And in times like these, these habits can worsen, further. The body often speaks first, and under stress, it rarely stays still.<\/p>\n
Stress moves before it speaks <\/p>\n
Amid prolonged uncertainty and geopolitical tension, the mind often translates stress into restlessness and fidgeting.<\/p>\n
It comes down to the brain, as Dr Diana Maatouk, clinical psychologist at the Hummingbird Clinic explains. \u201cWhen situations are uncontrollable, the brain stays in a state of alert, for a long period of time. This is tied to the body\u2019s stress response system, which is often associated with the fight-or-flight mechanism.\u201d <\/p>\n
And even when there\u2019s no immediate danger, the anticipation of probable threats, keeps the anxiety elevated, which manifests physically as fidgeting, and that includes tapping fingers, shaking legs and pacing.<\/p>\n
The hidden toll on young minds <\/p>\n
An Abu Dhabi-based mother who doesn\u2019t wish to be named, had a bit of a difficult time initially, to ensure that her child focused on his studies at home during the period of distance learning. The seven-year-old would start pacing up and down, every chance he got, and once even took to scribbling on the walls out of boredom. \u201cHe didn\u2019t like being home at all. He wanted to be with his friends and play football, and even thought that we were being unreasonable \u201c<\/p>\n
It was quite a challenge at first, as she too, had to manage her own office work from home. \u201cHe started scribbling for my attention, as if almost defiant, waiting for me to send him to school. But after my conversations, outings in the parks, he finally understood and calmed down. He got to play his friends and I had to keep reiterating to him, that he just needed to wait for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sara Amhaz, a clinical psychologist based at LightHouse Arabia, Dubai, breaks it down further, agreeing that children and adolescents are often more vulnerable during these periods. It may not be because they experience more stress than adults, but, because they process it differently. \u201cUnlike adults, they may not yet have the language or emotional awareness to fully articulate what they are feeling. As a result, distress is often expressed through the body rather than through words,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
When it\u2019s more than just a \u2018habit\u2019<\/p>\n
You need to observe patterns, intensity, and impact, as well as distinguishing between temporary habits, stress responses, and neurodivergent patterns such as those seen in ADHD or sensory processing differences.<\/p>\n
Families and individuals should pay closer attention when behaviours:<\/p>\n
Become frequent, repetitive, or difficult to stop<\/p>\n
Intensify during stress or uncertainty<\/p>\n
Lead to physical consequences such as hair loss or skin damage<\/p>\n
Interfere with daily functioning, concentration, appetite or sleep<\/p>\n
Are accompanied by emotional distress such as irritability, anger, anxiety, or withdrawal. <\/p>\n
In these cases, the behaviour is no longer just a habit. It is likely serving a regulatory function for underlying stress.<\/p>\n
When you need to seek help:<\/p>\n
The behaviour persists over weeks or months without improvement<\/p>\n
The individual feels unable to control it<\/p>\n
There is noticeable emotional distress or functional impairment<\/p>\n
The behaviour escalates in frequency or severity<\/p>\n
It begins to affect self-esteem or social interactions<\/p>\n
How these habits can be prevented<\/p>\n
While stress cannot always be avoided, its impact can be buffered through intentional strategies, explains Amhaz. <\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0Encourage emotional expression
Create safe spaces for children and adults to express feelings openly, without judgment. This can be as simple as building small, consistent moments into the day where emotions are acknowledged. For example, asking open questions like ‘What was the hardest part of your day?’ or \u201cWhat is something that made you feel worried today?\u201d can help children begin to name their feelings.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0Maintain structure and predictability
Consistent routines help regulate the nervous system, especially during uncertain times. This can include setting clear start and end times for school and work, building in regular breaks, and maintaining simple anchors such as meals, wind down routines, or shared family moments. <\/p>\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0Offer practical regulation tools and skills
Introduce healthier outlets such as sensory tools, drawing, movement, or structured play, alongside simple, evidence-based techniques like slow breathing or grounding exercises<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Strengthen family co regulation
Children rely on the emotional stability of adults. Calm, attuned caregivers can significantly reduce stress responses. Taking breaks, naming your own emotions, and using healthy coping strategies teaches them what regulation looks like in practice.<\/p>\n
5.\u00a0 Be mindful of exposure
Limit unfiltered exposure to distressing news or online content, particularly for younger individuals. It is equally important to be aware of verbal exposure.<\/p>\n
6.\u00a0Stay connected
Within the home, creating intentional moments of connection such as shared meals, family games, or daily check in rituals can help maintain a sense of closeness. What matters most is consistency and feeling emotionally connected, rather than the format of the interaction.<\/p>\n
7.\u00a0\u00a0Build a sense of control through small choices
During uncertain times, offering age-appropriate choices can help restore a sense of agency. This could be as simple as choosing between two activities, planning part of their daily routine, or deciding how to approach a task. A sense of control reduces the need for the body to seek regulation through repetitive habits.<\/p>\n
8.\u00a0\u00a0Notice and respond early
Pay attention to subtle changes in behaviour rather than waiting for patterns to escalate. Early, supportive responses are often more effective than trying to reverse a well-established habit later.<\/p>\n
Stress and the body posture<\/p>\n
Stress wraps the body in an iron fist.<\/p>\n
Just as fidgeting becomes a learned coping mechanism, so too does posture. A hunched back, rounded shoulders, say enough. The body, mirroring the mind\u2019s unsettled state, begins to default to positions that feel protective. It is, in many ways, an extension of the same stress response, only subtler, and often harder to spot.<\/p>\n
As Nikola Vagic, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgery, Medcare Orthopaedics and Spine Hospital-Sheikh Zayed Road, explains, \u201cThe body instinctively shifts into a protective mode, leading to subtle changes like rounded shoulders, a forward head position, or a tightened core. Over time, these patterns can become habitual, making posture appear more closed or guarded without the person even realising it.\u201d<\/p>\n
This constant state of internal alertness keeps the nervous system switched on, long after the immediate stressor has passed. The stress keeps the nervous system in a constant alert state. The muscles stay slightly contracted. <\/p>\n
And so, the body never fully relaxes. The tension leads to stiffness, fatigue and discomfort in specific muscle groups.<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly, the strain tends to collect in familiar places. It gathers in the neck, shoulders, upper back and jaw. The lower back and hips can also be affected, particularly when stress alters movement patterns or reduces physical activity. <\/p>\n
Lakshana is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with over a decade of experience. She covers a wide range of stories\u2014from community and health to mental health and inspiring people features. <\/p>\n
A passionate K-pop enthusiast, she also enjoys exploring the cultural impact of music and fandoms through her writing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"And in times like these, these habits can worsen, further. The body often speaks first, and under stress,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":392988,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[163,85,46,522,523],"class_list":["post-392987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-health","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=392987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/392987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/392988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=392987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=392987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=392987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}