5 Ways to Decrease Your Anxiety Today
Anxiety is a normal reaction that everyone experiences from time to time. But when it starts to negatively affect your day-to-day life and the way you interact with others, it’s important to take steps to manage your anxiety levels. Here are five ways you can start decreasing your anxiety today:
Take a few deep breaths – Deep breathing can help reduce physical symptoms of anxiety such as heart rate and tension in your muscles. By taking 10 slow, deep breaths, you can trigger the relaxation response in your body, allowing you to regain control over yourself and your emotions.
Practice mindfulness – Mindfulness helps us become aware of our thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations without judgment or criticism. Regularly practicing mindfulness techniques such as meditation, guided imagery or progressive muscle relaxation can help decrease levels of worry or fear associated with anxious thoughts.
Exercise regularly – Exercise is a great way to release endorphins (happy hormones) which can naturally reduce stress and improve mood while also increasing overall energy levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day; even something simple like a quick walk around the block could make all the difference.
Connect with people – Reach out to trusted friends and family members who are supportive and non-judgmental about your experience; talking about how you feel can really help reduce any feelings of isolation that may come up during moments of high anxiety levels.
Challenge anxious thoughts – Lastly but certainly not least, one helpful technique for dealing with anxious thinking is reframing– this means looking at a situation from a different perspective & changing the conversation from negative thoughts/beliefs into more positive ones--it takes practice & patience but it can be incredibly empowering.