Anxiety serves a vital purpose: it alerts us when a real danger appears and sets off our fight or flight response. When anxious feelings occur, we focus on the situation at hand and start to gather our thoughts on how to react. Will we proceed on the current path? Will we veer off in a new direction? Or will we completely about-face and completely avoid the task at hand? The act of hesitating and taking stock of our options is a positive one.
We certainly don't want to be on autopilot when a risky situation presents itself. On the other hand, sometimes we have no choice but to proceed and the feelings of anxiety can begin to feel unmanageable. What can we do to reduce anxiety when a change of course is not an option? Here are three tips that can help you get your equilibrium back under control quickly:
Get moving - a walk around the block gives you some advantages immediately. The physical act of exercise gets your blood flowing and more oxygen to your brain. The built up mental tension finds a release when you put your muscles to work, even if it's just five minutes of being in motion rather than remaining stationary. Exercise also produces endorphins which trigger positive feelings.
Lose the caffeinated beverage - whether it's coffee, tea or soda. You're not doing yourself any favors by adding this chemical to your stressed system. Choose a caffeine-free version or - better yet - drink a large glass of water. Caffeine is a factor in dehydration - the opposite of what your hyper-alert body needs when you're experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress. Hydrating with pure water has a natural calming effect.
Take a deep-breathing break - find a spot where you can be alone for a few moments. Inhale fully to a count of five, then exhale completely. Close your eyes and focus your mind on the feeling of the air entering and then exiting your lungs. Repeat this process at least 10 times and you should experience a notable drop in anxious feelings.
Anxiety is a permanent fixture in our lives since it serves the important purpose of signaling danger. It is impossible to completely eliminate it, but it's possible to use a few simple techniques to get the symptoms under control when they threaten our well-being. By keeping these tips in mind, you'll be able to quickly and easily reduce anxious feelings when they crop up.