Anxiety is a tough mental health issue to manage.
It can be crippling and make it difficult for you to function in day-to-day life. Anxiety has been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and several other serious medical conditions.
Mindfulness is a practice that helps people learn how to control their thoughts and emotions by focusing on the present moment rather than worrying about the past or future. In this blog post I will discuss 10 tips for managing anxiety with mindfulness so you can get back to living your best life!
1. Exercise
Regular exercise is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. Try going on a run or taking up yoga, which can help you become more mindful in your activities throughout the day. Just remember that everyone’s experience of exercise will be different so don’t overexert yourself, but rather aim for 20 minutes of moderate exercise per day.
2. Drink Water
When we feel stressed our brains actually shrink, and this can lead to a loss in cognitive ability and making us more reactive. The next time you are feeling anxious or nervous, be mindful that you are drinking at least eight glasses of water throughout the day.
3. Go for a Walk
Walking can help you to get out of your head and into the present moment. It is also a great way for you to release endorphins, which can help you feel better about yourself in that moment.
4. Try some Deep Breathing
Breathing exercises can help reduce anxiety by calming your nervous system. Anxiety can make it hard for us to take deep breaths but if you practice this on a regular basis, like every morning after waking up or before going to bed at night, then you will have an easier time doing so when anxiety pops up unexpectedly.
5. Don’t attach to your thoughts
It is common for people who are anxious to have anxious thoughts about the future. Anxiety is future-oriented. Anxiety tells you to worry about what might happen in the future so it can prepare for it, but once you’ve made a plan, worrying does nothing except stress you out and make anxiety worse. When anxious thoughts appear, just notice them and return your awareness to the present moment. It may help to focus on your breath or the activity you’re currently engaged in.
6. Use self-soothing techniques
Anxiety often brings up uncomfortable physical sensations like a racing heart or sweating palms. Self soothing techniques are great for calming you down without relying on others. Some examples of self-soothing techniques are taking a hot bath, listening to calming music, or reading. These activities can help to bring you back into the present moment.
7. Practice Meditation
Mindfulness meditation can help rewire your anxious brain. Anxiety can be affected by brain structure and function. Mindfulness has been shown to change the way our brains process information, which in turn decreases anxiety symptoms.
8. Keep a gratitude journal
The practice of gratitude helps you to focus on what is going well in your life, instead of obsessing over all the things that have gone wrong. It can help to rewire your brain to look for positive things in your life.
9. Practice Yoga
Practicing yoga has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and stress. It has also been shown to reduce cortisol levels.
10. Get enough sleep
Anxiety can be worsened by lack of sleep or poor quality sleep. Be mindful that you are getting the recommended seven hours per night and do everything possible to improve your sleeping environment (e.g., avoid using electronics before bed, turn off lights, etc.).
