Everyone can suffer from anxiety from time to time. In small doses it is useful, because it allows us to understand if something unpleasant is about to happen. However, over time the stress could build up causing a continuous anxiety state against which it is necessary to act with a reconditioning of the mind. Fear and worry that something bad might happen can compromise your daily life, preventing you from relaxing and enjoying the present. Sometimes the anxiety subsides when the reason that triggered it is exhausted, but in others it can persist and dissolve the will to live. Hence, it is important to step in and adopt new physical and mental behaviors to find relief.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Mitigating Physical Reactions
Step 1. Breathe deeply
Stop whatever you are doing and focus solely on the breath. As you inhale, bring the air into your abdomen instead of your upper chest, then slowly exhale through your nose. Repeat the exercise 5 times, then breathe normally. Your chest should be relaxed to allow you to properly introduce air.
Make sure you breathe deeply by placing a hand on your stomach - you need to feel it as it rises
Step 2. Correct your posture
When you are anxious, the body tends to protect itself naturally, but by keeping your back straight you communicate to the brain that you are able to keep the situation under control. Keep your shoulders back, straighten your spine and lift your chin. You will begin to feel in full control and ease the anxiety.
Step 3. Take a walk
By moving, you can get out of your anxiety state. In this way, not only will you distract yourself from the triggering event, but you will also favor the production of feel-good hormones. If you can, take a walk in the fresh air, because nature helps to lift the spirit and mood.
Any physical activity can help you beat anxiety, not just a walk
Step 4. Do yoga
Practiced regularly, yoga can calm anxiety and lessen the physical response to stress. Take a class or try watching a tutorial or reading a manual.
For example, you could spend 10 minutes in the morning or evening. As you get used to it, the poses will become easier and easier to perform when you are anxious and feel the need to calm down
Step 5. Practice progressive muscle relaxation
Starting with your toes, contract and relax each muscle group. When your feet are finished, get up. Continue until you reach the head. In this way, you will be able to stretch your entire body.
This is a great technique when you can't fall asleep
Part 2 of 4: Developing New Mental Habits
Step 1. Identify the anxiety-inducing factors you can take action on
Sometimes anxiety arises from a feeling of overwhelm caused by the thousand things to do. Taken individually, no chore is a huge source of stress, but combined with many others it can become an overwhelming burden. You will be able to relieve anxiety by addressing the problems to be solved one at a time.
- Get the small tasks done right away, especially the annoying ones, so they don't pile up. Pay your bills and taxes on time, organize your class schedule, and make an appointment with your dentist and other doctors.
- You will only be able to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacles if you consider them from another point of view. For example, if a difficult family reunion is approaching, set a time limit for your presence. Find comfortable accommodation. If you continue to feel anxious despite everything, you can always decide not to take part in the event. It is up to you to decide how to manage your time.
Step 2. Change the way you perceive anxiety-inducing factors that are beyond your control
Some don't go away in the blink of an eye. Illness, financial problems, romantic conflicts, and other more persistent difficulties are not easily resolved. However, you can reduce the resulting stress and fear by changing your way of thinking.
- Do what you can to improve the situation. For example, you could talk to a financial advisor to resolve some financial problems. Try helping a sick person you love. If you have marital problems, offer couples therapy.
- Don't dwell on what makes you anxious. You won't be able to change anything if you think obsessively. Do whatever you can, then try to distract yourself and have fun. Even a simple walk or an episode of your favorite series is fine.
Step 3. Train your mind to relax
Have you ever tried meditation? It is very useful for overcoming anxiety immediately. With practice, it will help you improve your mental state and achieve balance.
- If you are a beginner, choose a guided meditation CD or sign up for a course. The instructor will teach you to relax your mind and achieve a state of calm, removing all overwhelming thoughts.
- Mindful meditation can also help. It consists in reflecting on the most anxious factors in order to examine them thoroughly, free the mind and, finally, be able to think about other things. If you usually wake up with anxiety, get up and go to a quiet place in the house. Focus on your worries for at least 5 minutes and think if you can solve some problems. In this way you will face the day with your mind clear of the thoughts that haunted you in the early morning.
Step 4. Express your mood
If you allow anxiety to build day after day, you will be bound to suffer from real attacks. So, tell someone how you feel. You will get to know an external point of view and maybe find some ideas to solve your problems.
- Talk to someone you trust and love. It's a great place to start. Whether it's your partner, parent, sibling, or longtime friend, he or she needs to know you well and be able to evaluate things in ways that can help you relieve anxiety. On the other hand, however, consider that the main anxiety-inducing factors are often the closest people.
- Consult a psychologist. He specializes in listening and offering advice that can help relieve anxiety. If you are unable to defeat it on your own, the advice of a psychologist may help you.
- Learn to express your feelings in a healthy way. Don't repress it.
Part 3 of 4: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Stop consuming foods and drinks that promote anxiety
You may be feeding tension by eating foods that increase stress. By limiting unhealthy foods and drinks, you will help calm your mind and stabilize your heart rate.
- Limit foods high in sugar and starch. Most comfort foods fall into this category, but they raise blood sugar and heighten anxiety.
- Get less caffeine. Since this substance stimulates the nervous system, coffee in the morning may make you more anxious. Stop drinking it completely or, at most, limit yourself to one cup a day.
- Limit your alcohol intake. We often tend to consume alcoholic beverages in an attempt to free the mind from stress. However, this is a temporary relief, as alcohol only increases anxiety. Alcohol promotes depression, so it can worsen mood. Furthermore, its effects on the body - such as dehydration, water retention and alterations in the functionality of systems and apparatuses - can cause anxiety over time.
Step 2. Opt for mood-balancing foods
In addition to eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats, choose the following dishes to recharge:
- Acai berries, blueberries, and antioxidant foods help you detoxify your body and reduce anxiety.
- Foods rich in magnesium and potassium naturally decrease stress. Consume nuts, dark chocolate, and bananas.
Step 3. Train regularly
According to some studies, people who engage in regular physical activity are less prone to anxiety. Moving improves blood circulation and offers a feeling of well-being thanks to the production of endorphins. Engaged, in rotation, in these types of exercises:
- Cardio exercises, such as biking, walking, running, and swimming.
- Weight lifting exercises to improve muscle tone.
- Muscle-strengthening exercises, such as yoga and pilates.
Step 4. Edit the spaces you live in
Sometimes anxiety gets worse when living or working in inappropriate conditions. Where you spend most of your time can greatly affect your mood. Make the following changes to relieve anxiety in your daily life.
- Get rid of the clutter. Don't leave books and letters littered everywhere, trash lying around or piles of things you hardly ever use. Confusion can increase stress. Tidy up your home or office so that everything fits in. Always try to store items after using them.
- Decorate a room or two. A few changes will give you new energy. Paint the walls in your bedroom or living room different colors, buy new linens, throw away the old pillows, and move some furniture.
- Visit new places. Treat yourself to a weekend out of town or take a walk in an out-of-the-way park to change your routine a bit. Stimulate your mind by exposing yourself to different sights, sounds and smells. It's a great way to lift your spirits.
Part 4 of 4: Consider Medication
Step 1. Try natural remedies
Many people find relief by using herbal compounds, which are particularly good for treating anxiety. You can ask the herbalist's for anti-stress products, such as:
- Chamomile flowers: have a calming effect. You can buy them in the form of tea bags, extract or supplements. Herbal tea can cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to ragweed or valerian.
- Valerian root: it is widely used in Europe to relieve anxiety. It can cause allergic reactions in some people.
- Kava kava: it is a plant native to Polynesia that has a sedative effect, useful in the treatment of anxiety.
Step 2. Get a prescription
In some cases, changes in lifestyle or the external environment are not enough. If you are experiencing anxiety attacks or think you have an anxiety disorder, you should see your doctor. Ask him if you can take anxiolytics: they are generally prescribed to those who suffer from this problem in a chronic form.
Advice
- Practice deep breathing techniques.
- Give yourself a nice warm bath. It can relieve anxiety.
- Even if you don't know the cause, the body is always able to react.
- Sometimes you suffer from anxiety when you are alone, usually at night. By listening to the sounds of nature or relaxing music, you will cover the noises that are likely to trigger it and you can even fall asleep!
