There are more people suffering now from anxiety and stress than ever before.
Anxiety and stress are things we will all experience from time to time, but for some people it can be all consuming affecting every area of their life.
If you are suffering from anxiety and stress, here a few simple tips to help you make them disappear.
Anxiety and Stress – What are the Symptoms
Anxiety and stress is common to all of us and we have all experienced a little bit of worry over expected test results and we all need a little bit of stress to continue performing at optimum levels.
When anxiety and stress becomes problematic is when it stops us from getting on with day to day activities and affects our physical, emotional and mental functioning.
If you are suffering from anxiety and stress then you may experience some of the following symptoms:-
Difficulty getting to sleep
Constantly worrying about things
Feeling pressurized and unable to meet expectations
Increase in alcohol consumption
Always tired
Poor diet – eating too much or too little
If you experience any or all of these symptoms then the chances are you are being affected in an adverse way by anxiety and stress.
Follow these simple tips and make your anxiety and stress disappear.
When you find yourself in an anxiety or stress provoking situation do the following:-
1. Stop What you’re Doing
Think about where you are right now, come back to reality and ground yourself. Visualize an image that gives you the perception of being grounded which can stop your thoughts racing. It might be helpful to visualize a large STOP sign.
2. Concentrate on your Breathing
Think about how you breathe when you are feeling anxious. Your breathing is shallow, fast and high in the chest. Concentrate on slowing down your breathing.
This can be done by ensuring minimum movement in the chest and making sure that you are breathing from the abdomen. Take deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Keep focused on your breathing until you can slow it down and bring your body back under control.
3. Develop a Mantra
Think of a word that you can repeat over and over in your mind. It might be ‘calm’, ‘relax’ or ’still’. So for example, as you try and concentrate on staying grounded you might think ’still’ as you inhale and ‘calm’ as you exhale.
4. Relaxation
Practise muscle relaxation. Lay down on the bed or the floor and practise your breathing until you have slowed it right down.
Optimally you want to breathe in for a count of four, and breath out for a count of four.
Continue this for about five minutes and then begin to relax your muscles in groups, one at a time.
Start with the muscles in and around your face and head, then move on to your shoulders, arms, legs, etc. all the way down to the tips of your toes.
Think about each muscle and visualize it becoming softer and relaxing.
This exercise should not be rushed and the whole process should take you about 20 minutes.
5. Visualization
When you are completely relaxed, imagine yourself in a restful place. This may be a place in your imagination or a place you have visited but it should be somewhere that you can be completely anxiety and stress free.
Visualize yourself in that place, feeling calm, relaxed, focused and in control and then imagine yourself with the same feelings, dealing happily with a situation that may have caused you anxiety and stress in the past.
Anxiety and stress are things that we all experience but by practising these simple tips daily you can make anxiety and stress disappear from your life for good.
Keep anxiety and stress under control by eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise. Regular exercise is important and apart from helping to maintain fitness, releases endorphins, which will make you feel good.
On all aspects of self improvement and more on stress visit our website for a huge resource of articles, features and downloads or click here.
| By sacha tarkovsky Published: 12/15/2006 |
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