In this fast-paced, ever-changing life there will be seasons when everyone experiences some anxiety. For some who experience anxiety, trying a more holistic approach is a great way to start to manage their anxiety.
For others who may have more severe symptoms or ongoing circumstances that keep their anxiety at an acute level, seeking professional help along with using holistic treatments will be more beneficial in treating and managing ongoing and deeper levels of anxiety.
What is anxiety? Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It is how it processes something that is stressful to you. It is a natural alert response. Anxiety can become a problem when we feel we are unable to work through the circumstance or trigger that is making us feel stressed. We may not feel we have the tools to diffuse the stress, figured out new situations, or work through the problem or trigger that causes us to feel anxious.
There are many holistic ways to help us manage anxiety. We will share a few in this article that are beneficial for all. Maintaining these practices will help us to create a healthier mind, emotions, and body. Some of those tools are:
Deep Breathing.
When you begin to feel the physical symptoms of anxiety or stress, take a moment to take a few deep breaths. This not only gives your body the additional oxygen it needs but also allows your heart rate to slow down. While you are doing the deep breathing it also provides a few moments to detach from the trigger and think about how you would like to move forward.
Journal.
Journaling is a wonderful way to help record how you are feeling but also why you be feeling anxious moments, which circumstances cause you to feel anxious, and how you have handled these feelings in the past. Knowing your triggers, circumstances and what has helped previously is helpful when dealing with anxiety.
Practice meditation or mindfulness.
These practices will help you learn how to be present in the moment. To be able to notice more clearly what is going on around you, how you are feeling both emotionally and physically, and be able to see things that normally you may miss when you are feeling on alert and anxious.
Being able the see things more clearly, reducing your physical symptoms, and staying in the moment can help to reduce the stress that a circumstance or trigger may bring. This practice can bring calm and contentment that is difficult to have during times of feeling anxious.
Sleep.
A good night’s sleep is crucial to our body and mind getting the rest and restoration that is needed to help us in dealing with all that a new day may bring. If you struggle with any part of the sleep process, there are multiple ways to enhance the routine that is needed for a good night of sleep. Some of those ways that may help are:
- Limiting phone and computer use after a certain time in the evening
- Choosing a relaxing activity an hour before you go to bed to allow your body to exhale and relax a little
- Take a warm bath, have a cup of non-caffeinated tea, or use aromatherapy scents like lavender to help your body relax and prepare for sleep.
- Some not having their office in the same room they sleep in
- Making sure you schedule the amount of time your body needs to sleep on a regular basis
- Keeping a regular schedule of when you go to bed and when you get up
- If you find you have a lot on your mind before bed, then take a few moments to write down those items and put them away till the morning
Healthy Diet.
When we choose to eat the best foods for our body, it provides the fuel and nutrients to allow our bodies to work at their best. Each person may have individual needs depending on their overall health, age, any illness or conditions they may have, so each person will need to learn what foods are best for their bodies. Choosing to incorporate these healthy choices as often as you can into your diet will help it to function the best it can.
Staying Active.
Staying active through movement and exercise is good for both our physical, mental, and emotional health. Getting our heart rate up by moving is good for our physical bodies. Exercising is a terrific way to let go of some the stress we may feel during the day and is wonderful for getting our minds on
something different for a little while.
You do not need to be a hard-core athlete to benefit from staying active. Small steps each day can have an amazing benefit in your health!
While we hope that utilizing some of these holistic tools will help to manage your anxiety, we know that some may need some additional tools. If you are still struggling, our therapists are here to help you learn other ways to manage your anxiety. By working together with an anxiety therapist, they will help you to better understand your body’s response to stress, help to determine what triggers your anxiety, and provides tools that can help you manage your anxiety better. Click here for more information about anxiety treatment In Greenville, SC.