Alternatives to Anxiety
Stress
is a fact of life, but being stressed out is not. We don't always have
control over what happens to us and yet, that doesn't mean we have to
react to a difficult, challenging situation by becoming frazzled or
feeling overwhelmed or distraught. Being overly anxious is not just a
mental hazard; it's a physical one too. The more stressed out we are
the more vulnerable we are to colds, flu, and a host of chronic or
life-threatening illnesses. And the less open we are to the beauty and
pleasure of life. For your emotional and bodily benefit, we've
consulted experts and come up with 37 easy, natural alternatives to anxiety. Enjoy!
1. Breathe Easily
Breathing from your diaphragm oxygenates your blood, which helps you
relax almost instantly. Shallow chest breathing, by contrast, can cause
your heart to beat faster and your muscles to tense up, exacerbating
feelings of stress. To breathe deeply, begin by putting your hand on
your abdomen just below the navel. Inhale slowly through your nose and
watch your hand move out as your belly expands. Hold the breath for a
few seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times.
2. Visualize Calm
It sounds New Age-y, but at least one study, done at the Cleveland
Clinic Foundation, has found that it's highly effective in reducing
stress. Dr. Cooper recommends imagining you're in a hot shower and a
wave of relaxation is washing your stress down the drain. Close your
eyes, take three long, slow breaths, and spend a few seconds picturing
a relaxing scene, such as walking in a meadow, kneeling by a brook, or
lying on the beach. Focus on the details -- the sights, the sounds, the
smells.
3. Make Time for a Mini Self-Massage
Simply
massaging the palm of one hand by making a circular motion with the
thumb of the other. Or use a massage gadget.
4. Try a Tonic
Look for stress formulas such as Nerve Tonic in your health food store,
or consult a licensed homeopath.
5. Say Cheese
Smiling is a two-way mechanism. We do it when we're relaxed and happy,
but doing it can also make us feel relaxed and happy. "Smiling
transmits nerve impulses from the facial muscles to the limbic system,
a key emotional center in the brain, tilting the neurochemical balance
toward calm. Go ahead and grin. Don't you feel better already?
6. Do Some Math
Using a scale of one to 10, with one being the equivalent of a minor
hassle and 10 being a true catastrophe, assign a number to whatever it
is that's making you feel anxious. "You'll find that most problems we
encounter rate somewhere in the two to five range -- in other words,
they're really not such a big deal. 7. Stop Gritting Your Teeth
Stress tends to settle in certain parts of our bodies, the jaw being
one of them. When things get hectic, try this tip: Place your index
fingertips on your jaw joints, just in front of your ears; clench your
teeth and inhale deeply. Hold the breath for a moment, and as you
exhale say, "Ah-h-h-h," then unclench your teeth. Repeat a few times.
8. Compose a Mantra
Devise an affirmation -- a short, clear, positive statement that
focuses on your coping abilities. "Affirmations are a good way to
silence the self-critical voice we all carry with us that only adds to
our stress. The next time you feel as if your life is one disaster
after another, repeat 10 times, "I feel calm. I can handle this."
9. Check Your Chi
Qigong (pronounced chee-gong) is a 5,000-year-old Chinese practice
designed to promote the flow of chi, the vital life force that flows
throughout the body, regulating its functions. Calming exercise: Stand
with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel. Bend your knees to a
quarter-squat position (about 45 degrees) while keeping your upper body
straight. Observe your breathing for a couple of breaths. Inhale and
bring your arms slowly up in front of you to shoulder height with your
elbows slightly bent. Exhale, stretching your arms straight out. Inhale
again, bend your elbows slightly and drop your arms down slowly until
your thumbs touch the sides of your legs. Exhale one more time, then
stand up straight.
10. Be a Fighter
At the first sign of stress, you often hear people complain, 'What did
I do to deserve this?. The trouble is, feeling like a victim only
increases feelings of stress and helplessness. Instead, focus on being
proactive. If your flight gets canceled, don't wallow in self-pity.
Find another one. If your office is too hot or too cold, don't suffer
in silence. Call the building manager and ask what can be done to make
things more comfortable.
11. Put It on Paper
Writing provides perspective. Divide a piece of paper into two parts.
On the left side, list the stressors you may be able to change, and on
the right, list the ones you can't. Change what you can and stop
fretting over what you can't.
12. Count to 10
Before you say or do something you'll regret, step away from the
stressor and collect yourself. You can also look away for a moment or
put the caller on hold. Use your time-out to take a few deep breaths,
stretch, or recite an affirmation. 13. Switch to Decaf
Wean yourself slowly, or you might get a caffeine-withdrawal headache
that could last for several days. Subtract a little regular coffee and
add some decaf to your morning cup. Over the next couple of weeks,
gradually increase the proportion of decaf to regular until you're
drinking all decaf. You should also consider switching from regular
soft drinks to caffeine-free ones or sparkling mineral water.
14. Just Say No
Trying to do everything is a one-way ticket to serious stress. Be clear
about your limits, and stop trying to please everyone all the time.
15. Take a Whiff
Oils of anise, basil, bay, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint,
rose, and thyme are all soothing. Place a few pieces of rock salt in a
small vial, then add a couple of drops of the oil of your choice (the
rock salt absorbs the oil and is much less risky to carry around in
your purse than a bottle of oil). Open the vial and breathe in the
scent whenever you need a quick stress release. Look for the oils in
your local health food store.
16. Warm Up
Try this tip: Rub your hands together vigorously until they feel warm.
Then cup them over your closed eyes for five seconds while you breathe
deeply. The warmth and darkness are comforting.
17. Say Yes to Pressure
Acupressure stimulates the same points as acupuncture, but with fingers
instead of needles. Pressing on the following three points: The Third
Eye, located between the eyebrows, in the indentation where the bridge
of the nose meets the forehead. The Heavenly Pillar, on the
back of the neck slightly below the base of the skull, about half an
inch to the left or right of the spine. The Heavenly
Rejuvenation, half an inch below the top of each shoulder, midway
between the base of the neck and the outside of the shoulder blade.
Breathe deeply and apply firm, steady pressure on each point for two to
three minutes. The pressure should cause a mild aching sensation, but
not pain.
18. Schedule Worry Time
Some stressors demand immediate attention -- a smoke alarm siren or a
police car's whirling red light. But many low-grade stressors can be
dealt with at a later time, when it's more convenient. File them away
in a little mental compartment, or make a note, then deal with them
when the time is right. Don't let them control you.
19. Shake It Up
This quick exercise
helps loosen the muscles in your neck and upper back: Stand or sit,
stretch your arms out from your sides and shake your hands vigorously
for about 10 seconds. Combine this with a little deep breathing and
you'll do yourself twice as much good.
20. Munch Some Snacks
Foods that are high in carbohydrates stimulate the release of
serotonin, feel-good brain chemicals that help induce calm. Crackers,
pretzels, or a bagel should do the trick.
21. Boost Your Vitamin Intake
Women
should take a daily multivitamin and mineral formula that contains
between 100% and 300% of the recommended dietary allowances of vitamin
B, as well as the minerals calcium, magnesium, chromium, copper, iron,
manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc. Avoid stress formulas, which
often contain large amounts of randomly formulated nutrients, such as
the B vitamins, but little or nothing else.
22. Get Horizontal
If sex has been on the bottom of your to-do list for too long, move it
to the top. Sex increases levels of endorphins, those mood-boosting
chemicals in the brain, and it's one of the best total-body relaxers
around. Make a date with your mate, and don't let anything get in the
way.
23. Admit It
Each of us has uniquely individual stress signals -- neck or shoulder
pain, shallow breathing, stammering, teeth gritting, queasiness, loss
of temper. Learn to identify yours, then say out loud, "I'm feeling
stressed," when they crop up. Recognizing your personal stress signals
helps slow the buildup of negativity and anxiety.
24. Space Out
Look out the window and find something natural that captures your
imagination. Notice the clouds rolling by or the wind in the trees.
25. Try Tea
By now most of us know about the calming properties of chamomile tea.
But a steaming cup of catnip, passionflower, skullcap or kava kava also
work. Whether you use tea bags or loose tea (one teaspoon of tea per
cup of boiling water), steep for about 10 minutes to get the full
benefits of the herbs.
26. Take a Walk
It forces you to breathe more deeply and improves circulation. Step
outside if you can; if that's not possible, you can gain many of the
same benefits simply by walking to the bathroom or water cooler, or by
pacing back and forth. The key is to get up and move.
27. Soak it Up
When I have the time, nothing is more stress relieving for me than a
hot bath. But when I don't have time, I do the next-best thing: I wash
my face or even just my hands and arms with hot water. The key is to
imagine that I'm taking a hot bath. It's basically a visualization
exercise, but the hot water makes it feel real.
28. Play a Few Bars
A number of recent studies have shown that music can do everything from
slow heart rate to increase endorphins.
29. Fall for Puppy Love
In a study of 100 women conducted last year at the State University of
New York at Buffalo, researchers found that those who owned a dog had
lower blood pressure than those who didn't. If you don't have a pooch,
visit a friend's: Petting an animal for just a couple of minutes helps
relieve stress, researchers have found.
30. Practice Mindfulness
Heighten your awareness of the moment by focusing intently on an
object. Notice a pencil's shape, color, weight and feel. Or slowly
savor a raisin or a piece of chocolate. Mindfulness leads to
relaxation.
31. Dial a Friend
Sharing your troubles can give you perspective, help you feel cared for
and relieve your burden.
32. Stretch
Muscles tighten during the course of the day, and when we feel stressed
out, the process accelerates. Stretching loosens muscles and encourages
deep breathing. One of the greatest stress-relieving stretches is a
yoga position called the child pose, which stretches the back muscles.
On a rug or mat, kneel, sit back on your heels, then lean forward and
put your forehead on the floor and your arms alongside your legs, palms
up. Hold for one to three minutes.
33. Say a Little Prayer
Studies show that compared with those who profess no faith, religious
and spiritual people are calmer and healthier.
34. Make Plans
Looking forward to something provides calming perspective. Buy concert
tickets, schedule a weekend getaway, or make an appointment for a
massage.
35. Goof Off
It temporarily removes you from a potentially stressful situations.
Keeps a harmonica in the drawer for when she's feeling stressed out.
Bonus: Playing it promotes deep breathing.
36. Straighten Up
When people are under stress, they slump over as if they have the
weight of the world on their shoulders. Slumping restricts breathing
and reduces blood and oxygen flow to the brain, adding to muscle
tension and magnifying feelings of panic and helplessness.
Straightening your spine has just the opposite effect. It promotes
circulation, increases oxygen levels in your blood and helps lessen
muscle tension, all of which promote relaxation.
37. Tiptoe Through the Tulips
Tending your garden helps get you out of your head and lets you commune
with nature, a known stress reliever. If you're not a gardener, tend to
a houseplant. Plants = growth = cycle of life, a nice reminder that
stress, too, will pass.
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