Anxiety Relief Techniques You Can Try Right Now
When anxiety hits, it has a way of wiping all rational thoughts out of our brain and trapping us in that fight-or-flight feeling. Thankfully, there’s many techniques available to help regulate your nervous system back down to a restful state. It’s a great idea to know a few of these strategies and keep them in your back pocket for the next time that anxiety strikes. If you struggle with anxiety, read on to learn about five techniques that can help you manage your thoughts and feelings in the moment.
Box Breathing
We’ve all heard that deep breathing is calming, so much so that it’s almost a cliche. Deep breathing is mentioned often for a reason, though - it’s one of the quickest and most effective ways to send your nervous system a signal to calm down. Box breathing is a breathing technique involving breathing in for 5 seconds, holding for 5, exhaling for 5, holding for 5, and repeating (like a box!). There’s many apps available such as Unbeatable Mind Box Breathing that visualize the breathing pattern, which can give you something to follow along with in a stressful moment. Even if you can’t get your phone out, just taking several slow, deep breaths is enough to calm your heart rate and start to clear your mind.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
This technique is great for kicking the anxiety that rears its head when we’re trying to relax or sleep after a stressful day. Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and start by tensing, holding, and slowly releasing each muscle group from your toes upwards. So, you’ll tense and relax your calves, quads, abs, etc. This strategy helps release built-up muscle tension caused by anxiety and forces your body to relax.
Challenge Self-Talk
When something in our environment triggers anxiety, that message skips the executive frontal lobe and goes straight to the “lizard brain” or emotional centers. This means that rational thought is exceptionally hard when our anxiety is activated. To help focus your thoughts in the present, try picking one thought and asking yourself if it’s really true. For example, if you’re thinking “it will go terribly and everyone will think I’m stupid” stop yourself and ask what the probability of the worst case scenario actually happening is.
Emotional Freedom Technique
The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also called tapping, is an acupuncture-inspired practice that can help calm the body and mind. Take two fingers and start by gently tapping your temple 15 times on each side. Then move on to the center of your head, your cheekbones, below your eyes and lips, and below your collarbone. Stimulating these traditional acupuncture sites can help release trapped emotions or simply provide a distraction from racing thoughts.
Plan Worry Time
Setting aside 10 minutes a day for anxiety is a good way to accept the reality of the condition while limiting its impact. If you already have a scheduled time to worry, then you can tell yourself “I’ll have time to worry about that later. For now, I can put that away.”
All these techniques and more can be instrumental in getting a hold on anxiety when it spirals out of control. If the anxiety keeps coming back, though, or if nothing helps, it might be time to reach out for help. To be matched with an experienced anxiety therapist in Shelby Township today, give AWC a call at (248) 413 - 5865.
References
10 strategies for managing anxiety - beyond blue. Beyond Blue. (n.d.). https://www.beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/anxiety/treatments-for-anxiety/anxiety-management-strategies
