Anxiety is an increasingly common mental health problem that affects many people from all walks of life. Characterised by feelings of agitation and impending doom, as well as by physical effects such as sweating, hyperventilating, and rapid heartbeat, anxiety can be tiring and debilitating, especially if you have to cope with flare-ups on a regular basis.
While there is sadly no magic wand that can instantly remove your anxiety, there are a number of things you can do at home to help calm your thoughts and steady your heart rate if you feel your anxiety escalating. Read on to find out more.
Listen To A Guided Meditation
One of the most common effects of anxiety is racing thoughts that naturally tend toward gloom and doom. This stream of negative thoughts prompts a vicious circle, increasing our heart rate even more, and potentially triggering other unpleasant physical symptoms, which then trigger more panicked thoughts.
One of the best ways to stop an anxiety attack in its tracks is to regain control of your thought patterns. A guided meditation is a great way to do this, as it gives your brain something calm and soothing to focus on, which should help slow down your thoughts and, slowly but surely, bring you out of your agitated state.
Run A Hot Bath
Hydrotherapy has many benefits, and helping to soothe the symptoms of anxiety is one of them.
To easily tap into the healing power of water, all you need to do is run yourself a hot bath – or step into a hot shower, if you don’t have a tub available. If you do have a bath, be sure to add some scented bubble bath and perhaps even some Epsom salts, to help lift your mood and soothe your tense muscles.
While you’re relaxing in the bath, you can also practice some mindfulness techniques, such as controlled breathing or counting five things you can see in the bathroom. The combination of hot water, fragrant scents, and mind-steadying techniques should hopefully quell your anxiety within minutes.
Ask A Loved One To Give You A Massage
If you’ve ever had a massage, then you know how intensely relaxing it can be. If you struggle with particularly severe anxiety on a regular basis, then why not harness the soothing effects of massage as frequently as you can, by investing in a portable massage table for your home? This will be useful for professionals, too.
You could ask your partner, a relative, a roommate or a friend to give you a massage on a regular basis – perhaps once or twice a week – to help your mind and body get accustomed to becoming more relaxed.
Distract Yourself With Something Creative
Embarking on a creative project can help to take your mind off the mental and physical sensations caused by anxiety. You could enrol in a dance class, write short stories, take up drawing, or knitting, or even experiment with making your own clothes; there are so many creative ways to help stop anxiety taking hold.
Try And Give Yourself The Giggles
“Laughter is the best medicine,” they say – and while it may not be the miracle elixir you were hoping for, it can certainly help you when it comes to defusing an anxiety attack.
Whether it’s watching an episode of your favourite sitcom, distracting yourself with some ‘lol cats’, or even booking tickets to see your favourite comedian – however you choose to get your giggles, you will hopefully feel much better as a result of your dose of mirth.
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