12 Things to DO to Reduce Anxiety

I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.  If a doctor has prescribed anti-anxiety medication then by all means follow the doctor’s orders.

Anxiety can be strong and difficult to combat.  In a prior post I told you the 7 things you can consume to help anxiety.  Here are some actions you can take to help reduce anxiety.  Be brave and act!

1. Accept and let go.  Often what we resist persists.  If you fight and argue with reality you will lose 100% of the time.  Accept your present moment.  You can have a positive intention for a better future moment, but you have to accept what is right here and now.
2. Acknowledge anxiety and recognize it will pass.  Accept the reality of the present moment that you are anxious, but this moment will pass.
3. Get regular and adequate sleep.  The brain needs adequate sleep to refresh itself.  If you are not getting enough sleep you are making your brain work harder than it needs to.  Don’t oversleep though.  Most people can thrive on 7-9 hours of sleep a night.  This may not be realistic for all of you, but I would suggest you at least give it a try.
4. Breathe slowly and deeply.  When we breathe rapidly and shallowly our emotions follow our physiology: shallow and rapid is the flight or fight response.  By breathing slowly and deeply you will be more calm.
5. Practice gratitude.  Be grateful for the things you already have in your life.  Be grateful for living another day.  Be grateful the sun rose this morning.  When you are grateful your perception changes dramatically.
6. Progressive muscle relaxation.  Often when we are tense and anxious we hold that anxiety as tightness in our bodies.  Change your physiology and your emotions will change.
7. Yoga.  An ancient practice that connects the mind and the body.  Yoga and its associated poses requires focus, which brings you into the present moment.
8. Exercise.  Getting your heart rate up will improve your overall health.  Exercise releases powerful neurotransmitters which can change how your brain functions.
9. Change your focus to what is right in front of you.  When the weight of the world are on our shoulders, when we carry the regrets of yesterday, and the worries of tomorrow it is too much for most people to bear.  Let that go and focus on the here and now.
10. Question your worries and anxieties.  We often fall into traps of stinking thinking.  Question your thoughts as your thoughts may be your own worst enemy.
11. Practice mindfulness. Typically through meditation but more importantly to focus on the present moment and to be fully engaged in it.
12. Declutter your home and your place of work.  A cluttered physical environment can create comparable clutter in your mind. You will be amazed what a clean environment will do for you!

And there you go.  I hope this helps you.  Again I am not an expert on anxiety, I merely share what has worked for me.  Try each of these on for size and see if they are true for you as well.