Have you ever felt like you were in a very small space even though you were in a wide open areas? Have you ever had trouble breathing out of nowhere? Have you ever had a panic attack? These are just a some of the signs you might be experiencing anxiety with millions of other Americans. When you feel this way, you might not know what to do. However, if you educate yourself, you will be prepared to handle these moments and keep going on with your day to help handle those stressors. Here is more information about anxiety and what you can do in your daily life to relieve stress.
About Anxiety
The amount of Americans who suffer physical symptoms from stress and anxiety is a staggering 77%. We live in such a busy world that there are stressors being tossed at us all day. Some of the main causes include work, money, family, friends, genetics, health concerns, and a large number of other reasons.
Studies show anxiety can lead to severe health problems including high blood pressure, stroke, and even death. Even if you don’t experience those extreme health concerns, anxiety is likely to make people feel sick and fatigued, making life even more stressful.
10 ways to relieve stress
It’s easy to say that a lot of people suffer from anxiety, but what can we do about it? Well, we can do plenty as a matter of fact. The first step is to make the decision you want to be more calm. Then, you need to learn ways to do this. Here are 10 ways to relieve stress.
1. Eat right
Many people say that a healthy body and a healthy mind are connected, and there may be some truth to that. The things you eat have a large effect on your anxiety levels. Healthy, organic food will keep stress levels down. There’s even a specific lemonade thought to be perfect for people with anxiety.
While some foods help control anxiety, there are also foods that actually increase your stress levels. Some of the foods that can increase anxiety include caffeine, sugar, carbs, and alcohol. Try reducing or cutting out these items to help you fell more relaxed throughout the day.
2. Exercise
Many people need to relieve stress at the end of the day. Take all your pent up anxiety and hit the gym! Running, lifting weights, and working on your body help to let out everything negative inside of you. Feel free to do something fun, like a dance class or a kickboxing class if that will get you motivated. There are also exercises specifically designed for people with anxiety. Look into yoga and other options similar to it. You may discover just the thing you needed.
While many people think anxiety is mental, it can manifest itself in very real physical ways, so taking care of your body will not only help relax your mind, but it will prevent anxiety from causing physical problems.
Exercise can also help people sleep better. A good night’s sleep can also help you wake up feeling more relaxed and reduce your levels of anxiety.
3. Emotion Freedoms Technique (EFT) Tapping
If you’ve never heard of EFT tapping, it might be time to learn about it. The process consists of tapping on your person strategically to distract yourself from the overwhelming feelings of anxiety and instead help you focus on something else (the tapping). The practice started in 1980, and it’s grown in popularity as more and more people have progressed using the method.
EFT works by first establishing the problem, pressing pressure points on the body associated with the region of the problem in question in a specific form and sequence to let positive “chi” flow through and aid in curing. One of the many things EFT tapping can assist with is anxiety. Talk to a professional to learn more.
4. Eliminate unnecessary stressors in your life
There are plenty of necessary sources of anxiety- work, bills, and family just to name a few. You don’t need additional pressure on top of that. Look at the things causing you anxiety and analyze what you could stand to lose. Sometimes, people or activities do us more harm than good, and it might be helpful to eliminate or reduce these things from your life. That’s not an excuse to quit your job or never visit your mother-in-law again. However, the world will keep going if certain friends, recreational activities, or responsibilities weren’t as big of a priority in your life as they are right now. Sometimes, we take on too much, and it’s ok to take a step back.
5.Create a low-stress life
Sometimes, life is stressful because we make it stressful. Look at your life and do what you can to keep things simple for yourself. If traffic stresses you, look into public transportation. If you live in a huge house with a huge mortgage, look into down-sizing to something more manageable. If work is stressing you out, find a solution! We make decisions every day of our life, and if you’re experiencing intense anxiety, it’s a good idea to make decisions to limit the anxiety.
6. Remember some anxiety is good
There’s absolutely no way to live a completely stress-free life. Frankly, it just seems irresponsible. As adults, we have a certain amount of anxiety in life. That’s ok. It’s important to know when that anxiety turns dangerous. It’s dangerous when it starts to affect your health and your relationships. There’s nothing wrong with taking preventative measures to ensure this doesn’t happen, but remind yourself you have to have some stressors in your life to make it work living.
7. Find support
Anxiety can make it feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. The truth is a lot of people feel this way, so you are definitely not alone. Seek out help from friends and family members by opening up about your goals to relieve stress in your life. They may be able to give you advice or simply be there as someone to lean on during your journey. If you aren’t finding support within your familial and social circle, take initiative. Look online for groups for people with a similar goal to come together. You can meet new friends and learn how to relieve stress at the same time.
8. Get in tune with your favorite music
Music is the language of the angels, and study after study has proven its positive affect on the human psyche. If you’re a music lover, take some time out throughout your day to turn up your favorite songs while getting ready in the morning or in the car on your way home from work. Everyone has different taste when it comes to music, but try to pick something that doesn’t excite you too much. Many people enjoy classical music, jazz, or classic rock. However, if jamming out to heavy metal or rap calms you down, listen to that!
It’s even better to play or take time to learn an instrument. You can take time out of every day to practice. It gives you space every day to focus on something other than your problems, and you will feel accomplished as you continue to get better.
Music isn’t the only way to calm yourself down, either. If you find it cathartic to paint a picture or read a book, these are other artistic ways to take you out of the madness of your daily life and find peace of mind.
If you’re not great at
9. Focus on others
Anxiety forces you to focus on yourself and your perceived problems. Get your mind on something else by taking the time to focus on someone other than yourself. Try going to the soup kitchen or volunteering for your favorite charity. It helps relieve stress because it gives you something else to focus on for a little bit. When you’re done, you will still experience stress relief because you have a reason to feel good about yourself. Encourage other people dealing with anxiety to take a break from the stressful things in their life and join you.
10. Go to therapy
Overwhelming feelings of stress may be related to bigger mental issues, such as anxiety, that can benefit from the assistance of a trained professional. Don’t be afraid to go get help! There are many options available to you, including group therapy, individual therapy, and intensive in-patient therapy. There are also retreated specifically designed to help rid people of their anxiety. In some cases, a psychiatrist may suggest medication to assist with the anxiety.
There are several other ways for people to relieve stress, too. Many people use aromatherapy candles and breathing exercises just to name a few. Since we are all unique creatures with unique sources of our anxiety, it’s a good idea to try several methods and learn what works best for you. Don’t give up if you still experience anxiety. Keep doing what you can to keep yourself Zen.
