Great Ways to Reduce Anxiety
Photo credit: Eric DiTommaso
I think at some point or another everyone goes through a severe bout of anxiety. It’s only natural. These days keeping on top of everything can be a real challenge, especially if you work full time and have children. That’s why it’s important to keep up with your own mental and physical health. You’ll benefit from incorporating the following ways to reduce anxiety should you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed.
Sleep.
A good nights sleep is more important than you may know and it has the power to shape your attitude on everything. An inconsistent sleep schedule will surely do you in. Without quality rest, life problems will appear to be (and feel) much bigger and unmanageable than they probably are. If you allow the stress to manifest, your sleep will suffer and the vicious cycle will continue. Figure out how many hours you need to be at your best and make yourself a priority!
The 2 for 1 Rule
For every negative thing you think about during the day, force yourself to come up with two positive. A lot of stress derives from your minds unwillingness to acknowledge anything beyond your troubles and fears. If you open yourself up to the good things as often as you hang on to the bad, you’ll feel less weighed down by the struggles you face. Faking it till you make it always works too- and by that we mean- smile. Find a funny video or look through photo albums full of good memories and remind your body how it feels when it’s uplifted.
Clean up!
If you’re overwhelmed by your life make sure you’re not also buried in clutter. Devote some of your time to picking up the areas you frequent in your home. 15 minutes of tidying up can make a huge different on your mental state. You’ll be able to think rationally and not feel like the world is closing in around you.
Breathe Deep
One of the most amazing things I’ve learned over the last year was how to breathe. I took a wonderful yoga class from a dear friend and was floored by the breathing exercises. If you imagine yourself filling and emptying your core in three parts, bottom, heart, entire chest- the quality of your breathe will be so much better. In a true moment of stress, force yourself to close your eyes, and breathe deeply for several minutes. Your heart rate will slow, and you will be more centered.
If you’re frequently suffering from anxiety attacks, perhaps you should sign up for a yoga class like I did and learn many more ways to de-stress!
Organize your life
Buying a whiteboard calendar for my wall was the most incredible way to visualize everything I needed to do in my life. I’ll never not rely on my whiteboard when it comes to keeping up with everything that needs to get done in my life.
It’s amazing what looking at and structuring your todo list can to not only to your life but your attitude. You are able to more fully enjoy your downtime because you have a set routine in place. You will know that with a little determination, everything that needs to be done will be done. Every task has an allowed time. While some life events can’t be planned, it helps prevent added stress when taking control over the ones that can.