Before you can learn to alleviate your symptoms of anxiety, you must become aware of your body and learn to recognize when you feel anxious. Symptoms of anxiety include muscle tension; overwhelming worry; headaches and stomachaches; issues eating; sleep problems; and difficulty concentrating.
If you don't learn how to cope with stress in healthy ways, you might develop an anxiety disorder, which can cause issues at work and in your relationships. Treatment for anxiety disorders includes medication and psychotherapy.
Step 1
Start exercising every day. Not only does exercise improve your physical health, but it also improves your mood reports MayoClinic.com. If you don't normally exercise, start out slowly by exercising for 10 to 15 minutes each day and then gradually increase the amount of time and intensity. People complain that they don't have time to exercise, but it's one of the best things you can do for yourself to reduce your symptoms of anxiety. Split up your exercise activities throughout your day if you have to. For example, workout 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes during your lunch break and 10 minutes in the evening.
Step 2
Eat healthy foods whenever possible. Helpguide.org reports that low blood sugar can increase feelings of irritability and anxiety. If you eat a sugary doughnut for breakfast, which doesn't give your body proper nutrition, you might have a more difficult time handling stress after your blood sugar spikes and plummets.
Step 3
Stop worrying about things that you can't control. When you start to have anxious thoughts, take a moment to write them down. Cross out any of them that are irrational or are out of your control. Circle the ones that you can do something about and write down small, specific steps that you can take to deal with the problem.
Step 4
Your symptoms of anxiety will probably increase if you're not getting enough rest. Increase the amount of sleep you get each night to seven or eight hours. If you get regular, uninterrupted sleep, you'll be able to focus for longer periods of time and handle stress more effectively.
Step 5
Implement relaxation techniques when you start to feel your level of anxiety rising. You can simply close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths to reduce symptoms of anxiety. When you practice this technique, concentrate on your breathing and try to completely fill your lungs and belly with each breath in. Repeat this exercise if you continue to feel anxious.
Tips and Warnings
- If you think you experience more than the normal amount of stress and anxiety, you might consider getting help from a mental health professional. Think about this option if almost all areas of your life including school, work and family are significantly impacted by anxiety.
