The Mind-Body Connection: Can Trauma Be Stored in the Body?

We tend to think of trauma as something that lives in the mind — an emotional scar, a memory we’d rather not revisit. But for many people, trauma doesn’t stop at thought or feeling. It shows up in the body: in tight shoulders, chronic stomach aches, restless sleep, or fatigue that lingers no matter how much rest you get.

This isn’t just poetic language. Research in psychology, neuroscience, and somatic therapy is beginning to reveal how closely our minds and bodies are linked — and how trauma can leave an imprint that feels physical as well as emotional.

The Nervous System: Bridge Between Mind and Body

When something traumatic happens, our autonomic nervous system (ANS) jumps into action. Heart rate spikes, breathing shallows, muscles brace. In the short term, these responses help us survive. But when trauma isn’t fully processed, the nervous system can remain dysregulated.

Over time, this may look like hyperarousal (feeling “on edge”) or hypoarousal (feeling shut down and disconnected). Because the ANS governs so many functions — digestion, circulation, sleep — its dysregulation can ripple throughout the body.

Somatic Memory and Embodied Experience

The idea that trauma lives in the body is often described through the concept of somatic memory. This doesn’t mean your muscles literally store memories, but that the body “remembers” trauma in how it reacts.

A recent study on emotional body maps found that people across cultures consistently describe emotions as sensations in specific areas of the body — like anger in the chest or anxiety in the stomach. This suggests that our physical and emotional experiences are deeply intertwined, sometimes beyond conscious awareness.

What Experts Say

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, psychiatrist and author of The Body Keeps the Score, explains:

“Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs…”

His work emphasizes that talk therapy alone isn’t always enough — healing often requires reconnecting with the body through practices like yoga, somatic therapy, or breathwork.

Not everyone agrees with his framing. Critics of The Body Keeps the Score caution that some claims about “body memory” stretch beyond the current science, and that the phrase itself is more metaphor than proven mechanism. Still, even skeptics acknowledge that trauma leaves lasting effects on physiology, particularly the nervous and endocrine systems.

Signs Trauma May Be Showing Up Physically

• Chronic muscle tension or pain
• Migraines and headaches
• Digestive issues (such as IBS)
• Heart palpitations or dizziness
• Persistent fatigue or sleep difficulties
• Hypersensitivity to noise, light, or touch

As van der Kolk notes, long-term muscular tension and chronic pain are often linked to unresolved trauma.

Approaches to Healing

If trauma shapes both mind and body, it makes sense that healing often has to involve both as well. Many people find that combining traditional talk therapy with body-based practices creates the most sustainable path forward.

Somatic therapies can help release tension and bring awareness back into places of the body we’ve learned to ignore. Breathwork and mindfulness practices support nervous system regulation, offering tools to calm heightened states or lift moments of shutdown. Gentle movement — whether yoga, stretching, or simply walking with attention — can create a sense of safety in motion again. Even journaling about physical sensations alongside emotions can deepen the connection between what we feel inside and what we can name on the page.

The common thread is pacing. Approaching the body with curiosity and kindness, ideally with guidance from a trauma-informed practitioner, ensures that healing feels safe rather than overwhelming.

Living in a Body That Remembers

The idea that trauma lives in the body can sound mysterious, even intimidating. But perhaps it’s better seen as an invitation: to pay attention, to notice where we carry stress and pain, and to approach healing not only through words but also through the body itself.

Our bodies may not keep memories like a diary, but they do keep the echoes of what we’ve lived through. Recognizing those echoes is often the first step toward release, balance, and renewal.