Take a Breath: Ways to Help Anxiety

Between the pandemic and other viruses, rumors of wars, mass shootings, financial downturns, and other tragic events reported on the local news stations, it is a wonder that any of us can function through anxiety. We are bombarded by worrisome events, not including our own problems. Are you facing family drama, issues with your children, burnout at work, or a financial crisis?

Do you feel like you are a bundle of nerves? If anxiety has you in its grip, you are not alone. Over 30% of adults in the United States suffer from some form of anxiety during their lives.

But there are ways to help anxiety and get back to being you.

Anxiety can lead to physical symptoms like heart palpitations, chest tightness, heartburn, headaches, high blood pressure, and tremors. It can also lead to other conditions, such as insomnia, rapid weight gain or loss, appetite changes, mood swings, and irritability. In addition, as the stress hormone cortisol continues its release, you can develop other serious conditions like a heart attack or stroke.

It would be best to get a handle on stress, but this is easier said than done. How can you stop your mind from repeating past mistakes, worries, and fears? You may have beliefs that are not necessarily true but ingrained due to past trauma, abuse, or neglect.

For example, you may have had someone telling you as a child that you were not smart and never would be. This narrative plays in your head and makes you second guess how you manage your finances or whether to take a career opportunity.

You may need to seek the help of a counselor to learn how to recognize negative thoughts and beliefs and reframe them.

In the meantime, try a few of these ways to help anxiety.

Make your physical health a priority.

If you are struggling with anxiety, ask yourself if you have allowed other things to take precedence over your physical health. When we get busy with life, we tend to push our own health to the backburner to concentrate on family and work. But if you don’t prioritize your physical health, you may suffer the consequences of medical conditions that can keep you away from your family and your job.

The benefits of exercise are numerous and varied:

• Releases endorphins to make you happier.
• Strengthens bones.
• Strengthens muscles.
• Improves range of motion and balance.
• Boosts the immune system.
• Improves the cardiorespiratory system.
• Reduces the risk of disease.
• Improves circulation.

Carving out a few minutes daily to work out could lower your anxiety. Start with some activity for fifteen minutes and add five minutes every few weeks until you reach 30 to 60 minutes daily.

Aim for a balanced fitness program of cardio, weight resistance, and flexibility. For example, you could spend 15 minutes walking briskly, followed by 10 minutes of weight training and stretching to balance your workout.

However, you don’t have to do all three every day unless your schedule allows it. You could concentrate on weight training on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and walking and yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Do what works best for you.

Eat healthier food.

Foods with minimal nutritional value worsen anxiety symptoms. Junk food, fast food, sugary treats, and caffeinated drinks offer nothing to fuel your body and brain. If possible, cut out these foods or save them as occasional treats. The spikes in your blood sugar only lead to crashes that affect your mood and leave you feeling anxious and depressed. Not to mention that these foods can cause obesity and Type II diabetes.

Instead, focus on healthier ingredients. Stock your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry with complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Try new recipes each week and cook enough leftovers for lunches the next day. The key to eating healthy and beating sugar cravings is to plan ahead and ensure you have something to eat every three to four hours, so you don’t get too hungry.

Journal your thoughts and emotions.

Keeping your thoughts and emotions stuffed inside can raise anxiety levels. For example, maybe you try to keep the peace at home or work and refuse to confront someone about their behavior.

Or, perhaps a loved one is saying awful things about you on social media, and you are trying to be the bigger person by staying quiet instead of hurting them publicly. Journaling your thoughts on paper gives you a constructive outlet to express your worries, hurts, doubts, and fears.

A journal gives you a place to note answered prayers, blessings, and things you are grateful for in your life. No one ever has to see your journal. You can keep it in a drawer or under your bed, any place you believe is private. But, one day, you may choose to reread your words and relive that time. You might be surprised how well things worked out.

Stay away from alcohol, drugs, and smoking.

One of the most efficient ways to help anxiety is avoiding drugs, alcohol, and smoking. These vices also worsen anxiety symptoms. Each one has an addictive quality that makes them hard to give up. When you do stop cold turkey, you may experience withdrawal symptoms. If you can get past the headaches and jittery sensations, your physical and mental health will benefit.

After you give up drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, and using drugs, your body will move through the withdrawal phase to normal functions. For example, you may notice your sleep and breathing improves. Your skin may clear up, and your hair might look healthier and shinier. You might also find that you have more energy and your concentration improves.

Get your sleep.

When you don’t get enough sleep, your cortisol levels are higher than average. Cortisol is the stress hormone that helps you through challenging and dangerous situations. It is also the hormone that releases when your brain translates anything as terrifying or dreadful: a bill collector, a deadline at work, or a phone call from your ex.

A good night’s sleep can help your brain regulate emotions. Deep, restorative sleep is necessary to “reset” the brain and keep your anxiety from worsening. Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep at night. If you have trouble falling asleep, implement an evening routine to help you unwind.

For example, have dinner, clean the kitchen, take a hot bath, do some stretching exercises while listening to relaxing music, then read for a little while. However, avoid television and other device screens as the emitted blue light can interfere with sleep.

Do what makes your heart happy.

Sometimes all it takes to lower your anxiety levels is to get back to doing an activity that makes your heart happy. When life and responsibilities take over, we push our much-loved hobbies aside. But it is these pursuits that sometimes give us meaning in life. It is our escape from worry.

When was the last time you indulged in your favorite activity? For example, if you love to crochet, when was the last time you sat for a few hours and created a blanket? If you enjoy carpentry work, when was the last time you built something unique from the wood you had on hand?

It may seem counterproductive to take time off to “play,” but you need to splurge on an activity that will ease your stress. So go back to your first love and make your soul happy doing what you love.

Find a counselor to help you ease your anxiety.

Want more ways to help anxiety? Reach out to our office today to schedule an appointment with a counselor. Your counselor will assess your anxiety symptoms and suggest appropriate treatment suggestions. Then, it’s time to let the anxiety go and get back to being you.