Keeping Up With Your Body!

Eliminating stress and anxiety is a tough thing to do. They key is to know your body and what positively and negatively affects it. For example, I know that caffeine has a major effect on how much negative energy I have that day, or even the day after. Caffeine is a drug in coffee, chocolate, and many sodas that is also used as a medical stimulant in some cases. This stimulation in your brain makes someone with anxious tendencies much more suseptible to stress. This is only one example of something I know of that acts as an agent to my anxiety. It is, of course, different for every person. Trial and error is the best way to see which diet and even which lifestyle affects your body in the best way. Below is some information I retrieved from a chart on www.symtoms.org/anxiety_symptoms.html. It lists many possible habits to adopt in order to have the most anxiety-free lifestyle.

Self-Help Tips for Controlling & Reducing Anxiety:

Exercise regularly: Exercise is an effective treatment for anxiety. Yoga and aerobic activities are particularly calming.

Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can exacerbate anxiety. Getting the Sleep You Need describes the importance of a full-night’s rest and offers tips on how to sleep well.

Eat a healthy diet: Healthy eating can help you in your battle against anxiety and stress. Make sure your diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Meditate: Many types of meditation have been shown to reduce anxiety. Common types of meditation include mindfulness, walking meditation, and transcendental meditation.

Practice relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization can help reduce anxiety.

Avoid alcohol and drugs: Don’t use substances to cope with your anxiety. They can make the problem worse, and eventually will cause problems of their own.

Eliminate caffeine: Stop drinking or cut back on caffeinated beverages, including soda, coffee, and tea. Caffeine can increase anxiety, cause insomnia, and even provoke panic attacks.

Cultivate a support system: Spend as much time as possible with people who make you feel good and are emotionally supportive. The more social support you have from friends and family, the less vulnerable you will be to anxiety and stress.