I slept poorly the past few days. As a result, I've been feeling anxious. I'm prone to anxiety, and when I feel nervous I start to have racing thoughts that I can't control. I feel a compulsive need to check my phone or my computer, and I feel both awake and tired at the same time. It's a bad cycle, and I hate feeling this way. Here are some tips for quieting an anxious mind:
1) Go to sleep on time
I find that a good night's sleep is the most important factor in becoming less anxious. When I sleep poorly, I tend to get vivid dreams and racing thoughts which carry onto when I'm awake. Going to sleep early helps ensure that you have enough time for good rest at night. This means giving yourself enough time for at least 8 hours, plus an hour or so to get into bed and relax.
2) Breathe
If you're a mouth breather, stop immediately! Start breathing through your nose. Mouth breathing, amongst other negative factors, increases stress. There are numerous resources online if you want to make the switch from mouth breathing to nasal breathing.
In addition to this, slow down your breath. When you breathe deeply and rhythmically, this reduces stress levels. Just being aware of your breath will help you decrease stress, because you will automatically begin to breathe in a slower, more controlled manner. In yoga, this type of steady breathing is called pranayama, which you can learn to do yourself. If you struggle with anxiety regularly, I highly recommend you take up yoga or some kind of meditation. This will help you use your breath to control your stress levels. Doing this sort of breathing has helped me escape two panic attacks, so I can attest to it being extremely useful!
3) Exercise
Regular exercise has been proven to reduce stress. When I'm feeling stressed, I feel both energetic and lethargic- similar to the feeling of drinking too much coffee when you're tired. I find it especially hard to motivate myself to exercise when I'm stressed, but the payoff is worth it. Normally I try to do some yoga, since this has the benefit of making me both and breathe properly. Any exercise is better than no exercise- do a few jumping jacks, or take a walk around your block. Once you get your body moving, you'll find that you have more energy.
4) Eat well
It's tempting to turn to fatty foods when you're stressed, but try to resist. It has been proven that eating a healthy, balanced diet will decrease stress and increase energy levels. Stock your house with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, fish and nuts, and get rid of the soda, coffee and candy. Eating well is always important, but when you're stressed, it's a crucial change you must make.
5) Write it out
When I'm stressed, it always helps me journal my thoughts. Most of the time, I know my thoughts are irrational but I can't help feeling anxious. Try writing out the reasons why you're stressed, and what the likely outcomes will be. When I write, I like to add notes to myself like, 'I know this is not likely, but because I am feeling stressed, this is stuck in my mind. I know when I'm less stressed, I will be able to see this rationally.' Writing out each step helps me see the situation clearly, and it also makes me feel like I'm actively doing something to reduce my stress.
6) Reduce your screen time
When I'm anxious, I feel a need to compulsively check my computer and phone. This pulls me into a bad cycle, where I need more and more screen time. Force yourself to stop going on your computer or phone. Put them somewhere where you can't see them. Instead, do something calming, like read a book. If you keep your phone in the bedroom, charge it outside and use an alarm clock to reduce the need to check your phone one last time before bed. Wear a watch, so you don't need to pull your phone out to check the time. I always feel less wired up when I reduce my screen time.
7) Listen to calm music
There are tons of Youtube channels online that have calming playlists. My favourite is Okanokumo, which plays classical music and sets it to beautiful views of the Japanese countryside. I find listening to calming music a great ritual to reduce stress. It actually gives me something to look forward to, since I love the videos.
8) Recognise your stress symptoms
As I said before, I normally become stressed when I mess up my sleep cycle. This leads me to needing more screen time. I also focus my stress on minuscule issues, which I obsess over. For example, when I was a student I came home for Christmas. I can't remember why I was stressed, but I remember suddenly worrying that I would get my council tax bill when I was gone. This became a huge issue for me for days, and I worried obsessively that I would ruin my credit score and when I got back, I would owe a huge amount of money. Of course, this didn't happen, but it didn't stop me from worrying about it. Now, I recognise these symptoms of stress. When I start to focus on these small issues, I can say to myself, 'I know you're stressed right now, which is why you're making such a big deal of it' instead of jumping head-first into my anxiety and feeding it. It's also a sign that I need to start getting into a healthier routine, so I can calm down.
9) Get support
Talk to the people close to you about how you're feeling. This can be your spouse, family, friends and even people at work. This will help them understand your frame of mind, and they will be able to support you. You may even be able to hand off some of your obligations, which will give you the space and time you need to get in a better frame of mind.
10) Seek help
If you find your anxiety is not going away, seek help immediately and book an appointment with your GP. If you're in the UK, here are two great contact lists from Mind and the NHS of websites and numbers. There is no shame in seeking help for yourself.
Conclusion
Everyone deals with anxiety from time to time. Doing to above will help you reduce your stress and will bring you into a healthier, happier frame of mind. If you're currently stressed, I hope this list helps you manage in a more effective way.
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