There is always a lot going on in life, and you don’t need the extra burden of anxiety, stress, and worry. Left unchecked, stress can affect your mental well-being and lead to serious mental health issues such as depression. Once you become stressed, it can be hard to feel good again, but there are tactics that you can try. Today, we will go over six techniques that can help you overcome your anxiety and welcome a new day.
1. Be Creative
Many people reduce their anxiety through artistic creativity. When we paint, write, or draw, our body releases the hormone cortisol, which helps to regulate our bodies’ responses to stress. Any form of creativity can improve your mood as you get lost in the art and forget about your problems. Once you finish, you can look at your masterpiece and feel better about yourself and what you’ve done.
2. Anxiety Worksheets
Sometimes, when you are upset or worried, you can feel better by writing down your feelings to get them out of your system. One way to do this is to fill out an anxiety worksheet.
Essentially, the sheets allow you to write out your anxiety triggers and the things that worry you throughout the day. By understanding your triggers, you can make adjustments in your life to stop the stress. You can also do worksheets that help you to control your breathing, so you can relax when you feel tense and get past the negative feelings.
3. Write In A Journal
If you want to get your feelings out of your system but don’t want the formality of an anxiety worksheet, you can simply write out your fears and worries in a journal. Before you go to bed at night, write out the events of the day that gave you trouble or the people that caused you stress. That way, you can flush out those negative feelings and fall asleep without tossing and turning. Then you can wake up feeling refreshed the next day.
Sometimes, we get upset because we forget about the good things we have in our lives. To correct that, try positive affect journaling, where you write down all the things you are grateful for or proud of in your life. You can improve your overall frame of mind by looking at what goes well for you.
4. Try Yoga
If you are feeling stressed, you might try practicing yoga. There are many different yoga poses that can help put you at ease. One of the easiest is the child’s pose. With this pose, you go from a kneeling position sitting on your heels, then extend your arms in front of you and allow your torso to sink into your thighs. Hold the pose for five minutes before slowly coming back up.
Yoga is helpful for several reasons. In addition to stretching your body to feel better overall, it gives you time to think and meditate. Being in a comfortable pose without distractions can help you think through your issues and find a solution to your current anxiety.
5. Breathing Exercises
Sometimes, all you need to feel better is to focus on your breathing. If you are ever in a stressful situation, step aside and try a breathing exercise to help you reclaim a balanced state. There are many different breathing exercises that you can try. One of the easiest to remember is 4-7-8 breathing. Inhale through your nose while counting to four in your head. Then, hold your breath as you count to seven. Finally, exhale slowly out of your mouth as you count to eight. Do this a few times, and you should feel calm enough to get through the next hurdle.
6. Have A Good Cry
If you ever get so stressed you start to cry, that isn’t necessarily bad. As with acts of artistic creation, when you cry, your body releases hormones. In this case, it is oxytocin and endogenous opioids that help to reduce your blood pressure and cortisol levels, so you feel better. When you cry, you also release the tension in your body, so don’t resist the urge to shed some hard tears after a particularly hard day.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several techniques you can try to reduce your worry, stress, and anxiety. The tactics discussed here are easy to implement, and they can make a world of difference in giving you the stress-free life you deserve.
About the Author: Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, education, and fitness-related content. When she isn’t writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter, @KatieBWrites93.
Image Source: Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/photos/cspncX4cUnQ)
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