Anxiety is something most people face at one time or another. Be it public speaking, a job interview or other high pressure event, we all experience fear. However, real anxiety issues linger and interfere with a person’s ability to live a normal life. If this sounds like you, keep reading for advice on living with and dealing with anxiety.
Anxiety is damaging to your health and your regular health routine should always include ways to reduce your daily dose of anxious feelings. Set aside a few minutes each day that can be used to take care of your own well-being. The focus of this time should be doing something that gives you joy.
When you are suffer from anxiety attacks, you need to make sure that you eat on a regular basis. Do not wait too long to eat, or skip meals. This helps you maintain a consistent blood sugar level, and will eliminate many of your high anxiety states. If you do feel hungry, keep a healthy snack handy to moderate your blood sugar.
One of the ways that you can feel better during the day and help reduce anxiety is to stretch the moment that you wake up. This can help limit any strain on your body when you go to work or school and can help generate the relaxation of all your muscles.
Try not to watch the news often. Many times, the news is filled with all kinds of negative stories, about occurrences in your town, and around the world. When dealing with anxiety, you do not need to feed the anxiety anymore negative issues to dwell on. Turn off the TV, pick up a lighthearted book to read instead.
Always remember the good things going on in your life. Write them down each day before going to bed and when you wake up to begin the day. Thinking positive pushes negative thoughts away, helping to alleviate some anxiety.
If you have been prescribed medication for anxiety, be sure that you take it at the same time every day. You can put your bottle by your toothbrush in the cabinet, or just wherever you will notice it. Remember that some medications take a while to work, so you have to take it every day.
If you believe you are suffering from symptoms related to anxiety disorder, the very first person that you should discuss this issue with is your primary care physician. Your family doctor will be able to inform you whether the symptoms that are causing you alarm are caused by an anxiety disorder, another medical problem, or a combination of the two.
Try creating your own anxious worrying period. Choose a single or two 10 minute spots each day where you can worry and just feel anxious. During this worry period, try focusing only on the anxious, negative thoughts without trying to correct them. The rest of the day should remain anxiety-free.
Pay attention to the way you breathe when you feel stressed. You will notice that you are not breathing deeply and probably taking erratic breaths. It’s all too easy to neglect proper breathing when anxiety has a hold of you. However, if you are mindful of it, you can regulate your breathing so that you can calm yourself and regain control. Focus your attention on proper breathing when you sense an anxiety attack coming on, as much as you are able to.
Learn to breathe deeply from your diaphragm. When you take deep, regular breaths from your diaphragm, you will increase your calming feelings and begin to relax. Focus on breathing from your midsection, near your belly button. The stomach should extend outwards, if the breath is coming from the right area.
Always make it a point to focus on the positive things that are happening in your life, no matter how big or small it may be. Positive thoughts drown out the negative ones and the more positive thoughts you have, the smaller the problems in your life, will seem to you.
Don’t sit still when anxiety is coming on. When you sit and brood about issues, your anxiety can spike quickly and leave you unable to function. At the onset of any anxious feelings, get up and get moving. Walk, run or exercise in some way. You will take your mind off the negative issues and allow your mind to reset.
Take the time to make a list of all of the things that cause stress in your life. Separate the things you are able to change from those you aren’t. Focus on changing things that you are able to, and try not to worry so much about anything that you can’t change.
Find some reasons to laugh at the world. You can watch a funny movie or television show and this will also take your mind off of any worries you might have to deal with. So find a comedy on the television, sit back, and do not forget to let out those laughs.
Sometimes singing a silly song, or dancing a little dance move can help to stop your anxiety by distracting you. Distracting negative thoughts is a good thing to do if you are experiencing a panic attack. Learn what works to stop your anxiety attacks and don’t be afraid to share with others what you are dealing with.
Do not drink alcohol or consume nicotine in any form if at all possible. Despite the fact that many believe that these substances can relax you, they will not. Actually, they can have the opposite effect, increasing your anxiety. Try healthier alternatives like healthy social activities, a healthy diet and relaxation techniques.
Be sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet. Do not allow yourself to skip any meals during the day. If you do not have a long lunch break at work, choose a good energy boosting snack to eat during the free minutes you have. The more tired you get, the more anxious you will feel.
As noted earlier, most people experience anxiety at one point or another, but serious anxiety issues can keep you locked in a dark and lonely world. Hopefully, this article has shed some light on some of the things you can do to help yourself live a happier, more productive life with less anxiety.