Anxiety is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by feelings of unease, worry, and fear. While anxiety is a normal human response to stress, excessive or persistent anxiety can negatively impact daily life and overall wellbeing. The good news is there are many strategies and lifestyle changes that can help calm anxiety. This article will provide an overview of techniques, tips, and tools to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.
Understanding anxiety
Before diving into ways to calm anxiety, it’s helpful to understand what anxiety is and what causes it. Anxiety refers to the body’s natural response to perceived threats or danger. When anxiety is triggered, the body goes into “fight-or-flight” mode, releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This prepares the body to either confront or avoid the perceived threat. Anxious feelings can range from mild uneasiness to full-blown panic attacks. While anxiety serves an important evolutionary purpose, excessive anxiety causes distress and interferes with normal function.
Anxiety disorders affect over 284 million people worldwide. These include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias. Anxiety disorders are often driven by a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors. Imbalances in brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine may also play a role. Anxiety can be triggered by major life stressors like a death in the family, divorce, job loss, trauma, or illness. Day-to-day stresses like work pressure, financial concerns, relationships problems, school, and social obligations can also provoke anxiety. In some cases, anxiety arises for no clear reason.
Lifestyle changes to reduce anxiety
Making certain lifestyle adjustments can go a long way towards controlling anxiety. Here are some helpful tips:
- Get regular exercise – Physical activity naturally reduces anxiety by releasing endorphins, calming the mind, and burning off excess stress hormones. Aim for 30-60 minutes of exercise most days.
- Eat a healthy diet – Minimize sugar, processed foods, and refined carbs. Eat more veggies, fruits, lean protein, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil and avocado.
- Reduce caffeine – Caffeine stimulates the body and can worsen feelings of anxiety and agitation. Limit coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks.
- Avoid alcohol and illicit drugs – While alcohol may seem calming in the moment, it’s actually a nervous system depressant that increases anxiety over time. The same applies to recreational drugs.
- Quit smoking – Smoking worsens anxiety and panic symptoms. The act of smoking is relaxing temporarily, causing dependence. Nicotine withdrawal then increases anxiety.
- Get enough sleep – Lack of sleep exacerbates anxiety. Turn off screens at least 1 hour before bed and aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
- Set aside relaxation time – Make time for relaxing activities like reading, gentle yoga, deep breathing, meditation, massage, nature walks, etc. Build in periods of calm to counter the stress.
- Keep a journal – Writing down thoughts, feelings, and worries can help process anxiety. Setting aside 10-15 minutes a day for journaling can aid stress management.
Managing anxiety triggers
It also helps to identify and manage triggers for anxiety. Common triggers include:
- Stress at work or school
- Financial pressure
- Major life changes
- Traumatic events
- Social situations
- Relationship issues
- Health problems
- Excessive caffeine, sugar, or stimulant use
- Hormonal changes
- Genetics and family history
Strategies for managing triggers include problem-solving, setting healthy boundaries, asking for support, and making time for self-care. For example, financially-driven anxiety may be alleviated by budgeting, debt reduction plans, and prioritizing needs over wants. School or job anxiety can be managed by planning ahead, breaking down big tasks, and asking mentors for advice. For traumatic events or health issues, seeking counseling or therapy may be most appropriate.
Relaxation techniques
Mastering relaxation techniques is key for any anxiety management plan. Relaxation elicits the body’s natural relaxation response, dialing down the fight-or-flight response. There are many techniques to try:
Deep breathing
Deep, abdominal breathing stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system to calm the body and mind. To practice:
- Inhale slowly through the nose, feeling the belly expand.
- Exhale slowly through the mouth, deflating the belly.
- Aim for 5-10 minutes, at least once a day.
Progressive muscle relaxation
This technique involves tensing and relaxing muscle groups throughout the body. Tensing then releasing muscles eases tension and relaxes the body.
Guided imagery
Guided imagery involves imagining a peaceful, calming scenario like a beach, forest, or sunset. Visualization activates the relaxation response for reduced anxiety.
Meditation
Meditation practices focus the mind on the present moment to cultivate calmness and inner peace. There are many types of meditation, like mindfulness, loving-kindness, and mantra meditation.
Yoga
The postures, controlled breathing, and meditation involved in yoga quell anxiety. Yoga prioritizes stillness and presence over perfection, making it ideal for anxiety relief.
Grounding techniques
Grounding exercises bring focus to the external, physical world to distract from anxious thoughts. You can look around and note 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste.
Lifestyle habits for anxiety prevention
Certain lifestyle habits can help fend off anxiety before it occurs. Prevention is key. Helpful habits include:
- Setting aside time for hobbies and interests
- Making social connections
- Dividing big tasks into smaller steps
- Writing down thoughts and feelings
- Learning to delegate responsibilities
- Seeking professional help when needed
- Avoiding perfectionism and learning to accept uncertainty
- Practicing positive self-talk and affirmations
- Balancing obligations with fun and self-care
When to seek help
While implementing lifestyle changes and relaxation practices can reduce anxiety for many people, it’s important to know when to seek help. Consult your doctor or a mental health professional if anxiety:
- Persists daily for 6 months or more
- Feels excessive, irrational, or out of proportion
- Causes significant physical symptoms
- Interferes with work, school, or relationships
- Involves thoughts of self-harm
A combination of therapy, medication, and self-help strategies may be warranted. Do not hesitate to seek outside support.
Therapy
Therapy empowers people to manage anxiety through self-reflection, emotion regulation, and behavior change. Types of therapy include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT helps identify negative thought and behavior patterns contributing to anxiety. People learn to modify unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
ACT teaches mindfulness and acceptance approaches to handle anxious thoughts and feelings. People clarify their values and commit to purposeful action.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
DBT develops skills for emotion regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. It lessens anxious reactions.
Exposure therapy
Exposure therapy gradually exposes people to feared objects, situations, thoughts, or feelings in a controlled, safe way. It retrains the brain through repeated exposures.
Medication
Medications that may help manage anxiety include:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
- Benzodiazepines
- Beta blockers
SSRIs like Zoloft, SNRIs like Effexor, and benzodiazepines like Xanax or Klonopin can help relieve anxiety symptoms. Beta blockers control physical anxiety symptoms like rapid heartbeat and tremors. Other anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed in severe cases. Always discuss medication options with your doctor.
Supplements and herbal remedies
Some people take supplements or herbal remedies to help calm anxiety, such as:
- Probiotics
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Magnesium
- Chamomile
- Valerian root
- Passionflower
- L-theanine
- Lavender
- CBD oil
Research on anti-anxiety supplements is still emerging. Evidence is strongest for probiotics, omega-3s, magnesium, and chamomile. Always check with a doctor before trying supplements, especially with other medications.
Self-help strategies
Many self-help techniques can rein in anxiety:
- Mindfulness meditation – Focusing on the present moment reduces worries over the future.
- Gratitude journaling – Daily writing about blessings counters negativity.
- Breathwork – Deep breathing activates the relaxation response.
- Nature exposure – Spending time outdoors boosts mood.
- Exercise – Physical activity alleviates anxiety.
- Time management – Prioritizing and planning reduces overwhelm.
- Positive self-talk – Reframing anxious thoughts in an encouraging way builds resilience.
- Support groups – Connecting with others facing anxiety fosters community.
Experiment to find which strategies provide the most relief. Apps like Calm, Headspace, and Simple Habit have great options. Consider working with a therapist or coach for guidance tailoring a self-help plan.
When to seek emergency help
Seek immediate medical assistance if anxiety reaches a crisis point and you have thoughts of harming yourself or others. Call emergency services, go to the ER, or call a crisis hotline for help. Counseling and medication can prevent anxiety escalating dangerously.
Managing anxiety in children
Anxiety affects over 10% of children and teens. Childhood anxiety may present as:
- Excessive worry
- Frequent stomachaches or headaches
- Avoidance of school, activities, or social events
- Trouble sleeping and nightmares
- Tantrums, crying, clinging
- Perfectionism
Ways parents can alleviate anxiety in kids include:
- Providing reassurance and staying calm
- Modeling healthy ways to manage anxiety
- Working with teachers to reduce schoolwork anxiety
- Allowing kids to make small choices
- Encouraging exercise, play, and creative outlets
- Teaching relaxation techniques like deep breathing
- Normalizing anxiety and talking openly about emotions
- Considering counseling to build coping skills
Catching and addressing childhood anxiety early is crucial for healthy development. Many of the same anti-anxiety approaches that work for adults also help children.
Conclusion
Living with anxiety can be challenging, but numerous strategies exist to calm anxiety effectively. Lifestyle changes like daily exercise, sufficient sleep, a healthy diet, and stress management can minimize anxiety. Relaxation practices such as breathwork, meditation, yoga, and mindfulness can activate relaxation responses. Reframing thinking patterns and making healthy choices prevents anxiety from escalating out of control. While self-help approaches go a long way, seeking professional treatment is key for ongoing struggles with anxiety. With some trial and error, you can find the right mix of lifestyle habits, relaxation techniques, self-care practices, therapy, and medication that keeps anxiety in check.
