Anxiety is a big problem among many individuals, regardless of your demographic. It doesn’t matter what your background happens to be – anxiety is something that inflicts itself upon just about anyone.
Since it’s such a large problem in modern society, there are going to be people seeking out ways to naturally reduce their anxiety. If you happen to be one of those people, you’re in the right place! We’re going to take a look at 10 different ways to naturally reduce your anxiety.
MEDITATION
Meditation is one of the most obvious ways to go about improving your anxiety. Of course, there are going to be naysayers out there; but meditation takes a lot of concentration. One thing that anxiety does is break your concentration consistently – that’s why being able to focus enough for a meditation session will help. Your mind will be at peace, and you won’t be thinking negative thoughts.
DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL
Alcohol is a trigger in many people suffering from anxiety. When you drink copious amounts of alcohol, you may feel like you’re “free” – but it can be the complete opposite. It’s a natural sedative, but once you’re done feeling that buzz, you’re going to deal with the onset anxiety. If you’ve experienced this before and wasn’t sure what it was, now you do; put that beer down!
QUIT SMOKING
This is more than likely one of the tougher ways to go about battling your anxiety – but it is definitely one of the most effective, as well. Smoking is always going to trigger anxiety because it’s something that you rely on. When you don’t have cigarettes at your disposal, you can feel lost; this triggers anxiety and just feeling uncomfortable all around. You shouldn’t be reliant on cigarettes, and ridding yourself of a smoking habit will not only benefit you anxiety-wise but health-wise as well.
GET ACTIVE
Many people can feel anxiety due to their levels of physical activity. When you aren’t very active, your body is going to react in a negative way. Not only will you pack on fat, but you’ll also need to deal with the mental aspect of it all. Your body doesn’t feel as energetic as it used to, and this can lead to feeling lesser than you used to. Get active and you’ll notice all sorts of tension (both mental and physical) start to melt away.
GET RID OF CAFFEINE
Yet another tough aspect of trying to deal with anxiety, would be trying to get rid of caffeine from your daily diet. Of course, there are people who need a coffee just to get out of bed in the morning; and this is kind of like smoking cigarettes. You’ve become reliant on something, and it adds chemicals into your body that shouldn’t really be there. An abundance of caffeine can make you fidgety, and just take a toll on your mental well-being as well. Research has even shown that caffeine can lead to anxiety.
IMPROVE YOUR SLEEP CYCLE
Sleep is overlooked by many people, especially those that are “busy living life”. We all live life in different ways, and a lot of individuals are able to get their 8 hours of sleep every single night; those that don’t, however, may experience anxiety-related issues. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body feels drained – and insomnia is a common symptom of anxiety. Some ways to go about improving it would be:
- Don’t use your phone or tablet/computer an hour before bedtime
- Don’t exercise an hour before bedtime
- Sleep in a dark room, with the temperature set to your liking
- Ensure that your pillows and comforters are up to your standards
- Relax with soothing videos/audio beforehand (or while going to sleep)
TAKE DEEP BREATHS
This may sound a bit farfetched, but it’s no joke – deep breaths are going to help quite a bit when it comes to anxiety. Your body is in a state of shock, in a sense. You can’t breathe properly, and this can lead to having a tight chest and many other physical symptoms. You don’t think about breathing, which is why you don’t notice – some call it “air starvation”. Taking deep breaths will reset your diaphragm, and allow your anxiety levels to subside over time. Once you get your breathing technique back, you should notice a lot of relief.
