Put Your Hand On Your Heart
You can bypass your brain, as Neff puts it, by simply placing your hand on your heart, or touching your face tenderly. The primary way parents show compassion to infants is through warm touch, she says, adding that as mammals were primed to respond to this simple but powerful act. It activates our parasympathetic nervous system and releases cortisol to help us calm ourselves down. She also suggests putting your hands on your stomach, or anywhere you feel a difficult emotion in your body, and simply telling yourself, Im here for you.
Creating Peace In Your Life
Being an empathic, caring person leaves you open to a wide range of feelings. When you sense love and joy, you will experience well-being. However, picking up negative emotions can be agitating. As part of your self-care, you want to keep yourself as calm as possible. Using the techniques which I discussed will help create more equanimity and peace in your life.
Learn how to tap into your emotions, intuition, and empathy to fully access your sensitivities without going on overload or becoming drained. Dr. Judith Orloff for her upcoming Self-Care Retreat for Empaths and Sensitive People at the Art of Living Retreat Center from May 1315, 2022.
Dr. Judith Orloff,a UCLA-trained psychiatrist, NY Times best-selling author and an empath herself, will show you how to awaken your intuition and empathy to enhance your health, work, relationships, resilience as a parent, and emotional & physical well-being. Nurturing your sensitivities yet staying grounded, allows you to model for others how to be sensitive, heart-centered, and strong, a way to positively change your life and the planet.
This article is excerpted from Dr. Judith Orloffs bookThe Empaths Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People , and is reposted with permission from the author.
Try Some Aerobic Activity
During periods of anxiety, your body is filled with adrenaline. Putting that adrenaline toward aerobic activity can be a great way to improve your anxiety. Exercise has numerous advantages for controlling your anxiety symptoms:
- Exercise burns away stress hormones that create anxiety symptoms.
- Exercise tires your muscles, reducing excess energy and tension.
- Exercise releases endorphins in your brain which can improve overall mood.
- Exercise is linked to healthier breathing.
- Exercise is a healthy distraction.
Aerobic activity, like light jogging or even fast walking, can be extremely effective at reducing the severity of your anxiety symptoms, as well as the anxiety itself.
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Release The Anxiety Or Anger
Dehorty recommends getting the emotional energy out with exercise. Go for a walk or run. in some physical activity serotonin to help you calm down and feel better.
However, you should avoid physical activity that includes the expression of anger, such as punching walls or screaming.
This has been shown to increase feelings of anger, as it reinforces the emotions because you end up feeling good as the result of being angry, Dehorty explains.
Helps Address Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes people to develop an abnormal sleeping pattern. Their sleep is disturbed by irregularities that have emerged in their breathing patterns.Kratom powder for good quality sleep is available and more people can benefit from being aware of that.
The symptoms of sleep apnea people experience when they are awake can be difficult to deal with as well. Some of the more common symptoms that kratom can help address are detailed below.
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Stay In Your Time Zone
Anxiety is a future-oriented state of mind. So instead of worrying about whatâs going to happen, âreel yourself back to the present,â says Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., a psychologist and author of Freeing Yourself from Anxiety. Ask yourself: Whatâs happening right now? Am I safe? Is there something I need to do right now? If not, make an âappointmentâ to check in with yourself later in the day to revisit your worries so those distant scenarios donât throw you off track, she says.
Listen To Good Mood Music
Music can have a powerful effect on your mood and on anxiety. They key however is to not just choose songs you like. but also make sure that you are listening to music that represents the way you want to feel. Happy or relaxing music can directly impact your mood and the way you feel.
While many people find it soothing to listen to angry music when theyâre angry or sad music when theyâre sad, the truth is that this type of music will only help you get in touch with those negative emotions. That won’t help you feel better. When you’re trying to stop anxiety, you should listen to music that will help you feel the way you want to feel.
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Valuing Yourself Helps You Be Who You Want To Be
Self-care is not self-indulgence or selfish, its an act of valuing and nurturing of oneself. It shows that you are important and worthy. By taking care of yourself, you can function better, be more present for your loved ones, and feel your best.
Now that you know how to be awesome at self-soothing and self-care, dont just file the information away. Make a plan to integrate these tips into your life starting today! Habits take repetitions to get established delaying wont help. Good luck!
Have A Centering Object
When youre anxious or angry, so much of your energy is being spent on irrational thoughts. When youre calm, find a centering object such as a small stuffed animal, a polished rock you keep in your pocket, or a locket you wear around your neck.
Tell yourself that youre going to touch this object when youre experiencing anxiety or frustration. This centers you and helps calm your thoughts. For example, if youre at work and your boss is making you anxious, gently rub the locket around your neck.
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Most Importantly Stay In The Moment
Learning to manage anxiety takes time. Its important not to get ahead of yourself. That means being patient with your progress. Typically, it takes a holistic combination of approaches that is unique to you. So, dont live too far in the future or in the past. Do your best to stay in the moment and remember that feelings are only temporary.
How To Calm Anxiety: 8 Natural Ways
Occasional anxiety is a normal human experience. Mild anxiety can occur before interviewing for a new job. A higher level of anxiety can occur from barely avoiding a car crash. And an even higher level may come with the loss of a loved one. There are also those people who experience anxiety persistently. However, learning how to calm anxiety is essential for your quality of life. Its also important to know what causes anxiety to determine the best way to alleviate it.
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How To Stop Feeling Anxious Right Now
While itâs normal to get nervous about an important event or life change, about 40 million Americans live with an anxiety disorder, which is more than the occasional worry or fear. Anxiety disorders can range from a generalized anxiety disorder , which is intense worrying that you canât control, to panic disorder — sudden episodes of fear, along with heart palpitations, trembling, shaking, or sweating.
For those with an anxiety disorder, itâs important to look into strategies that can help manage or reduce anxiety in the long term, like talk therapy or medication. But everyone can benefit from other ways to reduce stress and anxiety with lifestyle changes such as eating a well-balanced diet, limiting alcohol and caffeine, and taking time for yourself.
Plus, there are steps you can take the moment when anxiety starts to take hold. Try these 10 expert-backed suggestions to relax your mind and help you regain control of your thoughts.
What Are Some Grounding Techniques
Here are some suggestions of grounding techniques, but you can make up your own as well. These can be modified for kids as well.
- Run cool water over your hands. Hold onto ice cubes if the urge is intense.
- Place a cool washcloth on your head/face. .
- Place an ice pack over your eyes for 30 seconds or put your face in cold water for 30 seconds.
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Move Away From Others To Recenter Yourself
Becoming anxious and on the verge of a panic attack is not fun in and of itself, but when this happens around other people, itâs even worse. Place suggests stepping away for a few minutes. âStep out of the room to quiet your mind and give yourself some time to regroup,â she says. âThis way, youâll take a few moments to collect yourself and then feel more confident in the social situation youâre in.â
Seek Support From A Specialist
A therapist can help you work with overwhelming or intense emotions, thoughts and sensations so that you experience them less frequently and have greater skills to cope when you do.
Face to face services are available in Houston, TX. Online therapy services through secure, confidential video therapy is also available.
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Write Yourself A Letter
A study showed that doing an exercise that involves writing down your concerns and feelings once a day for seven days decreased depression for three months and increased happiness for six months, according to Dr. Kristin Neff.
Neff is a pioneering researcher into self-compassion, which she defines as stepping outside of yourself, and treating yourself with the same kindness you would show to someone you care about. She says showing yourself compassion comprises three elements: mindfulness, kindness and a sense of connectedness.
The writing exercise from the study is a great way to put this into practice. Sit down with a piece of paper, think of a situation thats troubling you, and begin by writing a paragraph that just acknowledges how youre feeling. This gives you some perspective and space for your reactions, says Neff.
Next, write a paragraph that reflects on what Neff calls our common humanity, the understanding that were not alone in our suffering, and that its a normal part of being human. Compassion recognizes that everyone struggles, and were all imperfect, she says. Finally, write a paragraph of kindness, speaking to yourself the way you would a good friend.
Symptoms Of Separation Anxiety In Puppies
There are numerous symptoms that can indicate separation anxiety in a puppy, but remember, these only apply if your puppy exhibits them when youre preparing to leave or when youre not with them. If, for example, your puppy chews on the leg of your table all the time and not just when you leave them alone, there may be a different behavioral issue, such as teething, at play or perhaps a destructive phase in your puppys adolescence.
If youre aware that your puppy is anxious when youre gone but unsure how long it lasts or how severe their symptoms are, set up a video monitor. This way, you can keep tabs on exactly whats happening, when it begins, and how long it lasts every time you leave the house.
How to Help a Puppy With Separation Anxiety
The first step any pet parent should take when they suspect their dog or puppy has separation anxiety is to schedule a visit with their veterinarian. Many of the symptoms of separation anxiety, such as inappropriate urination and defecation, could also be signs of a medical issue.
The goal is to teach your puppy to enjoy spending some relaxing time alone and to remain calm when they experience the cues that currently cause them anxiety. With that in mind, try the following strategies.
Provide plenty of exercise and interaction when youre homeTired puppies arent just more likely to fall asleep when you leave, but they also tend to be less anxious in general. Fun, interactive brain games are also great to incorporate.
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Focus On Your Breathing
You may hear people say that focusing on your breathing can help you relax and become more centered, and experts agree. When it comes to a self-soothing technique before a panic attack, the same applies. Jill Whitney, licensed marriage and family therapist at Green Tree Professional Counseling and creator of the relationships and sexuality blog KeepTheTalkGoing.com, says.
âTo calm run-of-the-mill anxiety, itâs usually helpful to get out of the swirl in your head by paying attention to your body,â she tells Bustle. âNotice your breathing â that removes your attention from unhelpful thoughts that may be spiraling out of control, like a gerbil on a wheel.â She says that when you settle into your breathing, youâre in the present moment, and itâs calming.
Controlling Anxiety Takes Time
Theres no quick fix for anxiety, and it may often feel like an uphill struggle. But by gaining awareness of what causes your symptoms, and getting help from your doctor, you can manage your symptoms.
You may find some of these hacks work for you straight away and others may have no effect at all, but the important thing is to keep trying.
Giving in to feelings of anxiety by retreating from the world only served to make my life more difficult in the long run. Continuing to search for solutions that work for me has been key to my recovery. Practice makes perfect, so dont stop trying to find ways that work for you.
Fiona Thomas is a lifestyle and mental health writer who lives with depression and anxiety. Visit her website or connect with her on .
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Cross Your Arms Rock Deep Breathing
Those who experience anxiety or PTSD may feel fractured, chaotic, split, scattered, broken or blown apart. In this state, it can be hard to define your edges and stay in your body. When triggered by something that intensely activates the nervous system, you can use this technique. Crossing your arms helps to give you a sense of being contained and rocking mimics the feeling of being a fetus nestled in the womb . Pair this with slow and deep breathing and you have a powerful form of self-soothing.
Try To Focus On Just One Thing
Related to focusing on your breathing is shifting your attention to one thing, Kailee Place, licensed professional counselor at her private practice,Shifting Tides Therapeutic Solutions in Charleston, SC, tells Bustle.
âIf you start feeling that youâre beginning to panic, focus on as few things as possible,â she says. âZero in on your breathing and try to look at only one thing in your environment as you steady your breathing.â She says that by doing this, it will help quiet the overstimulation and physiologically slow your body down, as well.
âYou will notice your heart rate drop, your thoughts slow their racing, and your body release some tension,â she says.
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