This isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a survival mechanism. But over time, the same responses that once protected us can start to create pain, inflammation, and disconnection.

In this article, we’ll explore how trauma becomes biology, how our bodies hold pain, and how we can begin to heal.

When the Body Says “No More”

As trauma expert Dr. Gabor Maté describes in When the Body Says No, chronic stress and unprocessed trauma can rewire the nervous system. The body, always listening, begins to say “no” through illness, fatigue, or chronic pain.

When overwhelming events occur—whether through neglect, loss, or chaos—the nervous system activates its primal survival responses: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. If the danger never truly ends, the system doesn’t reset. Instead, it learns to live in protection mode.

That protective wiring becomes the lens through which we experience the world. Even decades later, something as small as a tone of voice or a delayed email reply can feel like a threat. This is the body remembering.

The Alarm System: How Trauma Rewires the Nervous System

Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) acts like an internal alarm system. In healthy regulation, it oscillates between alertness and rest. But trauma can lock that system into hypervigilance (constant anxiety) or shutdown (numbness and fatigue).

Through repeated activation, neural pathways become sensitized to threat. This is why trauma survivors may overreact to minor stressors. The brain and body are primed to expect danger.

The Metabolic and Hormonal Cascade

Dr. Aimie Apigian, physician and author of The Biology of Trauma, describes trauma as a biological state as much as an emotional one. Prolonged stress changes how our hormones, mitochondria, and immune systems function.

Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, is helpful in short bursts, but when trauma keeps it elevated, inflammation rises, and repair slows. Over time, the body begins storing trauma as cellular memory, manifesting as pain, fatigue, or autoimmune conditions.

In this state, the body isn’t broken. It’s doing its best to adapt to protect life, even if that protection creates suffering.

Common Physical Signs of Stored Trauma

When trauma becomes embedded in the body, it can appear in ways that seem unrelated to emotion. Common physical indicators include:

These symptoms aren’t “in your head.” They’re your body’s language, an expression of unresolved survival energy seeking completion.

Epigenetics: How Trauma Can Be Passed Down

Emerging research in epigenetics shows that trauma doesn’t just shape our own biology; it can influence how genes are expressed in future generations. Children of trauma survivors may inherit heightened stress responses even without direct exposure to the original event.

This means healing is not only personal; it’s generational. Every time we regulate our nervous system, we model safety for those who come after us.

The Path to Healing: Returning to Safety

Healing trauma is not about reliving pain, it’s about restoring the body’s sense of safety. Through compassionate awareness, somatic practices, and consistent support, the nervous system can learn that the danger has passed.

Somatic and Biological Pathways to Healing

• Grounding and breathwork help the body release stored activation.
• Gentle movement.
• Nutrition and rest support hormonal balance and reduce inflammation.
• Therapeutic connection working with a trauma-informed coach or therapist can guide regulation and integration.

As safety builds in the body, clarity returns to the mind. The same energy that once fueled survival becomes available for creativity, presence, and connection.

Simple Daily Practices to Support Regulation

You don’t have to overhaul your life to start healing. Small, consistent actions make the most significant difference:

Even a few moments of embodied awareness each day can begin to shift your biology toward calm.