Why Do I Clench My Jaw and Tense Up When I Am Stressed? (September 2026)

Why do I clench my jaw and tense up when I am stressed

You clench your jaw and tense up when stressed because your body activates the fight-or-flight response, releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that cause your muscles, including the masseter muscles in your jaw, to contract involuntarily. This is a built-in survival mechanism. Your nervous system interprets stress as a physical threat and prepares your … Read more