15 Easy Ways to Beat Anxiety Now
I’m halfway out the door in the
morning with a heavy bag in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. Then I
wonder: Where did I put my keys? And so begins the 20-minute panicked
reconnaissance mission for the keys I swore were on the coffee table. I
start to feel flustered and irritable as I frantically search. My memory gets
foggy as my heart starts to pound and my palms sweat. It’s another anxious
morning.
Anxiety
Alert — The Need-to-Know
Technically, anxiety is apprehension over an upcoming event. We anticipate the
future with sometimes scary predictions that don’t necessarily have any basis
in truth. In everyday life, anxiety’s physical and emotional symptoms can mean an increased
heart rate (and even heart attack), poor concentration at work and school, and sleeping
problems..
Anxiety
and stress are physical and emotional responses to perceived dangers (that aren’t always real). And since most of
us aren’t running from tigers or hunting and gathering in the woods, it’s
often the little things that put us over the edge: an over-loaded email
inbox, morning rush hour, or losing those keys before running out the door.
Luckily, it’s easy to beat this kind of stress with just a few easy changes
added throughout the day.
If
you’re looking to reduce daily anxiety, these 15 tips will get you on your way
to being calm and collected in no time.
Cool as a Cucumber — Your Action Plan
1.
Get enough sleep.
Inconsistent sleep can have some serious consequences. Not only does it affect
our physical health, but lack of sleep can also contribute to overall anxiety
and stress. And sometimes it turns into a vicious cycle, since anxiety often
leads to disruptions in sleep [1]. Especially when feeling anxious, try to schedule a full
seven to nine hours of snooze time and see what a few nights of sweet slumber
do for those anxiety levels throughout the day.
2.
Smile.
When work has got us down, it’s a good idea to take a quick break to get some
giggles on. Research suggests that laughter can reduce symptoms of depression
and anxiety, so consider checking out a funny YouTube
clip to
calm those jittery nerves.
3.
De-clutter the brain. Physical
clutter =
mental clutter. A messy workspace can make it more difficult to relax and make it seem like our
work is never-ending. So take 15 minutes or so to tidy up the living space or
work area, and then make a habit of keeping things clean and anxiety-free.
It’ll help us think rationally, and there won’t be as much room for anxiety.
4.
Express gratitude.
Studies have found expressing gratitude helps reduce anxiety, especially when
we’re well-rested. Start a gratitude journal to get in the mindset of
appreciation, and out of the mindset of being overwhelmed.
5.
Eat right.
Anxiety can throw our bodies totally out of whack: Our appetite might change, or we might crave certain foods. But to
give the body the support it needs, try eating more of foods that contain nutrients such as vitamin B and
omega-3s, plus some healthy
whole-grain carbohydrates. Studies have linked vitamin B with good mental
health, and omega-3s may help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Whole-grain carbs help regulate levels of serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that helps
us remain calm. And even though our cravings might be telling us otherwise, research suggests that eating sugary and
processed foods can increase symptoms of anxiety.
6.
Learn to breathe. A useful tool to prevent panic attacks, the breath is also
a great marker of where your anxiety level is at throughout the day. Short,
shallow breaths signify stress and anxiety in the brain and body. On the flip side,
consciously breathing, plus lengthening and strengthening the breath helps send signals to the brain that it’s okay
to relax.
7.
Meditate. By
now most of us have heard that meditation is relaxing, but what scientists are also discovering is that meditation
actually increases the amount of grey matter in the brain, essentially rewiring
the body to stress less. A number of recent studies highlight the positive
effects of meditation on anxiety, mood, and stress symptoms. Meditation is also
a way to observe the brain, letting us figure out how our mind generates
anxiety-provoking thoughts. And understanding the brain’s thought patterns can help create distance
from those thoughts.
8.
Create a vision board. If the future seems big and scary, try changing the
thoughts about what lies ahead. Sometimes the mere act of setting concrete goals can take the edge off
anxiety about future unknowns. Take an hour to produce a vision board that creates excitement
about projects and possibilities to come. And for those who aren’t the crafty
type, try making an e-vision board using Pinterest for some Pinspiration. While
making the board, try using the T.H.I.N.K. tool: Is my thought true, helpful,
inspirational, necessary and kind? If not, dump the thought.
9.
Play around.
Kids and animals seem to have an innate ability to play, without stressing
about their overflowing inboxes. Until business offices give us recess breaks,
we’ll have to take responsibility for our own playtime.
10.
Be silent.
Plan for a time when you can completely disconnect. Start with increments of
time that seem sustainable and doable for you, even if it’s just five minutes.
That means phone off, no emails, no TV, no news, nothing. Let other people know
they won’t be able to reach you so you can veg worry free. There’s some
evidence that too much noise can boost our stress levels, so schedule some sacred
silent time among all the ruckus of daily life.
11.
Worry.
Yes, we can cause ourselves to freak out, but only for a certain amount of
time. When something weighs heavily on your mind, or you believe something
terrible is most definitely going to occur, commit to only creating that worry for 20 minutes. Think of all the possible
outcomes of the scenario, figure out some game plans, and then quit thinking
about it after 20 minutes go by. Schedule some of that playtime right
afterward.
12.
Plan ahead.
Fight anxious thoughts in advance by preparing for the day ahead. Try making a schedule or
a to-do list and develop habits that
increase productivity. So instead of spending 10 extra minutes every morning
frantically looking for those keys, make a habit of always putting them in the
same place when you come home. Lay out clothes the night before, pack a gym bag
and leave it by the door, or make lunch ahead of time. Focus on how to
“un-think” the anxiety-producing beliefs by prepping before they pop up.
13.
Visualize anything positive. When confronted with anxious thoughts, take
a moment to visualize yourself handling the situation with calm, ease, and
clarity. Try not to pay attention to the current mental state; just focus on
the feeling of smooth-sailing through the storm. The technique is called “guided imagery” or “guided visualization” and can help reduce
feelings of stress.
14.
Smell something relaxing. Try sniffing some calming oils. Basil, anise, and chamomile are great
choices; they reduce tension in the body and help increase mental clarity.
15.
Hang out.
People who have lots of social support tend to react less negatively to stress than those who fly solo. That’s
probably because socializing stimulates the production of the hormone oxytocin,
which has an anxiety-reducing effect [10]. So the next time a freak-out appears on the horizon,
grab some pals and go for a walk or just have a quick chat.
The Takeaway
In
an ideal world, we wouldn’t come up with thoughts that produce stress or
anxiety. But we’re human and inevitably worry about things. So when we do start
to freak, there are lots of little steps we can take to change our thoughts,
calm the brain, relax the body, and get back in the game.
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by
http://greatist.com/happiness/reduce-anxiety
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