure are better at detecting the source of the gross smell in the fridge or figuring out where the weird ticking noise is coming from in the garage. It might not be glamorous, but it’s pretty amazing when you think about it.

And when it comes to people, you can read them, too — you know when they’re keeping something from you, as well as how they’re feeling (and they don’t even have to say a word).

2. You and the universe have a special relationship.

As an HSP, you have a connection with the world around you that others can only dream of. You desperately need time away from all the hustle and bustle of life, and when you get that precious alone time — sometimes with just the sounds of nature to keep you company — you experience it with all the depth and clarity that only a highly sensitive person can. It’s the perfect time to be still and reflect…

3. Animals appreciate your sensitivity, too.

While you might think your sensitive nature goes unappreciated by other humans, your non-human companions truly appreciate having you to look out for them. Research shows that cats and dogs have more delicate senses than most humans, and you usually notice external stimuli that are upsetting your cat or the dog that no one else notices.

So just know that your animal companions are grateful to have you around to shut the windows when there are fireworks, or to notice that they’re distressed by a power saw being used two streets over. And, of course, they’re appreciative that you’re there to comfort them on a daily basis, too.

4. Sensitivity is like a priceless artifact.

Your sensitivity makes you delicate and subtle — words we often associate with things that are precious and dear to us, things that need to be protected and respected. Your sensitive nature is something people respect and love about you, and is something to be preserved and admired. For instance, if a friend is going through a breakup, you feel their pain as though it happened to you, and your friend appreciates your empathy.

5. You teach the world that resting is important.

In today’s “hustle culture,” it’s important that there are HSPs out there to show the rest of the world that it’s okay to value rest and quiet time. This is especially important since highly sensitive people tend to burn out quickly, too.

In fact, we need more sensitive people to show that a more restful lifestyle is viable — and sometimes necessary. Plus, we sensitive people need more sleep than others due to all the overstimulation we experience. To that end, when an HSP says, “I can’t do this, it’s too much; I need to rest,” it shows others that it’s okay to set boundaries and take time for yourself. In this way, sensitive folks are quiet pioneers and leaders, and have the power to make a difference.

6. You are a body language expert.

HSPs are the best at reading body language due to the way you are attuned to sense the small details. So you’re easily able to read not only the physical cues in a conversation, but also the emotional ones — you know when someone is nervous, upset, or elated, because you feel it, too.

While this might be overwhelming at times (and definitely is something to watch out for so that you don’t get drained), it’s a great skill to be able to read and empathize with others.

7. Conflict resolution comes to you naturally.

Your intuition and connection with your body put you in a special position to empathize with the people around you, and to avoid conflict when it arises. Now, it’s not always good to avoid conflict, but in most cases, you’ll find others are grateful for your desire to seek peace and harmony in the space around you.

8. You’re okay with being alone.

Maybe you haven’t noticed, but there are people out there who envy your independence. You generally don’t crave the spotlight and don’t want to be in the middle of the action — and that’s a great thing, because it means you have more time to focus on doing what you love.

Plus, we HSPs need more alone time than others due to the overstimulation we experience on a constant basis. And being at peace with being alone is so important and often makes you more self-reliant, which is an important skill in navigating the world.

9. You understand that time is precious.

I really value having the freedom to slow down and take my time. Being highly sensitive means needing time to process, and other people know that the time they spend with you is a gift that you give them. Plus, since we get easily overstimulated, we prefer to take our time doing things rather than rushing through things one after the next. Time anxiety is a real thing, and we HSPs react to it more so than most.

10. You’ve already overcome so much.

Think of all the obstacles you’ve overcome as a highly sensitive person during your life, and how much stronger it has made you. For instance, maybe you grew up with someone telling you you were “weak” or “too sensitive” — but you’ve since learned that’s false: Your sensitivity is an asset.

Similarly, think of all the positives your sensitivity brings to your life. You’re the empathic friend people turn to (they know you’ll actively listen and try to help them from a place of concern, not just to be polite). At work, you think through issues deeply and do a thorough job as a result. And in your romantic relationship, your empathy and compassion come through once again as you try your best to relate to your partner.

So whenever you think your sensitivity may be getting the better of you, think of all the ways it’s helped you get to where you are today.

11. You know all about expressing yourself — being sensitive has made you more creative.

Self-expression doesn’t come easily to everyone, yet we all need to do it. People who don’t express themselves creatively often bottle up emotions and repress their inner worlds.

But being a highly sensitive person means you probably already appreciate the importance of having solo hobbies that let you get it all out, because you’ve always needed to. You understand the need to express emotions and not bottle them up — something that some people never learn to do. Creativity comes naturally to you, whether it’s through writing, playing an instrument, art, photography, you name it.

12. You have deep focus and self-awareness.

Deep focus and self-awareness — these are not things to be taken for granted if you are an HSP. When you focus on the little things, it gives you a better appreciation of the deeper meanings, and your focus lets you see the way all the little things connect to the bigger things.

Plus, we HSPs are all about purpose — finding purpose in our lives (like what we do for a living and who we spend time with) is paramount for us.

13. You are a natural nature lover.

You respect the natural world and appreciate the quiet pace of nature. Your sensitivity to the seemingly small things, like the plight of a bumblebee or tree, makes you more valuable to the planet than you realize. You are sensitive to the world because it needs you to be.

Forest bathing is healthy for anyone to practice, but especially those of us with sensitive souls. It allows us to not only connect to the earth, but to ourselves.

14. Your relationships are close and meaningful.

Some people like having a huge envoy of friends to chat with so that they never have to feel alone, but how many of those friends genuinely listen to and understand them?

In my opinion, HSPs make infinitely better real friends, even if their circle is small. You appreciate deep, meaningful friendships: You’re a good listener, because you take in all the details, and you focus deeply on the person you’re with. And for the other person, it feels special knowing they’re not sharing your attention with several other people.

Being Highly Sensitive Is a Gift

I hope reading this list has helped you reconsider what it means to be a highly sensitive person. I hope it helps you to see yourself as having a unique superpower that few others have, a superpower that also makes the world a better place with you in it.

My fellow HSPs, what would you add to the list? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

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