Improve your well-being: Strategies against stress and anxiety
Even though there is no miracle pill to cure anxiety, there are simple methods to alleviate this overwhelming feeling - and also prevent it from getting worse once it arises within us. We share expert tips that can help calm the mind and body during anxious moments.
Anxiety can sometimes feel paralyzing, and annoying or even harassing. From constant rumination and "what-if" scenarios to physical stress on your body, taking a break from anxiety symptoms is difficult, but possible with healthy coping techniques.
Important: Every body and every brain is different. Therefore, read through each example and try it out. Find out which strategy works best for you.
Breathing exercises for mental and physical health
When we are nervous or excited, our breathing becomes shallower, our heart beats faster, and we struggle to take deep breaths. Breathing exercises help to slow down our racing thoughts, reduce stress, and alleviate anxiety.
Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Feel your feet firmly rooted on the ground. Take a deep breath, hold it for five seconds, and then slowly exhale. Repeat until you feel fully present in the moment. The physical experience of anxiety is linked to our fight-or-flight response. When we are anxious, our body tells our mind that we feel insecure. Heart rate increases, the body is flooded with the stress hormone cortisol, and the mind seeks more confirmation of our anxiety from the outside world.
The first place to intervene in this "vicious cycle" is breathing! When we take deep, conscious breaths, we can activate the vagus nerve, which regulates our stress response. Deep exhalation triggers the vagus nerve and releases a calming substance called vagal substance: The vagal substance sends a signal to the heart to beat slower - and as our heart rate decreases, the fight-or-flight response automatically subsides.
Another good method is called box breathing. With this breathing technique, we give our nervous system the command to relax. Here's what you should do: Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and hold your breath again for four seconds. Repeat this 12-15 times or longer, as needed.
While practicing box breathing, negative thoughts may arise. It is especially important to simply observe them and let them pass. The goal of this exercise is to get back in sync with our body so that we can react differently when we experience a foreign feeling (such as a lump in the throat, a racing heart, or hot flashes). By acknowledging the foreign feeling and giving ourselves a brief moment (a breath, a moment, or even just a filler word like "well..."), one or two seconds can pass. This way, we can gather ourselves and return to our center.
For Your Mind
Leave your head and bring your thoughts to paper. The thoughts that are swirling in your head need a cut. An effective way to break this cycle of worry is writing. Keeping a list of everything that makes you anxious or worried is key.
Ask yourself, "Is this true?" If it is, ask yourself, "What can I do about it?" If there's nothing you can do, focus on what you can let go in the situation.
Truth vs. Story
When we feel fear, many of our thoughts are likely not rooted in reality. They're stories, often based on a false perception of our values...and these stories can be pretty sneaky. To fully engage with anxiety management, we must begin by asking ourselves the right questions.
In its simplest form, truth vs. story means putting your emotional response to the test: Is what I'm reacting to true? What story am I adding? It may sound simple, but fear tells us to overlook the truth - by consciously trying to check ourselves, we have the opportunity to relieve the pressure.
If you want to go a little deeper (and have a few extra minutes), these four questions help understand anxiety that arises from truth vs. story. Writing or typing helps. For example, use the notes app on your phone.
- What triggers my anxiety? Be super specific. Was it an interaction that reminded you of something from your past? Was it a particular person?
- What story am I adding here? Are you back in the "Oh my god, this person hates me more than anything rabbit hole"? Or maybe you've made an assumption about something and now this false narrative is affecting your day?
- What is the truth instead? Come back to truth! It's already inside you.
- What simple action can I take to change my current state? Sometimes it's as simple as choosing different thoughts. Sometimes it can be a change of place, job, relationship... but start looking for actionable steps.
Fear is not a lifelong punishment - it is a call to create loving, long-term changes.
Name your fear
When you feel anxious, take three minutes to pause, breathe, and see if you can identify the "root emotion." You don't have to know what to do with it or how to "fix" it yet. Just focus your awareness on what you're feeling.
For example: "I'm feeling a kind of relationship anxiety today." Or "I'm feeling shame and self-condemnation in this moment."
Notice those two words? "Experience" and "have." When you name your fear clearly, you separate it from yourself. You are not your fear. You are an incredible person who has a big emotion - don't get confused! Naming your fear can pave the way for the next steps.
For Body and Mind
Practice positive thinking and physical activity. When you feel anxious, don't sit still... move. Go outside and breathe in fresh air. Put on your headphones and listen to relaxing music while taking a brisk walk. Try to distract your mind from what's weighing on you. Focus on positive thoughts that make you feel safe, accepted, loved, and honored while walking. By creating a practice of gratitude, we allow positive thoughts to follow, which will in turn reprogram your brain for healthy, positive thinking habits. Fact: Only when we feel balanced can we reflect on how happy and blessed we are.
What else helps: put your feet up. Although you're not actively moving your body, elevating your feet and pressing your legs tightly against your body can be calming and relaxing during times of anxiety.
Important: Fear is not a lifelong punishment - it is a call to create loving, long-term changes. It's a call to bring you into the fullest expression of yourself... but you can't do that if you don't actually acknowledge what's coming up inside you.
