7 things you can do today to overcome anxiety.
Overcoming anxiety isn’t easy but it isn’t as hard as you may think.
Although anxiety is deeply unique, personal, and complex, what it boils down to is that your body is trying to keep you safe. Whether there be an actual threat or a perceived one, anxiety occurs when your internal environment feels unsafe in some way.
Unsafe to feel x emotion, unsafe to trust that things will work out, unsafe to believe that anxiety isn’t actually going to take you out. So much of overcoming your anxiety is about allowing your nervous system to return to safety.
If you were a caveman your anxiety would be useful if you were approached by a tiger. That racing heart, tingling fingers, tightening in your chest — that’s all great when there is real danger! Not so much when you are sitting at home trying to relax.
So how do you train your body and your mind to feel safe again?
If you want to return to safety, you have to give your body some sort of predictability.
So much of our anxiety stems from a sense of uncertainty. The foundation of overcoming anxiety is to support your body first. A body that is depleted, over-worked, over-stressed, and lacking basic care is going to struggle returning to a place of safety. Today’s steps are all about building the foundation that will support you in overcoming your anxiety.
Eat regular meals
This is a big one. Anxiety isn’t just about our thoughts, it is also about our physiology. There are many factors that can contribute to anxiety and one of them is low blood sugar and depleted nutrients. I have seen this both in my personal experience with anxiety and in my experience with patients as a Registered Nurse. Eating regular meals does two things: It prevents you from becoming nutritionally depleted and it offers your body that predictability I mentioned earlier. If your body is running on fumes, unable to predict the next meal, you will create a cascade of responses internally that can contribute to anxious feelings and symptoms of anxiety. Keep it simple at first. Start with three meals per day, making sure to incorporate protein into each meal. This will help stabilize those blood sugar levels and keep your body fueled throughout the day.
Avoid caffeine and too much sugar
Caffeine can contribute to feelings of anxiety so try either lowering your intake or cutting it out completely for a couple of weeks to see if you notice any improvement. Sugar can also contribute to anxiety and cause harsh spikes and dips in blood sugar so be mindful of this as well! Like I said earlier, focus on protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. Don’t overthink it. Perfection isn’t necessary!
Go to bed and wake up around the same time
Sleep is important for a multitude of reasons. Our bodies repair and restore during sleep and lack of it can increase stress levels and anxiety. Again, perfection isn’t necessary. You should be aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Try to go to sleep and wake up at consistent times. This will allow your body’s natural cycles and rhythms to fall into sync again, contributing to a feeling of predictability and safety.
Don’t do drugs
This one is self explanatory but necessary. Substances offer temporary relief but only worsen anxiety long term. Don’t take advice from friends that suggest this for sleep or that for pre-test jitters. Unless it is prescribed to you, you should be firm in your decision to avoid all substances. There is no ‘quick fix’ for anxiety and this is where that sense of internal trust comes in. Take care of yourself and keep your eye on the goal. If you are struggling to a point where self medicating seems like the only relief, please seek advice from a trusted friend, parent, or therapist. And read more of my blogs <3
Practice regular stillness
This could (and probably will be) an entire blog in itself. Racing, anxious thoughts can subconsciously cause people to avoid stillness at all costs. Being busy can become a coping mechanism for anxiety that over time can create a feedback loop that sends the message that boredom isn’t safe. If you are anxious, it is important to practice regular stillness. This allows your body to begin to feel comfortable in relaxation. If you can’t sit still or be with your thoughts for more than a few seconds, this is a sign that your body considers rest an uncomfortable state to be in. Again, you don’t have to jump to a 30 minute meditation on day one. Start small, super small. Pause before a meal for a quick moment of gratitude. Eat with the TV off. Take a deep exhale after a long day before entering the doorway into your home — signaling that it’s time to leave the stress of the day behind you. These small pauses start to create new neural pathways that prevent your mind and your body from defaulting to a constant path of worry or stress. Practicing this regularly will start to change the way your body responds throughout the day. As you get more comfortable, build up your stillness muscle to one minute, then five. You don’t have to sit perfectly still or close your eyes. Doodle in a notebook or pet your dog. Stillness is more about slowing down at first than it is about clearing your mind. This takes time, so trust the process and commit to the pause.
Move your body
Equally as important as stillness is movement. Regular exercise, whether that be long walks, weight training, yoga, or whatever you prefer, gives anxious energy a place to go. Endorphins released during exercise decrease anxiety and increase feelings of calm. Start with low impact and find something that you enjoy. If you work a desk job, ask your employer to take a five minute walk every couple of hours. Daily movement improves sleep, hormone regulation, and overall health. Incorporating intentional movement into your daily routine is one of the most impactful things you can do to overcome anxiety naturally.
Embrace discomfort
Anxiety will not hurt you. It is important to remember that you are safe already without any of these steps. Remembering that when you are anxious is important. Stop attaching meaning to your anxiety and start to allow it to come AND to let it pass. You would be surprised at how much letting your anxiety come without resistance actually lessens it over time. When you allow the anxious thoughts to pass like clouds in the sky, you are teaching your mind that anxiety isn’t a threat and that is when your body can start to believe it too. You begin to respond differently, and over time the goal is to not get caught up in anxious spirals. To be able to feel the anxiety bubble up and process it with ease and with grace.
