Top Ten List For Coping With Anxiety
Some of these may seem like a no-brainers, but when anxiety hits, having a quick little checklist like this on hand may be just the thing to help pull you out of your funk.
Take deep breaths. Try inhaling for a count of 4, then exhaling for a count of 7. Do this 10 times in a row.
Make sure you’re drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day. This may seem super-basic, but it’s easy to forget when stress hits. (Bonus: Enough hydration helps keep headaches at bay)
Limit intake of caffeine and alcohol. These can contribute to intensifying anxiety, not to mention interrupting solid sleep.
Exercise! A brisk walk around the block, push-ups, a quick bike ride. Just get active to help get those cortisol levels back in check.
Get more sleep. The more stress you have, the more time your body & mind need time to repair.
Find a meditation practice that works for you & do it regularly.. There are countless guided meditations online or via apps, with dozens of topics avail to choose from. From 5 minutes to multiple hours. (please list any faves you might have in the comments below!)
Take a time-out to treat yourself. Get a massage, take a walk, read a book, explore a new hobby, etc. Making time for yourself is crucial.
Eat healthy! Did you know how much of an impact your gut microbiome has on upon your mental health? A significant amount of chemicals needed to keep your brain running healthy & happily are actually manufactured in your gut.
Smile. Laugh. Seek out humor. It’s truly the best medicine in the world, and a little goes a long way.
Serve others. Volunteering to help others or to participate in a cause that resonates deeply with you can snap you out of the blues more quickly than you can imagine.
We’re just getting started here and realize we may have missed a few things.
How do you cope with anxiety? Please leave a comment below. We’d love to learn any hints/tips/tricks you’d like to share, and we’re pretty sure our other readers would dig it, too.