
Ways to Reduce Anxiety
Ways to Reduce Anxiety:
If you’re suffering from anxiety, there are a number of natural ways to reduce anxiety and regain your inner peace.
Some of these remedies are more straightforward than others, but they all can be effective in bringing down the levels of anxiety in your body and your mind.
Making it easier to cope with stress and truly enjoy the present moment without worrying about the future. Try any or all of these natural ways to reduce anxiety!
1) Exercise
If you’re suffering from anxiety, one of the most natural and effective treatments is exercise. One reason for that is that exercise increases endorphins, which help us feel happier.
Exercise also increases our heart rate and respiration rate, helping blood circulate more quickly and freely throughout our bodies, which reduces stress-related symptoms like muscle tension or pain.
Going out for a run or hitting up your local gym are obvious choices here—anything from yoga to walking will work. Just make sure you stay consistent so that it becomes a habit and works towards reducing your overall stress level.
2) Sleep
When it comes to anxiety, people often jump straight to pharmaceutical drugs. But there are also many natural ways that can help reduce anxiety and get you back on track.
For example, poor sleep patterns can contribute greatly to stress and anxiety. Try going to bed earlier, setting a consistent sleep schedule (i.e., going to bed at 10:00 p.m. every night), using an essential oil diffuser or white noise machine in your bedroom, or even taking a hot bath before bedtime.
Sleep deprivation is one of the most common causes of chronic stress in modern society, but getting enough rest is crucial for staying calm and keeping stress levels under control!
3) Yoga
Yoga is fantastic for both your body and mind. The physical act of practicing yoga helps you improve flexibility, which can reduce anxiety and tension throughout your entire body.
In addition, focusing on deep breathing while practicing yoga can help regulate your heart rate and lower stress levels (both physical and mental). Other forms of exercise like running or swimming could also be considered a natural way to reduce anxiety.
Consider adding yoga or exercise classes into your weekly routine as an easy way to reduce anxiety in a matter of minutes each day.
4) Slow breathing
Anxious people tend to take short, shallow breaths and breathe more rapidly than those who are not anxious. Practicing slow breathing can help you combat these breathing patterns, which can actually intensify feelings of anxiety and stress.
Slow breathing involves drawing in a deep breath through your nose while counting to five or repeating a calming word or phrase (like relax).
You then slowly exhale through your mouth while counting to five or saying another calming phrase such as let go. Repeat four times for maximum results.
5) Meditate
Meditation has been shown to reduce anxiety and lower levels of stress. The medical community is calling meditation the new aspirin because it is known for its ability to relieve chronic pain and ease stress.
You can do meditation in many different ways, but studies have shown that mindfulness meditation works best for reducing anxiety.
Mindfulness involves focusing on one’s breathing while trying not to focus on anything else; it has helped combat veterans deal with PTSD, it has improved focus and memory in children, and reduced feelings of depression and anxiety in adults.
By taking a few minutes each day (or night) to meditate, you can greatly improve your mental health.
6) Get Enough Vitamin B12
A deficiency in vitamin B12 can cause feelings of anxiety and stress, which is why it’s crucial for people with anxiety to consume foods high in vitamin B12.
As an added bonus, a deficiency in vitamin B12 can also lead to restlessness at night, so getting enough of it might not only reduce your stress levels but give you better sleep as well.
Foods that are high in vitamin B12 include fish, eggs, dairy products and spinach. You should also talk with your doctor about whether taking a daily supplement might be a good idea if you don’t get enough from your diet alone.
7) Spend Time in Nature
There’s a reason most of us feel better after spending time in nature. Being around plants and greenery helps reduce our levels of cortisol, a hormone that is released when we are stressed out. (Bonus: It can also improve your mood.)
Plus, spending time outside means you’re more likely to interact with other people, which can relieve feelings of social isolation—another source of anxiety for many people.
Some cities even have green roofs and parks where you can actually work for a few hours each day; that way you get some fresh air and exercise without being too far from your desk or office!
8) Eat Less Processed Food
Processed foods are full of refined sugar, which can wreak havoc on our blood sugar levels. In turn, unstable blood sugar levels can lead to anxiety. If you tend toward anxiety, it’s a good idea to limit your consumption of these types of foods—especially if you notice that they seem to trigger cravings and emotional outbursts.
Processed meats like bacon and sausage have also been linked with increased anxiety in some people. These contain high amounts of sodium and nitrates, which increase irritability by causing cellular changes in our bodies known as oxidative stress.
Other sources of processed food include fast food—which is usually loaded with trans fats and simple carbs—and sugary beverages like sodas or energy drinks (which can raise your blood pressure).
9) Change Up Your Routine
Every now and then, try to switch up your daily routine. Not only will it be more fun (and help ward off boredom), but also doing something new might boost your mood.
If you always run on a treadmill, for example, try hitting a local hiking trail instead; it’s likely that different scenery will do you good. You don’t have to go far—even getting away from your desk can be a huge relief.
This doesn’t mean you should go on vacation—you don’t have time for that anyway! Just change things up at work and around home by adding in small new experiences throughout each day.
Even starting with simple things like reading an interesting magazine or chatting with someone new can make a difference over time.
10) Laugh More and Cut Down on Media Consumption
If you’re feeling anxious, go ahead and schedule time in your life to laugh. Some research shows that watching a funny movie or doing a favorite hobby can really help reduce anxiety.
However, if laughing doesn’t work for you, try reducing your media consumption throughout the day. Research shows that just by reducing television and screen time, you can naturally increase happiness levels.
Don’t forget about all of those other ways technology makes us anxious too—try turning off push notifications on your phone and removing online games from your computer!