You’ve all for sure experienced anxiety every now and then. Some might have experienced restlessness, increased heart rate, sweating, and even an upset stomach. Sometimes it’s work-related, from uncomfortable interactions, or even just from normal situations that happen daily. What we’re saying is, feeling anxious is totally normal and to feel really overwhelmed when you’re anxious is something usual and could be helped.
Yes, it’s also normal to want to get rid of the uncomfortable feelings as soon as possible. But studies say that forcing yourself to get rid of your anxiety really fast can just make you more anxious. Instead, you should accept the feeling and do something about it. We’ll be sharing with you some tips that can help you when you’re feeling anxious. These tips have worked for us and we’re hoping that they work for you too.
It’s important to note that with the right skills and some changes in your lifestyle, you may be able to reduce anxiety. So how do we do it?
1. Take some deep breaths.
This is a basic tip, everyone has been told about, but also the most important. When you take deep breaths, do it mindfully. Pay attention to your breathing. When we’re anxious, we tend to breathe faster and more shallow. Deep belly breathing helps decrease anxiety by stimulating the body’s relaxation response. It also lowers heart rate and blood pressure.
2. Redirect your nervous energy.
Take control of the nervous energy and put it somewhere else instead of focusing on how to get rid of it. You may go for a walk, clean a part of the room, or even solve some brain puzzles. Short bursts of activity can help with releasing the feeling.
3. Practice yoga.
Yoga can help lower heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. It also reduces levels of molecules called cytokines in the blood. The immune system releases cytokines in response to stress. It is a great way to relax your mind and body whenever you’re feeling anxious.
4. Make yourself a cup of tea.
Aside from the typical warm and soothing feeling a tea can give, it contains l-theanine, a chemical compound that is known for fighting symptoms of anxiety and promoting stress relief. This promotes relaxation and calmness that can help with what you’re feeling.
5. And lastly, give yourself a massage.
Massage has been proven to lower stress levels. Self-massage helps calm the nervous system and promotes healing. This could also be a way to distract yourself by reminding yourself that you’re in charge of your body. With your preferred pressure, you can start massaging your ears, neck, arms, and even your feet. We have some awesome self massage moves to help you in our Knead Masters App. This usually helps us to relax accompanied by some meditation music in the background.
Doing these tips daily, or incorporating them in your life can help you better reap the effects and help you improve your way of living. These simple steps won’t just be of help during anxiety but will have positive long-term effects that will help you train your mind on how to react to negative situations.
It’s also important to note that tracking your anxiety and paying attention to the symptoms is helpful to really assess what help you need. Hoping our list helps you today and in the future!
Want more tips?
Download the Knead Masters App HERE for a free plan!