Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress, but if you’re looking for some high-impact strategies that have been scientifically backed to reduce anxiety, here are 5 easy ways to do it:
1. Get a Massage
Massage is not only relaxing, but it releases endorphins, which are your body’s natural “happy chemicals,” also known as morphine-like substances. Massaging encourages blood flow to your brain and helps you feel more alert, more in control of yourself and better able to deal with everyday stresses.
You’ll also find that massaging can help reduce muscle tension and pain, which can prevent headaches or colds.
2. Go for a Walk
A brisk 30-minute walk will do a lot for your physical health. It’s a great way to increase circulation, which improves oxygen supply to the brain and aids in weight loss (and it can burn up to 150 calories in just one hour!). Walking improves the circulation of your blood, which can improve memory and concentration.
And it also makes you feel better because exercise encourages the production of serotonin and endorphins.
3. Lose some Weight
When you are in a state of anxiety, your body produces cortisol, a hormone that raises blood pressure and is also a major factor in weight gain. It’s an excellent idea to eat by improving the quality of what you put in your body, so try to reduce portion sizes and focus on natural foods with plenty of antioxidants that boost your immune system.
Almonds make a great snack because they are loaded with magnesium, an essential mineral for good health that helps increase metabolism and can help reduce stress by calming down the nervous system.
Fruits and vegetables are also high in both antioxidants and essential minerals that promote cardiovascular health, which can help reduce stress and improve memory (especially B vitamins).
4. Write it Down
Focusing on the stressful moment is key to making it less stressful. Take a few minutes each day to write about what happened during the stressful situation, but don’t dwell! The more you think about it, the more stressed out you’ll get.
Instead of forcing yourself to think about what went wrong or how excessive your mother is, use this time to let out your frustrations. If you can’t get it down on paper, try the Stress Diary or Scared Sickness technique.
5. Breathe
It sounds simple, but it’s hard to do when you’re in a stressful situation. When you’re stressed, your heart races, your vision blurs and your chest tightens up. To calm down, it’s best to take deep breaths and relax your muscles as soon as you feel the tension rising.
When you breathe deeply and consciously control the way you work through stress, the body can relax before it gets out of control.
Bottom Line
Oussamamansour offers anxiety and stress support plus coping methods, such as breathing and writing, which can help reduce anxiety. Oussama Mansour is a seasoned life coach by profession. For more information, visit the website.
