Ep15: That Tightness in Your Chest Isn’t Just Stress: What Your Body Might Be Telling You

Chest tightness.

That one body whisper that feels impossible to ignore. The pressure that makes you pause, wonder if it’s your heart—and sometimes even sends you spiraling into anxiety.

In this episode of your body speaks, Dr. Brook Sheehan shares a powerful real-life story and breaks down one of the most misunderstood symptoms women experience: tightness in the chest. Sometimes it’s physical (like a hiatal hernia), but other times? It’s emotional. Mental. Spiritual.

You’ll walk away from this episode with clarity, compassion, and practical ways to interpret what your body might actually be trying to say—without fear, overreaction, or overwhelm.

💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What a hiatal hernia is and how it can mimic heart-related symptoms
• Simple lifestyle shifts to reduce chest pressure naturally
• Why many women are misdiagnosed—or not diagnosed at all
• The emotional, mental, and spiritual weight we carry in the chest
• How to use the bodyOS™ framework (physical, spiritual, emotional, mental) to decode what your chest tightness is trying to communicate
• Calming techniques that support your nervous system and restore a sense of safety

🛠️ Tools + Resources Mentioned:

• ✨ Download – My Body’s Whispers Journal
  Track physical sensations, emotional triggers, and bodyOS™ insights to help you connect to your body’s cues.
  👉 https://os.drbrooksheehan.com/bodys-whispers-journal
• 🧭 Join the Waitlist for the bodyOS™ Membership
  This is where deeper healing happens—one whisper, one pillar, one transformation at a time.
  👉 https://os.drbrooksheehan.com/bodyos-membership-waitlist

🕊️ A Reflection from the Episode:

“Whether it’s your stomach pushing upwards, your boundaries collapsing inwards, or your soul asking for space to breathe—your body is speaking. And you were created to hear it.”

🎧 Listen in if you’ve ever:

• Felt scared by chest tightness but had “normal” test results
• Wondered if emotions could physically affect your chest or breath
• Experienced anxiety after eating or lying down
• Wanted to respond to your body’s signals with faith, not fear
• Needed a reminder that you’re not broken—you’re being invited to listen

If this episode brought you peace or clarity:
✔️ Share it with a friend who’s been silently struggling
✔️ Leave a review so more women can find this message
✔️ Follow @drbrooksheehan for more bodyOS™ wisdom

Transcript

Hey, friend.
Welcome back to
your body speaks.
I am Dr.
Brook Sheehan, and today
we are exploring one
of the most alarming whispers
the body can send.
Chest tightness.
The one that stops you in your
tracks and makes you panic
and has you wondering,
am I having a heart attack?
I totally get this because
it happened to me last week,
and I've seen it happen first,
firsthand with countless
people in my world.
A woman I was working with
was convinced something
was wrong with her heart.
She had been experiencing
persistent tightness in her
chest, occasional shortness
of breath, some nausea,
and heavy pressure
right under her sternum.
She had gone through the whole
medical circuit.
Blood work, ekg, stress tests,
cardiology, referrals.
And each time she was told,
everything looks normal.
She was relieved on one hand,
but incredibly anxious
on the other because her body
didn't feel right to her.
After we had talked through
her experience and I asked
some deeper questions, it
became clear that what she
was feeling wasn't coming
from her heart, but in
fact, it was coming from
her stomach.
She was dealing with
a hiatal hernia, a common
but often overlooked
issue that can
mimic heart symptoms
and something many of
you may even be experiencing
right now.
Let's Let's talk about what a hiatal
hernia actually is first.
A hiatal hernia occurs when
the upper part of the stomach
pushes upward through that
opening called the hiatus,
and into the chest cavity.
Now, when it happens, it can
create symptoms like chest
tightness or pressure,
shortness of breath, heart
palpitations, reflex or
bloating, and anxiety
sensations that seem to
come out of nowhere.
You've been there, right?
Because it mimics heart
symptoms, many people
understandably panic.
But here's the catch.
Unless the hernia is large
or visible on a scan,
it is often missed.
It is only actually
diagnosed if there's
significant protrusion.
So people get told you're
fine and given a clean bill
of health, which is great.
But they still don't feel
good in their bodies.
Maybe a little less anxious now
because they know confidently
that their heart isn't failing
them, but still feeling
the pressure and the tightness
in their chest.
I want to share with you some
of the causes of a hiatal
hernia before I really get
into the things you can do
to help support your body if
this is in fact happening to
you.
The causes of a hiatal
hernia are often lifestyle
related and reversible.
Very important to note.
One of those things is eating
too fast, overeating,
lying down after eating,
slouching or tight waistbands.
Like those tight elastic
waistbands on those little
cute skirts we wear ladies.
Or poor diaphragmatic movement
from high states of stress.
If any of this sounds
familiar, here are some
simple solutions to try.
Number one, Slow
down when eating.
Chew more, breathe.
Do not eat on the go
or while distracted.
Number two, avoid lying
down for at least 45
minutes after meals.
This gives your stomach time
to start digesting
with the help of gravity.
Number three, eat to 80% full.
Your stomach isn't
a storage tank.
Give it room to do its job
without pushing upward.
and if you're one of those
people who also grew up where
we were taught Finish your
plate.
Finish your plate.
No matter how much
food is on there.
I'm here to tell you that
it is okay that not
to finish your plate.
You can package up the food
and eat it later.
Number four, Try a gentle
self correction technique.
What you want to do first is
to drink warm water
first thing in the morning.
That will be
incredibly helpful.
But if this is not morning
time and you're dealing with
this mid afternoon, here's
another thing you can do.
Stand super tall, reach
your arms way overhead.
Inhale full inhale, rise
on your toes as you do that.
And then as you exhale,
you're going to drop your arms
down and you can repeat that
And you And And you can repeat that
three to five times.
It's simple, but it can help
bring the stomach back
down below the diaphragm.
And just a quick sidebar.
This is not medical advice.
Always check with
a provider you trust.
Now back to
the regular program.
Of course not all chest
tightness is mechanical or
comes from the food we eat.
Sometimes your body is asking
you to pay attention
to what you are carrying.
And this is why I teach
the body OS framework.
Because your body does not
only speak through physical
symptoms, it speaks through
four interconnected pillars.
Physical, spiritual,
emotional and mental.
one relate I want to explore
how each one can relate to
that tightness in your chest.
So emotionally.
Have you swallowed your
voice too many times?
Are you holding grief or
frustration in these lungs?
Disappointment and pushing it
down instead of processing?
What about mentally?
Are your thoughts
looping nonstop?
Are you constantly analyzing,
managing, planning,
never letting your mind
rest or spiritually?
Are you carrying burdens
that aren't yours?
Do you feel disconnected
from peace,
from purpose or from God?
Sometimes the tightness
is a whisper.
You weren't meant
to carry this alone.
So what can you do when you
feel that pressure rise
and you've already adhered
to the physical signals
but still feel like your body
is still saying more?
Number one, pause and breathe
deep into your belly.
Chest breathing
keeps the tension
in your upper body.
Belly breathing tells
your body we're safe.
Number two, place your hand
over your chest and say
to yourself, I'm listening,
I'm not here to fight you.
And number three, use your
My Body's Whisper Journal.
Write down what you're feeling,
where you feel,
feel it, what is happening
before it started.
And then ask is this physical,
spiritual, emotional, mental
or a combination of pillars
that are being impacted?
Number four, try some
vocal release Hum.
Sing, exhale with sound.
That one right there is
something that I do a lot
and one that always gets
my husband asking what's
on your mind and heart?
He knows these releases
activate your vagus
nerve and helps calm down
your nervous system.
Try number five.
Pray or reflect.
Ask God, what do you want me
to release right now?
Is this mine to hold?
What are you saying to me?
Then pause,
Let your body settle.
Let your soul exhale.
And listen.
Chest tightness doesn't always
mean you're in danger.
Sometimes it means you're
holding on to too much.
So the next time it shows up,
don't immediately rush to
fix it or freak out and send
yourself into more anxiety.
Instead, pause.
Breathe.
Ask.
Respond.
Because whether it's your
stomach pushing upwards, your
boundaries collapsing inwards,
or your soul asking for space
to breathe, your body is
speaking and you were created
to hear it.
If this episode helped
you rethink a symptom you've
been scared of,
please share it with somebody
else who you know needs
this very same shift.
And do not forget
to download your free copy of
the My Body's Whisper Journal
in the show notes.
That is the perfect companion
to help you decode the cues
your body is sending.
And if you are ready for
deeper support, the bodyOS
membership is coming soon.
We'll be diving into
this work together.
The four Pillars
One step at a time.
The wait list is also
in those show Notes for you.
And remember, your body
was created with
the greatest technology
that lies within you.
Not to confuse you, but to
guide you, to protect you,
to heal you.
So trust what it is saying
and honor the wisdom
that God has already
placed inside of you.
Until next time, listen,
trust and transform.