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Anxiety happens to anyone, from any walk of life, at any age, from any country or class. But fortunately, there are proven ways to reduce anxiety.
It's a typical response to an abnormal, threatening, alienating or traumatizing situation. Whether we are preparing for an interview or have heard unpleasant news, anxiety aids our survival. However, when anxiety becomes pervasive and disruptive, it can turn into a disorder.
Studies show that anxiety disorders impact around 40 million adults (18% of the population) in the United States. In fact, it's one of the most common mental health issues in the country.
Children and teenagers are also affected, and most people start showing symptoms before the age 21.
How to Reduce Anxiety and Calm the Mind?
Anxiety is exhausting, so understanding how you can take steps to reduce it is empowering and important. Here are six ways you can incorporate in your everyday life to reduce anxiety and bring about calmness:
1) Get More Sunlight
Reduce anxiety by spending time in the sun. Humans evolved by spending most of their time outside in the sun. Sunshine plays a key role in boosting health: the neurological impact of natural light hitting the retina to vitamin D absorbed by the skin.
Absence of sunshine can lead to mental health disorders, like seasonal depression or exacerbating existing disorders. Anxiety is one disorder heavily affected by how much sunshine an individual gets.
The sun not only directly impacts anxiety levels due to low vitamin D and serotonin production, but it also boosts other effects that increase anxiety.
Secondary effects of anxiety from lack of sunshine can be caused by disturbed sleep and circadian rhythm, reduced activity, etc. If you’re feeling anxious, spending some time in the sunshine can help calm you down.
2) Grounding
The best thing you can do to reduce anxiety is by grounding. Grounding yoga exercises can be used to self-regulate at any time but especially during overwhelming experiences.
Staying calm in stressful situations is not easy, but once you master it, you will feel much better and clearer. These techniques can serve as gentle reminders to stay focused and regain control.
For instance, engage in the butterfly hug technique: Cross your arms over your chest. Interlock your thumbs into the shape of a butterfly. Close your eyes, and slowly start tapping your hands like 'butterfly wings'. Keep doing that till you feel relaxed.
3) Meditation
According to research, mindful meditation can help with stress management and reduce anxiety. Mediation is good for your mental health and an effective tool to reduce anxiety.
Although all of us are capable of practicing mindfulness, it's much simpler to do after it becomes a habit. If you're new to the practice, you might want to give guided meditation using audiotapes or smartphone apps a try. Learning to focus on the present is all that's required; it's neither difficult nor unusual.
Place your feet flat on the floor, and sit up straight. Recite a mantra either aloud or to yourself while closing your eyes. You can use any uplifting phrase or sound as your mantra. Make an effort to time the phrase to your breaths.
Do not become frustrated if distracting thoughts enter your mind. Just try to refocus, and continue breathing. Try that for a few minutes each day, and it will slowly help you relieve and reduce anxiety.
4) Listen to Calming Music
Take help from the healing power of music to reduce anxiety. According to a 2015 study, listening to calming music helps people who experience mild or severe anxiety.
Music has been shown to reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Keep the music handy so that you may listen to your favorite songs or nature sounds. Make playlists so that you can listen to them and feel better quickly.
Additionally, singing has been shown to release endorphins and oxytocin, which reduces anxiety. Apparently, being good at singing is not even necessary for you to reap the benefits.
5) Do Exercises
Exercise remains one of the most undisputed natural ways to reduce anxiety. It's one of the most effective anxiety treatments for both the short and long term.
Walking provides a distraction from stress and eases tension in the muscles. Grab your earbuds or headphones on the way out, as studies have shown that listening to music has a relaxing effect.
Long term, consistent exercise causes the brain to create feel-good neurochemicals, strengthening mental strength in the face of turbulent emotions. It improves happiness and confidence so that you don't need to run a marathon to reap the benefits of regular exercising.
Anything that gets us moving is acceptable, including washing, hiking, gardening, and pick-up games. According to research, 30 minutes of exercise three to five days a week can dramatically relieve stress and anxiety symptoms.
6) Focus your Attention
Thoughts are not necessarily beneficial to focus on all the time, even if they are accurate. If you keep considering the odds that just one in ten individuals will receive the job you want, you can lose motivation and decide not to apply.
That's an illustration of a true but unhelpful thought. Pay attention to what can be helpful, and ignore the rest. Reorient your thoughts on how they can help you or even cheer you up.
There's a lot we can do on our own to reduce anxiety when it's mild. However, if you are experiencing severe anxiety symptoms and panic, it's best to get in touch with a mental health professional.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
