5 Ways to Reduce Anxiety
In small doses, stress and anxiety can be a good thing. It can motivate you to write that assignment you’ve been procrastinating on or may be a warning from your body that you're in an unsafe situation or you’re overdoing it. But sometimes anxiety no longer serves a helpful purpose. When your anxiety starts affecting your everyday functioning or your mood, it may be time to look at it a little more closely.
How do you know when you need to do something about your anxiety?
When your anxiety is causing you significant distress, physical discomfort, or is interfering with your life, you may need to address it. It may be affecting your sleep or appetite. It might affect your work, school or social life. Luckily there are strategies you can implement, to help cope with anxiety.
Here are five tips for managing anxiety:
Exercise is an excellent way to help reduce your anxiety. Going for a walk, stretching or some light yoga can be an excellent way to ground yourself when you’re feeling particularly anxious. Incorporating exercise into a regular routine can help to reduce the anxiety you experience day-to-day.
Nutrition is very important for balance. Eating nutritious meals at regular intervals can help balance your blood sugar, and make you feel more stable.
Getting enough sleep is also very important. Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night, so making sure you’re in bed at a reasonable time can do wonders for your mental health.
Meditation and mindfulness can be very grounding when your anxiety is getting out of control. Read our blog post on mindfulness to learn more about how to practice it and how it can benefit you.
A therapist or counselor can teach you new tools and methods for coping with anxiety. It may be helpful to speak to someone about how anxiety is affecting you, and explore what is causing it.
It may be worth speaking to your doctor about medication or other options if you’re not finding relief. Your doctor can help guide you to a solution that is suited to your anxiety level and situation. Summit Counselling Services is currently working on a course for anxiety if you’re interested in learning more about what it is and how to manage it.
Jessica Dubauskas