5 Tips To Manage Anxiety & Stress Daily
Anxiety can often times consume us throughout the day and choosing to push forward is a choice to make daily. Without the proper support or coping mechanisms in place this can be hard to accomplish. Let's look at some helpful tips that can help you take control of your day.
Take 4-5 Deep Breaths
1. Taking deep breaths allows you to shift your focus, it lowers your heart rate, and reduces your stress levels.
When you are stressed or anxious, your brain releases the “stress hormone” called cortisone. By taking deep breaths, more oxygen enters the blood stream and ultimately communicates with the brain to relax.
Deep breathing also increases your “feel good” chemical, which are called endorphins.
Take a 5 minute walk
2. Taking a five minute walk is great way to change your environment and may help release tension. It also boosts your mood, and combats fatigue. According to the AADA (Anxiety & Depression Association of America), "about five minutes of aerobic exercise can begin to stimulate anti-anxiety effects." This is a great time to relax your mind and just take in the scenery. Turn on some music, or listen to podcast. Do whatever you enjoy to refresh and reset yourself.
Write Down Your Thoughts
3. Write down your thoughts in a journal/notebook or notes app on your phone. This does not have to be a long process. Allow yourself to just get your thoughts out. Often times, your anxious thoughts will hold you captive and before you know it, your mood and demeanor can shift. Most women feel as if they have to carry the load because "that's how it's alway been". As a result, we suppress a lot of our feelings in order to not feel like a burden to others.
Let the journal be your voice if you feel that you can not or may not want to express yourself to someone else. You may or may not want to talk, regardless of your decision, either one is OKAY.
Take a few minutes a day to write down your thoughts. Journaling can be a powerful tool for examining and shifting thoughts from anxious to empowered.
Listen To Motivational Audio or Video
4. Listen to motivational audio or video. Introducing positive thoughts counteract whatever has you feeling anxious at the moment. It can be difficult to catch your thoughts as you are feeling anxious, but the moment you do, put your headphones on and take back your power!
Let Out A Big Scream
5. Many experts believe that screaming is therapeutic in nature.
There is actually a form of therapy called, scream therapy, which allows you to release anger and frustration.
Once you find the avenue to let everything you are feeling completely out, your brain automatically relaxes.
This may sound funny or strange, but ideally it comes down to whatever you are comfortable with in addition to what works for you.
As a precaution, unsupervised scream therapy is not recommended, however it may be a part of a comprehensive treatment guided by an experienced psychologist. It may be a useful way to access and work through repressed feelings.
In conclusion, anxiety presents differently for everyone and no one thing will make it go away in a blink of and eye. However, coping mechanisms, support groups, and healthcare providers can help with your anxiety over time. I want to encourage you to keep trying, keep striving and keep pushing. Together we can improve one day at a time.
