Anxiety is a state of mind characterized by uneasiness, worry, and nervousness, often in anticipation of a negative outcome. The worst part is that it has the potential to fulfill itself. Fear of having a panic attack causes our hearts to race and our breathing to become shallow. Then our hearts start to race and we become even more anxious.
The likelihood of experiencing anxiety varies from person to person. This could be due to innate characteristics or environmental influences, but it could also be due to chance. Learning to combat anxiety can be done in a variety of ways, some of which may work better for you than others. Five useful pieces of advice from the experts at Forest Healthcare.
1. Exercise
For a variety of reasons, physical activity is an excellent method for alleviating anxiety. Focusing on the physical activity at hand is a good way to divert one’s attention from stressful thoughts. In addition to lowering our levels of stress hormones like adrenaline, exercise also increases the production of endorphins, chemicals that improve mood and act as natural painkillers. Finally, physical activity improves brain blood flow, delivering more oxygen and nutrients and possibly mitigating some of the physical changes brought on by stress.
2. Understand your Triggers
You probably have a firm grasp on the things that set you off, but in the same breath, it’s easy to lose sight of the positives. Write down three things that stressed you out that day and three things that you accomplished that went well. They don’t have to be earth-shattering revelations, just little things you’ve picked up on throughout the day. Spend at least a week, and preferably two, doing this. The next step is to review the history of negative events and figure out what set off your anxiety. You may discover that there are only one or two primary causes for most of them.
3. Stay on Top of your Nutrition
When we’re hungry, our emotions can swing from calm to irritable to listless. Have a quick snack on hand to prevent a drop in blood sugar levels. Omega-3-rich nuts like almonds or walnuts, a half cup of berries (blueberries have the most antioxidants) or half an avocado with a pinch of sea salt are all great options. on top are all great quick snacks to have on hand if you need to feel calm and energized (another great source of healthy fats).
4. Practise Mindfulness
If you tend to dwell on the past or the future, or if you’re constantly preoccupied with stress and anxiety, practicing mindfulness can be a real challenge. Learn to take deep breaths to enhance your awareness. Taking some deep breaths can help you unwind and clear your mind. When you’re feeling anxious, it can help lower your blood pressure and slow your heart rate. If you feel your stress levels rising, take three slow, deep breaths in through your nose, hold them for three seconds, and then let them out through your mouth. Do this until you’re able to relax.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is, for many of us, the most difficult part of overcoming anxiety. The agitated mental state, anxious concerns, and frantic energy that often accompany anxiety disorders may contribute to this. If you’re having trouble sleeping because of anxiety, trying to worry and stress less might help. Among these adjustments is going to bed only when you’re actually sleepy and cutting back on caffeine and alcohol after lunch. Another effective treatment for both anxiety and insomnia is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).
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