Is there any surprise that rates of anxiety and stress are on the rise at the moment? We are living through a global pandemic that threatens virtually every aspect of our existence. That seems like pretty good grounds for anxiety to breed! Indeed, wouldn’t it be even stranger if we weren’t anxious about the coronavirus? Yet, of course, anxiety is not fun. It doesn’t allow us to live at our highest level, and we don’t want to live with anxious minds and bodies. Fortunately, there are effective tips to reduce anxiety.
Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ones below.
4 reducing anxiety tips:
1. Slow down and breathe
When you’re experiencing anxiety, it can feel like you’re on a treadmill that won’t stop. You just keep going, and things quickly begin to feel a little out of control.
Slowing down and meditating is a great way to pause the treadmill for a little while. Just by focusing on your breath, you can bring yourself back to the here and now. It’ll put a gap between yourself and your thoughts and feelings.
Researchers have found that meditation and mindfulness can have a game-changing impact on our anxiety levels. That’s a good reason to give it a try!
2. What’s in your body?
Sometimes, the cause of your anxiety is external factors. Other times, it’s what’s in your body that triggers anxiety, so the tip to reduce it is to change what you consume.
For example, coffee can cause a spike in heart rate, which can feel like anxiety. Cigarettes have the same effect, and alcohol, too, especially the day after you’ve been drinking.
So, replace them with anxiety-busting things instead! Dark chocolate, organic CBD, brazil nuts, and fatty fish have all been shown to have a positive impact on anxiety levels. Could you make them part of your routine?
3. Into nature
More tips to calm anxiety
If your mind is overstimulated, then yes, it’ll be much more likely than you feel anxious and stressed. Your mind just can’t relax! It all goes back to our hunter-gatherer days when a loud noise would be a legitimate warning that we need to be alert.
Our way of life has progressed since then, but our evolutionary habits have not. If you live in a city, then you’ll always be subject to loud noises.
So, why not leave the city for a few hours to spend some time in nature? Studies have shown that it can be exceptionally helpful in reducing anxiety and depression levels.
The more time you spend there, the most effective it is. Give it a try!
4. Laughing with friends
Finally, don’t forget an old tried and tested tip to calm anxiety: laugh it off! Worries and stress have understandably risen in the past year with COVID-19.
We’ve had fewer opportunities to laugh and enjoy good times with friends and family. The worries about health and safety are front and center, which makes sense.
But, it’s important to find reasons to smile. Rather than digging yourself into a negative state of mind, call up one of your friends and have a chat. You’re sure to feel better once you hang up, and all you did was talk with a friend for a little while.