Is Your Flexible Body Secretly Sabotaging Your Calm?—Find Out More

Some people appear to be wired to experience things more strongly, both physically and emotionally. This could be more than just loose joints or physical flexibility for people with joint hypermobility.

Studies reveal a connection between hypermobility and heightened activity in brain areas related to stress response, body awareness, and anxiety, such as the amygdala and insular cortex.

This may help to explain the increased susceptibility to anxiety, panic, and increased sensitivity to internal feelings in individuals with hypermobility. This is corroborated by neuroimaging research, which shows anatomical and functional changes in the brain that could intensify their physical and emotional experiences.

In short, yes. Your flexible body could be one of the reasons why you have an anxious brain.

Anxiety and Hypermobility

Anxiety disorders affect about 19% of U.S. adults each year and can involve symptoms like constant worry, restlessness, rapid heartbeat, and shortness of breath. Causes are often complex, involving genetic, environmental, and physical factors.

One possible physical factor is joint hypermobility—when joints move beyond the normal range. While up to 20% of people have some degree of hypermobility, those with conditions like hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) or joint hypermobility syndrome (HMS) are more likely to experience both physical issues and anxiety.

What the Brain Tells Us About Hypermobility and Anxiety

The connection between joint hypermobility and anxiety may stem from how the brain processes emotions and bodily sensations, particularly in the amygdala and insular cortex:

• Amygdala: The brain's "alarm system" that triggers fear and anxiety in response to threats.
• Insular Cortex: Helps interpret bodily sensations like heartbeat and gut feelings.

In people with hypermobility:

• Both brain regions are more reactive, particularly in those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
• Brain scans show structural differences, including a larger amygdala, a trait not typically seen in people with clinical anxiety.

This suggests a unique neurological profile where anxiety may result from how the brain is wired to perceive both internal and external threats, rather than just life stress or thought patterns.

Why Sensitivity Feels Overwhelming

Understanding this brain-body feedback loop could lead to better treatments—like helping the brain reinterpret body signals and reduce amygdala reactivity.​

Key Findings from Research:

These studies shed light on the unique brain patterns that may explain why anxiety is more common in people with joint hypermobility. Here are the standout findings:

Enhanced Amygdala-Precuneus Connectivity

Individuals with joint hypermobility syndrome (HMS) exhibited stronger functional connectivity between the amygdala (involved in threat detection) and the precuneus (associated with self-awareness and bodily perception).

This heightened connectivity may contribute to increased emotional sensitivity and anxiety.

Amplified Interoceptive Processing

The study found that hypermobile individuals, especially those with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), showed increased activity in the anterior insula—a brain region crucial for interpreting internal bodily sensations.

This suggests that they may perceive bodily signals, like a racing heart, as more intense or threatening, potentially exacerbating anxiety symptoms.

Implications for Treatment

Understanding these neural connections opens avenues for targeted interventions. Therapies focusing on regulating amygdala reactivity and improving interoceptive accuracy, such as biofeedback or mindfulness-based approaches, might offer relief for individuals experiencing both hypermobility and anxiety.

“Hypermobility was associated with increased activity in the left amygdala and mid-insula during emotional processing tasks.” Eccles et al. 2024 stated in their study.

These brain differences may create a neurological profile that predisposes people with hypermobility to anxiety, not through traditional psychological routes, but via altered emotion and body-signal processing.

Luckily, there are practical things you can try to feel more in control, both physically and mentally.

1. Try Grounding Techniques

When anxiety spikes, it can be helpful to reconnect with your body. Grounding exercises—like taking slow, deep breaths or focusing on the things you can see, hear, and touch—can help calm your nervous system and bring you back to the present moment.

2. Move Your Body with Mindful Exercise

Gentle movement practices like yoga, Pilates, or tai chi are great for hypermobile joints.

3. Train Your Body Awareness

People with hypermobility often feel internal body sensations more intensely. If that sounds familiar, you might try interoception training—basically, learning to notice and respond to these sensations in a calm, controlled way.

4. Build Emotional Strength

Because the brain areas that process emotions and threats are often more reactive in those with hypermobility, it can be really helpful to practice techniques that help you manage anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is one option—it's a proven way to reframe anxious thoughts. You might also try mindfulness, which helps you observe your emotions without letting them take over.

5. Stay Active and Hydrated

Exercise isn’t just for your muscles; it can help regulate your body’s stress responses, too. Regular movement helps keep your body and mind balanced, while staying hydrated is key to managing symptoms like dizziness and palpitations, which can be more common with hypermobility.

6. Reach Out for Help

If you’re finding that anxiety or joint pain is getting in the way of your day-to-day life, talking to a healthcare professional who understands hypermobility could make a big difference.

These tips aren’t about “fixing” everything overnight but finding small, practical ways to take better care of both your body and mind.

At the end of the day, anxiety and hypermobility are deeply intertwined, affecting everything from how someone feels emotionally to how their body functions day to day. By approaching care with this bigger picture in mind, we can do a better job of helping people find real relief and feel more at home in their bodies.