158 - Way's To Reduce Anxiety

This is episode 158 of the Absolute Mind podcasts and today I am covering ways in which you can reduce anxiety.

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http://www.absolutemind.co.uk/freeanxietycourse 

Please do bear in mind that we have created this podcast to be of some insight and some sort of assistance but by no means a way to treat conditions on their own.

If you do have any deep-rooted conditions or ailments that you'd like some assistance with on a one-to-one professional approach, then please feel free to contact either me or Michael on Facebook or directly through the website and we can arrange sessions that way or via Skype, whatever suits.

Note: If you feel you may be dealing with a serious anxiety disorder and need assistance please talk to a medical professional about your options of treatment. There are many options that are available to help with anxiety symptoms but if you are looking for ways that may help to reduce your levels of anxiety this podcast could help you on your way to becoming calmer and more relaxed on a regular basis. 

Anxiety is something that I see on a regular basis in my therapy practice, technically anxiety isn't a thing, its not something you can catch rather a apprehension over upcoming events, anticipating the future with scary predictions that don't have any basis in truth.

In our every day lives anxiety can create some physical and emotional symptoms such as increased heart rate, lack of concentration, sleep problems and over all low mood.

The anxiety response is similar to what the cave man would have experienced when in danger running from tigers or hunting/gathering. But in our modern world we're not running from danger or hunting our foods and its the small things that can tip us over the edge such as morning rush hour, losing keys and so on. These kind of things can create extra levels of stress which in turn increases the anxiety levels.

But there are a few simple steps you can take towards helping yourself feel better and hopefully allow you to feel more relaxed and calm on a daily basis.

1. Get Some Sleep - Although trying to get enough sleep when anxious can be a tremendously hard thing to do lack of sleep can have some serious consequences. Lack of sleep can affect our physical health but can also contribute to overall anxiety and stress levels. Since anxiety often leads to lack of sleep it can seem impossible to break the cycle so try as many routes you can to sleep more, relaxing baths with magnesium salts, meditation before bed, particular foods known for aiding sleep such as bananas etc
2. Have Some Fun - It can seem like a big task to take yourself away and have a smile or a giggle but when things are getting on top of you it can be a good idea to break away and smile. Research suggests that laughing can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety so check out some funny clips on the internet or surround yourself with fun friends to help make you smile.
3. De-Clutter - De-clutter your physical spaces to help minimise any added stress or anxiety. Its suggested that a messy work place or home can make it feel impossible to complete work and its never ending. The clearer your space is the clearer your mind can be and will be able to think more rationally.
4. Eat Well -  Anxiety can mean that our bodies go completely out of whack and appetites may change, you may find you crave different foods, or don't want to eat at all. But if you can try to give the body the support it needs it can help with feeling more human/normal as the body is in sync. Try eating nutrient rich foods containing vitamin B, Omega-3 etc. Your body may crave sweet sugary processed foods but studies show that these foods can in-fact increase levels of anxiety so try to stay away from these sugary processed foods.
5. Breathe - A well known tool to help prevent panic attacks is to breathe diaphragmatically, in through the nose extending the belly allowing the air to flow then breathe out sucking the belly in, the chest should never need to move when doing this breathing as its all about breathing through the stomach.
6. Meditate - I have spoken about meditation in the past and its many benefits and its no surprise that meditation can help to alleviate anxiety levels, it relaxes the body and helps to improve mood.

In an dream world nobody would experience anxiety and we wouldn't come up with these thoughts that creates stress or anxiety. But we are all human and we do worry about things. So when you start to worry or freak out a little try to remember to calm the brain, relax the body and re-centre yourself to get your head back in the game. And as always if you feel you need further help please do go to speak to somebody who may be able to help you further.

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