Learning how to relieve anxiety in healthy ways is a key ingredient for maintaining good mental health. If you don't know how to cope with stress and anxiety, it can become overwhelming, possibly leading to an anxiety disorder. Implementing relaxation tips on a regular basis can help improve your mood and health.
Exercise
Practicing healthy habits such as regular exercise can help reduce symptoms of anxiety. Exercising aerobically 30 minutes each day will produce serotonin--a chemical in your brain that helps to regulate your emotions and gives you a boost of energy. If you don't have 30 minutes to exercise, you can break it down. Exercise for 10 minutes three times per day or 15 minutes twice per day.
Ask for Help
Psych Central reports that one of the best things you can do to relieve stress and anxiety is to get support. Reach out to friends and family members during times of stress, and ask them for help. For instance, if you're having a rough week and need time alone, ask your friend to watch your children for a couple hours. The next week, you could offer to watch hers. Then you both get some alone time to recharge. If anxiety is creeping into every area of your life and your work and relationships are starting to suffer, consider getting support and help from a mental health professional.
Deep Breathing
You might need a basic anxiety-relieving technique to use when you feel stressed and you can't take the time to call a friend to vent or to take a walk. You might experience anxiety in everyday situations such as during a business meeting or while driving--or in a crisis situation such as if you are trapped in an elevator. In any of these situations, you want to control your physical responses. This means you want to stop your heart from racing, your palms from sweating and your muscles from tensing. You can do this by taking deep breaths in through nose and out through your mouth. Fill your chest and belly with each breath and count your breaths to focus your mind.
Journal and Take Action
Write about the things that cause you stress and anxiety. Go back through your journal entry and circle each thing you can change and cross out each cause that you have no control over. Focus on the things you can control and make mini-lists on how you can fix them. Reduce your anxiety by coping with the causes of your stress. For example, if your messy house makes you anxious every time you walk through the door, take small steps to clean it. You'll feel better once you start to take control of the situations you can change.
Get Adequate Rest
Helpguide.org reports that it may be harder to sleep at night if you're stressed and anxious; however, lack of sleep can compromise your ability to cope with stress. If you're experiencing sleep issues, try implementing a sleep routine. Wake up and go to bed at the same time each day.
