Away with Ye Anxiety

Anxiety usually starts with a knot in your stomach, and unchecked can lead to panic attacks, depression or social phobia. Many people learn to live with waking in the night in a panic, wondering if they finished their to do list, or spend their lives racing, feeling like they’re never quite enough.

Ironically, we are always more productive and finish things better when we are calm and feel we have things under control, rather than scrambling.

For all of you who spend their lives just a little (or a lot) on edge, it may be time to make some changes, and enjoy some real peace of mind.

Sleep

This can be a double edged sword for anxious types, they worry at night, which interrupts their sleep, then being overtired makes them more anxious, which becomes a vicious circle.

Relax in the hours before bed time, write lists of worries (real or imagined) and take all sensible precautions to get good quality sleep.

Exercise

Exercise is a wonderful way to release tension, prevent depression, keep yourself healthy and encourage good quality sleep (but try and exercise before dinner time). Use your exercise time as a ‘happy place’ where you focus on achieving something for yourself and leave your worries behind.

Limit the stimulants

If you are prone to anxiety, keep an eye on your diet. Coffee, alcohol and sugar can cause you to feel more anxious. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and have several caffeine and alcohol free days a week.

Be your own best friend

It is easy to allow worries to overwhelm you and create self doubt. Learn to accept that some days are easier than others, and avoid the tendency to make mountains out of molehills. If you feel anxious, ask yourself, “am I safe and ok right now? Can I worry about this another time? What is ok right now?”. Trite as it may sound, this too shall pass. Make a plan for the next hour, get through it and then start over.

Practice gratitude and optimism

Find something to be thankful for and try and keep positive thoughts top of mind. You can change the way you think. It takes practice, but it is possible. Start now. Good things will follow.