Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their life. It’s a natural reaction to fear of the unknown, a stressful situation, or dreading an upcoming event. The worried and uneasy feelings that come with anxiety, quite frankly, suck. If you’ve ever felt anxious before then you know that these feelings pass, or they can linger and inhibit you from normal day to day activities.
If you’re a regular sufferer, or even if you tend to get anxious from time to time, these simple tips can help lessen or get rid of the effects.
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- Better sleeping patterns
Probably the easiest thing you can do for anxiety and your overall health is get a good night’s sleep. Sleep not only benefits your body, but also your mind. Going to bed at a reasonable time may seem like an easy thing to do for some, but for those night owls it can be a difficult task. Not getting enough sleep can cause you to become fatigued, which can heighten the risk of anxiety. So make sure you can jump into bed before 11 and get the recommended dose of 7 to 8 hours of shut eye.
- Meditation
When some people hear the world meditation, they probably think of sitting on yoga mats on the floor with their legs crossed, chanting ‘ommm’ to a room filled with incense. Meditation can be done in many ways, and the easiest way to help anxiety is to relax and clear your mind of any thoughts. Probably easier said than done, but overthinking and worrying isn’t going help you except make you more anxious. For those who have problems getting to bed early, meditation is a great way to clear your mind for a peaceful night’s sleep.
- Changing your thought process
Negative thoughts, overthinking and overanalysing are common traits that come with anxiety. It may take a bit of practice and persistence, but you can change your thought process to be a more positive and easy-going person. Most people don’t even realise they are even having negative or unproductive thoughts. But once you realise you’re doing it, it’s easier to tell your brain to think ‘I can’ instead of ‘I can’t’. When you start to think better about yourself and the world around you, anxious thoughts and feelings become less and less.
- Exercise
You’re all very away that exercising is good for you. Duh. Along with sleeping better, exercising is a great way to take care of your body and mind. It releases the chemical dopamine in your brain (the happy chemical) and is great for stress relief. It acts as an instant mood boost for when anxious thoughts tend to plague your mind. Now there’s no need to go and join a gym or get a personal trainer. A simple 10 to 20 minute walk will do the trick, maybe even go for a bike ride if you’re feeling up for it. Any kind of physical activity that doesn’t have to be strenuous will do the trick.
- Friends and family
Surround yourself with happy people. You don’t need extra negativity in your life, so being around happy and energised people will encourage you to catch their mood. Whether we want it to or not, being around a negative person can start to have an effect on our own negative thoughts. It’s better to stay away from these people if possible, or limit the time you spend with them. Anxiety sufferers will definitely benefit from surrounding themselves with positive people.
- Take each day as it comes
The future is uncertain, and that’s what makes it scary for people with anxiety. For others, the uncertainty of the future is something to be excited about. So, stop thinking about tomorrow or the next day and just take each day as it comes. When we learn to let go and have fun in the moment it can take some of the pressure off the future.
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