For most people, anxiety is an issue of emotion. They relate anxiety to a feeling of unease or extreme worry over something in the future. In some cases, people think of anxiety as an overload of one’s worrisome thoughts. Thus, it becomes a cognitive concern for them. These two perspectives are not wrong in themselves.
But, to be able to combat anxiety, one must see it as something that permeates all aspects of an individual. As such, taking care of these aspects will help to control or get rid of anxiety. Here are some practical ways to deal with anxiety.
Try Muscle Relaxation
When one is anxious, the muscles tend to tense up. This tension signals your brain that you have a high level of stress. Thus, it becomes a vicious cycle of anxiety, tensed muscles, and stress. To break this cycle, you can start to practice some muscle relaxation techniques. You can try the progressive muscle relaxation method. This involves tensing a group of muscles as you take inhale a deep breath. Then, you must release it as you exhale a slow breath. You can work on the muscles of your forehead, jaw, arms, neck, shoulders, and feet. When done right, this method can put you in a very relaxed mode.
Visiting a chiropractic clinic can also give you some clues on how to manage anxiety. Therapeutic or relaxation massage can work to release the tension in your body. Dry needling follows the same concept as the needles target tight points in muscles. Chiropractic strategies lead to a more relaxed lifestyle. The benefits include improved quality of sleep and a clearer perspective. With a better quality of life, anxiety has little pace to grow.
Manage Your Diet
There is a strong link between a person’s diet and their general health. Their mental state can get affected by what they choose to put on their plates. If you want to reduce your anxiety, you must be mindful of how food can affect your moods.
The key is to maximize the production of serotonin and dopamine which leads to a feeling of calmness. It is not enough to feel full. You must learn to avoid quick fixes of food. These types such as processed foods make you feel full but have drastic effects on your mood. Go for complex carbs and food rich in Vitamin B, instead. Also, remember to always stay hydrated. A simple yet conscious decision to be in control of your food intake will help to ease anxiety.
Confirm Your Thoughts
Your anxiety can create havoc on your mind if you let it fester inside and remains bottled up. Some of your thoughts may be simpler than what you thought them to be. An excellent way is to voice out these feelings to a trusted friend.
Two things happen when you air out your anxious thoughts. One, you can get validation from someone else. Another thing is you get to hear yourself saying them out loud. This simple practice can help you realize that they are not as big as when they are inside your mind.
Do Not Procrastinate
Some of the people’s apprehension comes from unfinished tasks. Anxiety can shoot up fast when you have a tight deadline yet is nowhere near your target. It could work the other way around, your anxiety might be causing you to procrastinate. You have to understand that procrastination is not because of laziness. To deal with it, you must understand what causes you to procrastinate and manage it. When you have a better grasp of what is happening, your anxiety will lessen.
Schedule a Worry Time
One of the best ways to overcome something is to embrace it. Denying your anxiety or letting it get out of control would not help. Instead, an excellent strategy is to bring it out in the open by scheduling a worry time.
Based on its name, worry time is a specific time of the day when you allow yourself to worry. Around 10 to 15 minutes each day around the same time is the best time window. During this period, write down your worries without filters. But, you also have to write down some actions that you think would help to solve these worries. Seeing your worries laid down and with planned solutions will help to calm you.
Do not fall to the notion that anxiety is unmanageable. With the right strategies, one can lessen or get rid of it altogether. You only need to see it through a bigger perspective. Be more intentional in dealing with your anxiety. Look after your physical, mental, and emotional health so that you can gain a calmer state of being.
