Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress. Everybody experiences anxiety to some degree, but it can easily get overwhelming if you do not know how to manage your anxiety or how to calm down. Here are five ways to prevent and reduce anxiety, as well as produce calm.
Meditation
Meditation is an accessible activity that anybody can utilize to help prevent anxiety and produce calm. Some people may meditate for hours a day, but all you really need to get started is five to ten minutes. Meditation works by bringing attention away from daily stressors to improve focus, better moods, physically relax the body, and calm to the mind. Meditation may not work after one or two sessions. Meditating regularly will produce the best results since you need to adjust to physically doing nothing while mentally grounding yourself.
Lower caffeine and sugar intake
Caffeine is a stimulant that targets the central nervous system, especially the brain. One way it does this is by making the brain signal for the adrenal glands to produce more adrenaline. Adrenaline is a substance that induces anxiety, increases irritability, and heightens emotions. Similarly, a high intake of sugars can also lead to a production or adrenaline. If you desire a hot drink to start your morning, consider drinking a non-caffeinated tea or decaf. If you desire something more refreshing, consider drinking water that is infused with ingredients like lemon, mint, or cucumber.
Exercise and sleep
Proper exercise and sleep are essential to calmness and reduced anxiety. For the body and mind to be fully attentive while not on edge, it is recommended that you get at least eight hours of quality sleep each night. Exhaustion raises anxiety because it causes the brain to be in “fight or flight” mode. Exercise is important because it gives a physical release to stress that can cause anxiety. It also exercises different areas of the brain which can help soothe heightened emotions and anxiety.
Essential Oils
Essential oils are concentrated natural oils made from plants. They have been used for hundreds of years to help alleviate insomnia, headaches, depression, anxiety, and more. They are often used in aromatherapy to help bring calm to the mind and body. Lavender oil is especially known for helping people relax because it relieves tension and stress that cause anxiety. Lemon oil is known to help improve mood. They can be used in a mixture with other oils for a body oil or they can be placed on absorbent accessories like necklaces.
Therapy
Obviously, stress can be too much to handle with these remedies. If that is the case, consider seeing a therapist or psychiatrist for treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure therapy, and/or anti-anxiety medications.
Remember, these may not work for everybody, but they are worth a try. Anxiety is normal and not something that you should be ashamed of, but if it is decreasing your quality of life or interfering with day-to-day activities, you should definitely consider seeking the help of a licensed mental health professional.
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