Anxiety and stress can really take its toll on your mental wellbeing, but it can also result in physical symptoms which, down the line, can affect your overall wellness too. Unfortunately, there’s no way to eliminate all the things that stress you out, but there are many ways you can fight against everyday anxiety.
Firstly, not getting enough sleep can contribute to your overall anxiety and stress, and damage your health, which means you find it even more difficult to sleep and a vicious cycle erupts, so you need to regularly get a full seven to nine hours of snooze time to decrease those anxiety levels throughout the day. Also, if you de-clutter your living space, or work area, it will help to de-clutter your brain of worries, and you’ll sleep more easily.
Next, research has shown that laughter can help you to feel less depressed or anxious so find a funny YouTube clip to calm your nerves. Moreover, expressing gratitude has been shown to reduce anxiety, so start a journal where you only write down the things you appreciate. This will help you to keep things in perspective.
A vision board can also help you to take the edge off anxiety about future unknowns. Make a vision board of all the projects and possibilities to come, or do it online if you’re not the crafty type. Remember to use the T.H.I.N.K. tool when creating your board: Is your thought true, helpful, inspirational, necessary and kind? If not, dump it!
Eating right can also get your body and anxieties inline, especially if you focus on foods that contain nutrients such as vitamin B and omega-3s and some healthy whole-grain carbohydrates. However, though you might think a chocolate fix is the only thing to get you through the day, research has shown that eating sugary and processed foods can increase symptoms of anxiety.
Also, consciously breathing, plus lengthening and strengthening the breath, helps send signals to your brain that it’s okay to relax. Meditation also rewires your brain to stress less, and using it to understand your brain’s thought patterns can help create distance from those thoughts. You might find it helpful to unplug from the noise around you and just sit in silence for a few minutes.
However, if that’s not for you, research has shown that people who have lots of social support tend to react less negatively to stress than those who fly solo, so call your friend for a chat or take a walk together. If these tips don’t cut it and you need a little extra help tackling a more significant anxiety issue, consult a psychotherapist.
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