You can make sure you’re breathing deeply by putting a hand on your stomach so that you can feel it rise.
Any task can help you move past your anxiety. It doesn’t have to be a walk.
For example, you could do 10 minutes of yoga in the morning or evening. If you practice the poses often, they’ll be easier to do when you feel anxious and need to calm down.
This is a great technique for times when you can’t fall asleep.
Perform small but annoying tasks right away so they don’t start accumulating. Pay your bills and parking tickets on time, get your taxes done well in advance, register for classes in plenty of time, keep your doctor and dentist appointments, and so on. You may have the power to change situations that seem out of your control if you approach them from a different angle. For example, if you’re dreading a family reunion that’s coming up, put a time limit on how long you’re going to stay. Make sure your accommodations are comfortable. If taking these measures still doesn’t stop feelings of extreme anxiety, you can always skip the event. You have control over how you spend your time.
Do what you can to make the situation better. For example, you can talk with a financial counselor to help you sort out your financial issues. You can spend time helping your loved one who is ill. You can talk to your partner about getting couples counseling. Limit the time you spend actively thinking about your main sources of stress. You can’t change anything by obsessively worrying. Do what you can do, then spend time thinking about something else or having some fun, even if it just means taking a walk or watching an episode of your favorite show.
If you’re a beginner, pick up a guided meditation CD or join a meditation class. The leader of the meditation will teach you how to relax your mind and reach a state of calmness when your thoughts start to race. Mindfulness meditation is also useful. [8] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source It involves focusing on the source of anxiety until you’ve thought through it and your mind is free to think about something else for the rest of the day. If you tend to wake up full of anxiety, rise and go to a quiet, peaceful place in the house. Spend 5 minutes thinking through your worries and making plans on how to deal with the issues you can change. After that, go about your day knowing you’ve already addressed what’s bothering you.
Talking to a trusted loved one is a good place to start. Your partner, parent, sibling, or dear friend knows you well and may be able to provide an inside perspective on how to reduce your anxiety. On the other hand, the people close to us are often sources of anxiety themselves. Talk to a therapist. Therapists are trained, objective listeners who are getting paid to give you the tools to relieve your anxiety. If you feel persistent anxiety that you can’t seem to kick on your own, you should give therapy a try. Learn how to talk about your feelings in a healthy way as they occur. Don’t bottle things up.
Limit sugary and starchy foods. Most “comfort” food falls into the sugar or starch category, but these types of foods cause your blood sugar levels to spike and lead to greater anxiety. Drink less caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, so reaching for that cup of coffee in the morning could be making you feel more anxious. Either stop drinking it altogether or limit yourself to one cup of coffee a day. Limit your alcohol intake. It’s tempting to reach for alcohol when you just want to free your mind from stress. However, the temporary relief alcohol provides gives way to an increased state of anxiety. Alcohol is a depressant, so it can make your mood worse, and its effect on the body - dehydration, water retention, and negative long-term health effects - are anxiety-inducing on their own.
Acai berries, blueberries, and other foods high in antioxidants. Detoxifying your body can help reduce anxiety. Foods high in magnesium and potassium, natural stress reducers. Eat nuts, dark chocolate, and bananas.
Cardio exercises like biking, power walking, running, or swimming. Weight training exercises that improve your muscle tone. Strengthening exercises like yoga and Pilates.
Get rid of clutter. [13] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source Having piles of books and mail, recycling waiting to be taken out, or files that need to be put away sitting around your house can make anxiety so much worse. Organize your house and workplace so that everything has a place, ideally out of sight, and take the time to pick things up and put them away every single day. Redecorate a room or two. Freshen things up to give yourself a new perspective. Paint your bedroom or living room a different color, buy new sheets or throw pillows, and rearrange the furniture. Spend time in new places. [14] X Trustworthy Source American Heart Association Leading nonprofit that funds medical research and public education Go to source Take a weekend trip, or simply a walk in a park on the other side of town, to change up your routine every once in a while. Stimulating your brain with new sights, sounds and smells can be a big mood booster.
Chamomile flower. This powerful flower has a calming effect. Buy a box of chamomile tea or take chamomile extract or supplements. Chamomile tea may cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to ragweed or Valerian. Valerian root. This root is popular in Europe as an anti-anxiety treatment. This herb may cause allergic reactions in some people. Kava kava. This Polynesian plant has a sedative effect, which is said to help treat anxiety.
