Reducing anxiety now

How to reduce anxiety

This is what you can do now to lower your anxiety levels, here you will find simple and effective ways to help you cope with stress and anxiety. I can promise you that somewhere on this page it is possible to find a way of allowing you to feel calmer and for a short time you will find some relief from anxiety, by implementing these suggestions every week you can reduce the long term affects of stress and anxiety on your life

Control stress and anxiety

There are a number of ways to help yourself control stress and anxiety, using the simple methods included here will help. Just like anything worth doing for long term success you will need determination and perseverance. Think of this as a strategic ac- tion in your war against anxiety, it will take time to see perman- ent progress and you may lose a few battles on the way, but courage and determination will win through in the end.

Meditation

Meditation has been used for thousands of years and it has been proved to work to lower anxiety and stress, it also can lead to deeper long lasting changes in time that will provide you with new personal understandings as well as allow you to rest and heal. (there are plenty of web sites providing medita- tion instructions for free.) The good news is you do not have to sit cross legged or chant and learn complex in-depth techniques for it to be effective, any one can do it and very often in a way that is right for them.

YouTube is your friend

When it come to learning meditation or looking for and find- ing relaxation videos or mp3 files, YouTube is very good for finding a vast choice of different guided relaxation and hyp- nosis resources to try, and its free. Spend some time finding ones that work for you, don’t just try one but keep looking until you find one that works for you. When you find one use it as often as you can.

Breathing exercises

Breathing is important to us and the way we breathe can have an effect on how we think and feel, if you sit down close your eyes and take 4 deep breaths slowly you will feel more relaxed. You can use ways of breathing to influence how you feel and help in situations that may trigger anxiety. How to breathe correctly is important.

Online therapy support for anxiety

Therapy can be very helpful for uncovering and discovering the hidden forces driving someone’s anxiety. The anxiety you feel is a only a symptom, not the actual problem that creates the issue. Why people develop anxiety issues is complex and will be different for everyone, but therapy can help identify the best strategies for dealing with the problem and help sup- port people while they attempt to change it.

Exercise

The good news is there is no need to join a gym, you can find many ways to find physical activities to help you exercise. Sometimes it’s just about being more active, so going dancing or walking, swimming and any sport will help you exercise. Keep fit DVD’S are also helpful. Exercise helps reduce stress by using the body's natural chemicals to help you feel good naturally.

Take a breath and relax

Start reducing your anxiety right now by reading and then starting to do the breathing exercises shown below. Start with the first one at home and practice the second one that you can use any where at work or out shopping, they can be very effective, but you will need to practise them at least three time a day, yes its a commitment, but if you value your quality of life its worth doing to tackle your anxiety.

Breathing Exercise 1   

1. All in breaths are done through your NOSE and out breaths through your mouth Stand with your back straight and your feet slightly apart.  Place your hands in front of your abdomen and cup your right hand in your left hand. Look at the ground at a spot about 2 metres (6 feet) in front of you.            2. Inhale and as you do slowly raise your arms up and away from your body.            3. When your arms are about parallel with the ground, stop in- haling, and slowly begin lowering your arms. As you lower your arms, begin slowly exhaling through the mouth.         4. Continue exhaling until your hands are back in front of your abdomen.          5. Begin inhaling again as you slowly raise your hands vertic- ally in front of you.            6. As your hands near your chest, turn them to face you. Continue to calmly inhale.            7. Straighten your arms up above your head as you complete your inhalation. Hold your breath for a couple of seconds as you stretch your arms up as high as you comfortably can without lifting your feet.            8. Exhale as you slowly bring your arms down in an arc away from your body.            9. and back to the starting position as in step one. This com- pletes one round. Pause briefly then commence inhaling as you begin another round. Do 10-12 rounds to start off. Build up to 25-30 rounds, twice a day, or simply do the exer- cise for 10-15 minutes each time. The longer you do it the better.

Breathing Exercise 2

Can be done sitting or standing and even while lying down. This is possible to do in many places such as while on a plane to ease nerves or on most transport systems, also at work, or before a stressful event like an interview. (Use music if you like as well)

Body posture

1. Back straight standing or sitting down with your hands hanging loose your side or comfortably resting on your lap or where ever they feel comfortable. 2. Partly close your eyes or just leave them resting or look directly at an object and keep your head looking strait ahead. (Back straight neck straight) 3. Always breathe out through your nose, always breath in through your mouth. 4. Focus internally on your breathing for a short moment, just to notice how you are breathing. 5. Now start breathing in slowly calmly and deeply to a men- tal count of 4 seconds. Hold your breath for an internal count of 7 seconds. 6. Slowly and calmly exhale for an internal count of 8 seconds. 7. Do this 10 or 12 times and over time you can increase this to 25-30 rounds 4 times a day or if you feel anxious or stressed. 8. Summary: Inhale for 4 seconds - Hold for 7 seconds - Exhale for 8 seconds - Pause briefly - Repeat.

Benefits

• Relaxing • Helps you focus • Can improve your apatite • Reduces feelings of anxiety

Reduce caffeine

Some people are more susceptible than others to the affects of drinking high levels of caffeine, it may be worth you trying to reduce your intake. Try to stop drinking high caffeine drinks such as coffee or cola and even tea, high energy drinks are also usually high in caffeine and some over the counter medications. Caffeine reduces the ability to rest, hinders sleep and keeps the mind working, yes it can help you keep going but at a cost, nothing wrong with having the odd drink but people who are suffering from anxiety or stress tend to overdo the amount they drink, try to count how many high caffeine drinks you have a day.

caffeine can make anxiety worse

High doses of caffeine can for some people cause anxiety, dizziness, headaches,and upset tummy and bowels. It is considered 200-300 mg of caffeine a day to be a safe amount for adults. But some people can become dependant on as little as 100 mg of caffeine a day This could mean that it is possible to develop withdrawal symptoms and experience symptoms like tiredness, irritability, and headaches if they stop all caffeine suddenly. You may think your caffeine intake is low but it can be found in supplements and some foods, so you may not know how much you actually ingest in a day, and read the labels and check the ingredients in over the counter pain medication etc.  

Eat well

The old saying you are what you eat is true in many ways, by cutting out processed foods and eating your 5 a day fresh ve- getables and fruit you will help your body find the energy and minerals it needs by eating healthy food you are going to be more healthy. I know this can sound boring but it can help, if you are having dietary issues you may need to consult a dietitian.