Manage Anxiety With These Simple Lifestyle Changes

Anxiety is a common mental health condition that can interfere with a patient’s daily activities. Major symptoms include—restlessness, lack of concentration, sleep problems, racing thoughts, fatigue, and sweating.

For managing anxiety, there’s no quick fix. Talking to a therapist at a reputable medical clinic in Santa Ana, CA is an effective strategy for managing your symptoms. However, medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and support of family and friends can make a great difference. But, for some patients, anxiety never disappears completely. 

Medical experts believe that certain daily habits can help boost mood and ease anxiety. So, there’s no need to take antidepressants or other prescription medications. Making some simple lifestyle changes can help. Read on to learn more.

Exercise

Exercising not only keeps you physically fit but also improves your mental health as well. Research says that it’s one of the best ways to combat stress, anxiety, and depression. People who are physically active have lower levels of anxiety and depression than those who don’t exercise.

Doing aerobic exercises regularly can help reduce tension, boost mood, sleep, and self-esteem. Just five minutes of aerobic exercise can help provide great anti-anxiety effects. However, scientists have found that when you exercise, the body releases endorphins, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These are brain chemicals that play a key role in boosting mood.

So, which exercises should you do? You can take a look at the Anxiety And Depression Association of America site for fitness tips for staying healthy & managing stress. 

Eating Habits

The foods you eat have a direct impact on how you feel, perform, etc. So, watching what you eat is important. Drink plenty of water and say no to alcohol and caffeine as these can trigger anxiety.

Moreover, you should add carbohydrates to your diet. This is because carbohydrates increase serotonin levels in the brain, thus providing calming effects. Some carbohydrate-rich foods are whole grains such as whole-grain bread and cereals. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid oily foods.

Most importantly, learn about food sensitivities. In some patients, certain foods or additives may cause adverse physical reactions, thus leading to mood swings, irritability, etc.

Get Adequate Amount of Sleep

Sleep is important. It helps relax the body & mind and replenish the neurotransmitters associated with mood. So, get a good night’s sleep to improve overall mental health.

There’s scientific evidence that getting adequate amounts of sleep can have a significant impact on anxiety. Here are some tips to improve sleep when you are stressed-

• Avoid blue light devices such as laptops, televisions, and smartphones before bedtime.
• Do some gentle leg exercises, this will improve blood flow in your legs, thus making it easier for you to sleep.
• Drinking chamomile tea can help reduce anxiety levels, thus improving sleep.
• Take a bath before sleep, this will reduce your body temperature and help you sleep comfortably.
• Don’t let your tensions corrupt your mind, be relaxed and picture yourself asleep.
• Do some relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, etc.

Clean Your Home

The clutter not only makes the home look bad but also has a direct impact on your mood. So, it’s important to clean your living space regularly.

Cleaning your home gives a sense of satisfaction. Imagine walking in a clean room and a cluttered space. In which case you will feel fresh and happy? Obviously, the first one.

For the proper organization of your goods, choose a drawer or cabinet and put aside the stuff you don’t use regularly. However, you can make three piles for unwanted things—items to sell, items to donate and items to throw.

There’s some evidence behind cleaning and reduced levels of anxiety. According to a study published in Mindfulness, participants involved in washing the dishes reported a reduction by 27 percent in nervousness and 25 percent improvement in inspiration.

A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin in 2010 found that participants living in a cluttered space reported higher levels of cortisol, often known as the stress hormone.

Go Social

Loneliness/social isolation can increase the risks of negative and suicidal thoughts. However, having strong social support can help you deal with these issues, thus reducing anxiety. So, reach out to your friends and family to manage stress and control anxiety symptoms effectively.

Moreover, you should try to know new people and spend time with them. You can use the following techniques to end social anxiety-

• Set goals and make plans to achieve them.
• Self-help strategies such as exposure to feared situations, relaxation, etc.
• Get yourself to events you feel uncomfortable with and prepare yourself properly.
• Contact a mental health helpline such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
• Keep a journal to note down your thoughts, experiences, and improvements.
• Congratulate yourself on every small achievement and face more challenges.
• Stop trying to be perfect.
• Take a vacation.

Get an ESA

Animals can help ease anxiety by providing emotional support. In fact, they provide love and comfort to help their owners deal with stressful situations.

Since petting a dog or cat requires care and attention, it can help you get off feelings of loneliness—the major source of negative thoughts. For instance, feeding, grooming, and playing with your emotional support animal keeps you busy, thus reducing the risks of anxiety episodes.

In the United States, federal laws allow mentally disabled people to fly and live with their emotional support animals without paying any pet travel fees or deposits. To avail these benefits, you need to get an ESA letter signed by a licensed mental health professional.

When to Seek Professional Help?

Even after trying these methods, if you are still struggling to manage anxiety symptoms, visit a reputed Santa Ana medical clinic. Your doctor will work with you to evaluate your condition and design an effective strategy to treat anxiety.

Now, you can talk to a licensed doctor online. It’s simple and will help you save time. You will receive your prescription letter via email instantly. Here’s the complete process-

• Sign up an account
• See a doctor online through HIPAA-compliant platform
• Receive your PDF prescription letter instantly

Key Takeaways

For managing anxiety, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), medication, etc. can help. However, medical experts believe that making certain lifestyle changes can also work for reducing anxiety symptoms effectively. Exercising can help boost mood and reduce stress hormones cortisol. Getting an adequate amount of sleep can help you relax your mind and body, thus reducing anxiety. Having a strong social support network can help you deal with loneliness and end negative thoughts. Additionally, playing with your emotional support animal can help you divert your mind from thoughts that make you anxious and stressed. So, adopt these habits and say no to anti-anxiety medications.

Visit our medical clinic in Santa Ana, CA for a perfect strategy to manage your anxiety symptoms.