Anxiety is one of the most prominent mental disorders in the modern world.
Everyone deals with some level of anxiety in their life, but others develop anxiety disorders ranging in severity.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by symptoms such as feeling of panic and fear, problems sleeping, shortness of breath, sweaty hands, and nausea. Luckily, there are ways to lessen symptoms and lessen your anxiety, helping you get back to your normal life.
Anxiety can be characterized by problems getting to sleep, but extra sleep can also help reduce your anxiety.
If you manage to get even an extra hour of sleep every night, it can go a long way in improving your mood and your anxiety. When you get an appropriate amount of sleep, you generally feel calmer and more in control of your life. If you get less than adequate sleep, you see an increase in stress, anger, sadness, and exhaustion.
Getting adequate exercise can help fight off your anxiety.
Improving your body can also improve your mind. Keeping a regular exercise routine can help to reduce stress, improve your mood, boost your self-esteem, and increase your overall energy levels. Exercise causes the body to release endorphins, which cause euphoric feelings and lower your physical pain.
When your anxiety acts up, try to soothe yourself.
There are several different self-soothing techniques that you can employ to calm yourself down. One way to induce relaxation is to reduce your heart rate, and one of the best ways to do that is a method called diaphragmatic breathing. Another good way to soothe your nerves is to give yourself a positive self-talk. Phrases like “this too shall pass” can help you recognize the anxiety for what it is and allow yourself to calm down. Finally, you can also try to relax your muscles by tightening and releasing them.
Another method to reduce anxiety is to manage what you eat.
Food can affect our emotions, and some can even influence anxiety. Foods that contain caffeine and alcohol actually stimulate and trigger anxiety and can also increase feelings of nervousness. However, cutting caffeine right away can cause withdrawal symptoms, so it’s important to let it go slowly. Additionally, the bacteria in your gut can actually cause anxiety symptoms.
If your anxiety is overwhelming, it never hurts to talk to someone.
Talking with friends, others who know what you’re going through, and doctors can seriously help when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Other people can put things into perspective and help calm you down, and even help you realize if you need extra help. Know that you don’t have to fight your problems alone, and let friends and family know if there’s any way they can help you.
Anxiety can be a crippling mental disorder, and can make you feel like you have no control over your life.
Fortunately, there are ways to help relieve the symptoms of anxiety.
If you exercise, eat well, get enough sleep, self-soothe, and talk to others when it gets overwhelming, you can effectively manage your anxiety and get your life back in order.