We can all feel anxious from time to time. This a normal part of the human experience, particularly as we age and have more exposure to life stressors and experiences that are challenging. Hormonal changes, before a menstrual period is due, and during perimenopause and menopause, can also be a factor in feeling anxious.
If you are noticing you are beginning to feel anxious more often than not and it is impacting your mood, physical health, and ability to cope with your usual activities, these coping strategies can be helpful in reducing the severity of your anxious feelings, and help you understand what is triggering your anxiety.
Breathwork. Yes this sounds simplistic but it does work. Any type of breathwork, taking a long, slow deep inhale from your belly and a long exhale, through the nose or mouth, will help.
There are many mental health apps that offer guided breathwork exercises if you prefer some more sophisticated techniques for using your breath to calm your mind and nervous system.
Walk/Run/Exercise in any form is fantastic for managing anxiety. Research tells us exercise is just as effective as medication in treating mild anxiety and depression. So get up and move! Even if it is jumping on the spot or cleaning around the house, any movement helps reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and reduce physical feelings of anxiety. Pop on your favourite tunes for an additional mood booster!
Journal: While your practicing taking some deep breaths, can you reflect on what you were doing when you started to feel anxious? Where were you? Who were you with? Was it an external event that made you feel anxious? Or an internal event? i.e. What were you thinking about or saying to yourself when you began to feel anxious? Our thoughts are powerful. Check for any negative thoughts and ask yourself is there another way to look at the situation? Can you speak to yourself more kindly, can you be more self compassionate? What would you say to a friend who was having similar thoughts? Write it all down. Writing can help us pause, reflect, and gain clarity around why we started to feel anxious to begin with.
Mood Food. What we eat matters when it comes to our mental health. Nutritional Psychiatry is an area of science investigating this with some interesting findings. Eating foods high in protein, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and minimising foods that are high in sugar and low in important nutrients (so basically anything highly processed) can help support your mental health.
This does not need to be overly complicated. No diets required! A good rule of thumb is eating food as close to it's natural source as possible. Caffeine and alcohol can also up the ante on our anxiety. Notice how much you are consuming and try reducing, and limiting, the amount you drink.
Good Sleep Habits. If you are experiencing disrupted sleep this can contribute to poor mental health. Consider your routine at night 2 hours before bed. Is it helping you wind down, and your brain to produce melatonin to help you fall asleep and stay asleep? Or are you on screens, working late into the night, or consuming too much alcohol, or caffeine late in the day (this interferes with your quality of sleep often resulting in waking and disrupted sleep throughout the night)? Try dimming your lights/putting lamps on instead of bright lights, reducing screen time, practicing a meditation/reading a book, at least 2 hours before bed to help you wind down.
A warm bath or shower before bed with some lavender, magnesium salts can also feel very pampering as well as help your mind and body wind down and get ready for sleep.
Speak to a Psychologist. If your anxiety is persistent, interfering with your mood, causing persistent physical symptoms of ill health, making it difficult for you to function, and making you feel overwhelmed and not like yourself, it is time for some therapy. Therapy is the ultimate self care. A space dedicated to you, to explore why you are experiencing anxiety, and to help you develop an individualised treatment plan to help you recover. Working with a Psychologist that has a wholistic approach to treating anxiety is important. There can be many factors involved (both physical and psychological) that can contribute to anxiety.
If you would like to enquire about making an appointment with Vanessa,
Telephone (03) 8338 1083 or Email: vanessastaubpsychology@gmail.com
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