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Relaxation Exercises for Anxiety

According to the American Psychological Association, "Anxiety is a symptom. People who feel anxiety experience muscle tension, restlessness, panic, or a sense of impending doom." There are several relaxation exercises for anxiety that can help you achieve calm and inner peace. In addition, a psychologist can help you heal and recover from anxiety; if you need a referral you can call 1-800-964-2000, or visit http://locator.apa.org.

  1. The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook

    • According to Dr. Edmund Bourne, author of "The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook," abdominal breathing is an effective relaxation exercise for anxiety. Hold your hand on your abdomen, inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, pause and exhale through you mouth. Repeat this 10 times.

    The Peaceful Scene

    • Visualize yourself in a peaceful scene. On a piece of paper, describe every detail of your peaceful scene, including color, time of day, location and anything else that comes to mind. Practice relaxing and going into this peaceful scene as many times as you can over a 15-minute period. This exercise will help when you feel the onset of anxiety, as it will be easy for you to imagine your peaceful scene. This distraction may result in a calm state of mind.

    Meditation

    • There are many different types of meditation. Meditation classes are available if you do not feel comfortable with the self-taught method. Find a quiet room that has little or no light. Play nature sounds or music in the background: waterfall, chirping birds, a harp or any music that helps you completely relax. Lie down on a comfortable bed or sofa, wearing loose-fitting clothes and no jewelry, and allow yourself to completely relax for at least 20 minutes.

    Down Time

    • Allow yourself time each day to relax. Take breaks and get sufficient rest. If you overwork and burn yourself out, even 20 minutes of daily meditation will not be enough to achieve relief from anxiety. Have an itinerary for each day, and write down in detail what you will do during rest time, recreation time and relationship time.

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