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Ways to combat Anxiety

When you suffer with anxiety it can be common to experience anxious episodes at any given moment. Whether it be panic, sickness, fear or even general fatigue, it is imperative we learn how to manage these symptoms in order to help combat anxiety as a whole. There are a number of methods which can assist with gaining control when experiencing symptoms as well as reducing their severity.

Practice Breathing

When in an anxious state, you will often experience an elevated heart rate and difficulty breathing, this may be the beginning of a panic attack which can gain control very quickly. Breathing techniques will enable you to take back control of your oxygen intake and in turn regulate your heart rate.

 

In order to optimise the benefits of these exercises, you need to practice them on a regular basis appose to just when you’re feeling anxious. This consistency will mean you’re able to remain calm much easier when experiencing anxiety symptoms.

 

A simple breathing exercise would be the following.

 

  • Begin with closing your eyes and taking a deep breath in through your nose, focusing on your chest expanding as you do so.

  • When inhaled to capacity, hold for a second before releasing.

  • Exhale slowly through your mouth focussing on your muscles and body relaxing as you do so.

  • Repeat this for several minutes.

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There are a number of breathing exercise videos and methods you can find online which you may prefer.

Exercise

Possibly one of the best natural remedies for improving both mental and physical health is exercise. Whether it is weight training, swimming or even just taking an evening walk, exercise has been proven to have a magnitude of positive impacts time and time again.

 

Mental health disorders will often cause your body to release adrenaline into your bloodstream and accumulate tension in your muscles, with nowhere to channel this energy. Exercising will create a release, allowing you to burn of this excess energy and aid de-stressing. Not only this, but exercise is known to make your body release endorphins which are chemicals contributing to feeling positive and improve your overall well-being.

 

Exercise can also give you goals to work towards and provide you with a sense of achievement when reached. In turn, this will grant you with improved confidence and self-esteem driving you to strive for more over time.

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It isn't always easy to find the motivation to exercise, especially when having mental health difficulties, however the benefits are beyond worth that small amount of effort each day. Start small, something is better than nothing. 

Quality Sleep 

You may find when experiencing anxiety, it will have a significant impact on your sleeping pattern. In most cases, anxiety will cause you to have poor quality sleep and a reduced amount due to stresses and worries keeping your mind active, as a result this will then lead to more anxiety as you will experience mental and physical fatigue.

 

On the contrary, some people may find that they are sleeping excessive amounts when suffering with anxiety, either sleeping for longer durations or constantly feeling the need for naps throughout the day. This could be a result of mental fatigue due to on-going stresses and also seeking comfort in sleep as it feels like it is a way of escaping the thoughts you may be having.

 

Trying to develop a good sleeping pattern of good quality sleep will have a significant difference on your well-being. You will feel well rested and have more energy with day-to-day life making you more productive, all of which will generate a positive mood. There are a number of ways to which you can improve the quality of your sleep, including:

 

  • Reducing screen time in the evenings

  • Not eating large meals before bed

  • Practicing relaxation techniques.

  • Sleeping in a quiet and dark room

  • Create a sleeping schedule – sleeping at the same times on a daily basis.

Diet

Besides sleep, your diet is one of the biggest factors which is going to impact your energy levels and cognitive function. Diet is often over looked as something which can impact your mental health, however there are actually multiple ways it might. The food we eat is fuel for throughout the day and therefore need to ensure we are consuming adequate nutrition and on a consistent basis to optimise benefits of this.

 

Factors to consider include:

 

  • Eating consistently – Eating on a regular basis on consistent terms will help regulate your blood sugar levels, preventing them from dropping which can cause irritability and fatigue.

 

  • Quality carbs – Consuming quality carbohydrates will give your body fuel to burn over a longer period of time appose to short term sugar rushes through sugary snacks.

 

  • Limit Caffeine – When experiencing anxiety, caffeine has been shown to inhibit symptoms such as elevated heart rate, lack of appetite and heart palpitations. It is important to limit the amount you consume on a daily basis, if any at all.

 

  • Hydrate – Our body is around 70% water. Ensuring we stay hydrated is key for regulating your mood and optimising brain/muscle function.

 

Beside the factors above, its imperative that your diet consist of quality nutrients. Although the odd pizza here or there is great, if you don’t consume proper nutrition, this will also impact your mental well being and energy levels. Examples of vitamins and minerals to include would be:

 

  • Vitamin D

  • Vitamin B complex

  • Omega 3’s

  • Magnesium

  • Vitamin C

  • Iron

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