Advice for Dealing With Anxiety

Everyone feels anxiety sometimes. The price of living a full and challenging life can be stress, fear or worry about upcoming or even imaginary issues. But when anxiety starts taking a toll on your mental and physical health, aside from seeking professional help, there are some things you can do to help cope with and manage your anxiety levels.

Take Care of Yourself

• When you're filled with anxiety, exercise may seem like that last thing you want to do. But research shows that regular, moderate exercise helps your body manage stress better than almost anything else. Studies show that the type of exercise you do is less important than the actual act of exercising. Moving your body for 30 minutes a day not only improves your cardiac health, it signals the brain to release neurotransmitters and endorphins, which help elevate your mood. It's also a distraction, one that can help break a cycle of negative thoughts by forcing you to be "in the moment." Exercise also makes you less likely to turn to drugs or alcohol in order to cope with negative emotions.

  In addition to exercise, make sure that you eat healthy, well-balanced meals and get enough sleep. This may seem obvious, but when you are filled with anxiety, you may turn to excessive amounts of comfort "junk" food or even under eat. You may find anxiety keeps you up at night or that you are sleeping more than usual. If you aren't eating and sleeping properly, your body is ill-equipped to deal with the stress of anxiety and may make everything feel worse and more out of control. If you find that you have eating or sleeping changes that you can't control on your own, see your health care provider.

Talk It Out

• Sometimes, quelling anxiety just takes an honest conversation--with yourself. Ask yourself what it is that's making you anxious, and sort out the real risks and issues from the ones that you are imagining or predicting will happen. Determine where you can actually affect a situation versus which factors are simply beyond your control. Sometimes it's helpful to write down all your fears, choose ones that you can do something about and make a plan to attack what you can. For example, if having a messy house adds to your anxiety level, admit it and make the time to clean (try blasting some music and combine cleaning with getting 30 minutes of exercise). The key is to push yourself into separating out what exactly is making you anxious and assessing whether or not your reaction to it is in proportion to the issue.

  If you find that you can't talk out these issues yourself, confide in a trusted family member or a good friend. Sometimes, just having someone listen as you name your fears and apprehensions can make them seem more manageable.

Relax

• Use relaxation techniques. Take a few deep, slow breaths--concentrating on using your diaphragm--inhaling and exhaling to a count of five. Use affirmations, if you feel comfortable, repeating them to yourself as you breathe deeply. Good examples are "I can handle anything that comes my way" or "I will let go of things I can't control."

  Progressive muscle relaxation, a type of meditation you guide yourself, can also be helpful when dealing with anxiety. Breathe slowly and deeply as you visualize relaxing your muscle groups. Start at your feet and lower legs. Notice any tension areas and concentrate on relaxing them. Then move to your upper legs, abdomen, arms, neck and so on.