Stress and anxiety can be hard to get over. Everyone has their challenges but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something about them. Anxiety comes differently to various types of people, and so there are different ways to reduce and manage it, allowing you to become less anxious overall.
From doing your morning stretch routine to making yourself feel a little more beautiful each day, many activities can help relieve your stress and anxiety. Here are six activities to help you feel less anxious in your day-to-day life.
Exercise and Physical Activity
Trying to stay fit and exercise is a great way to relieve yourself of anxiety. Quick movements with a solid burst of energy can help you feel less jittery. It also helps to get some dopamine and serotonin pumping, which results in a much better mood overall.
You don’t have to go to the gym to get your blood rushing a little faster. Start with stretches early in the morning, as well as low-intensity workouts like squats, running in place, and jumping jacks. You can also do sit-ups and push-ups if you have enough energy for it.
Even if you’re not looking to trim down, these can at least give you a good sweat and warm up your muscles. Light exercise can help reduce some lingering pain, especially with your major muscle groups like the back and shoulders.
Break Bad Habits
Another way to feel less anxious is to change something about your current lifestyle, especially if you have some unhealthy habits. We form habits from months and even years of consistently doing the same thing over and over. Breaking bad habits and leaving bad parts of our lifestyle can give a sense of relief.
Start by leaving bad habits one by one. Whether you overeat, drink too much caffeine, smoke, or consume too much alcohol, start a change in yourself. Leaving these bad habits can help clean up your body and change your daily experience in a positive way. It may bring you the sweet relief you’re looking for.
Lifestyle tweaks are also good for your overall health. These changes help you lose weight, breathe better, and even change your internal chemistry enough that you will surely welcome it. The heavy feeling you experience with your bad habits will whittle down, right until you’re feeling better.
Work Towards Improving Your Body Image
Anxiety gnaws at you when you’re not doing anything, especially if you have a negative body image. Trying to change that can give you remarkable results, especially for your mental health. There are several ways to improve your body image and have a better outlook.
For starters, give yourself a quick assessment. What do you struggle with when it comes to your appearance the most? Is it the hair? Bags under your eyes? Your plain looks? Next, start looking at what you like about yourself and focus on that.
Engage with others who accept and appreciate all types of bodies and connect with them. Treat yourself better. You can go to the salon, get your hair done, try new nail designs, and even go out with friends. Do a hobby that truly makes you happy so you can move away from what makes you anxious.
Show yourself that you are worth it. Caring for yourself and affording your body and soul some love can make everything right in your world.
Adequate, Restful Sleep
Sleep is important for everyone, including those who work long hours and take care of everything in their lives. People with anxiety tend to sleep more but it’s also important to have enough restful sleep to have the right amount of energy for the day.
Aim for a good night’s sleep. Go for 8 to 10 hours of sleep a day and make sure you work on the quality of the sleep too. Adequately soft pillows, good quality bed sheets, and a sip of water before you sleep can give you a good night’s rest.
Don’t drink caffeine a few hours before sleeping. Always listen to what your body tries to say, especially if you can afford it. It is also okay to take a quick nap, especially if you’re feeling exhausted.
Socialize With Family and Friends
Social support is very important for people who feel a lot of anxiety. When you go through stressful times, the people you can rely on the most are family and friends. When you feel anxious, do your best to find a friend or family member that can be there and be a shoulder to lean on.
Make sure you have a quality network of family and friends. It’s not about how many you have, only that you have those who will be there when you’re down. Have those who will listen on speed dial so you can consult them when something’s bothering you. Sometimes talking about your anxieties is enough to give you a release.
At the same time, you may need to cut off toxic people from your life. You don’t need people who are willing to pull you and kick you down. Whether it’s an abusive relationship or freeloading family members, leaving them is a matter of “when” not “if”. The better people you have in your life, the less anxiety you will likely have.
Have Sex
When you are anxious, sex might be the last thing on your mind. Even then, sex might be a good thing, especially if you see it as something therapeutic in your life. Whether you do it by yourself or with a partner, sex can be a good way to relieve stress and anxiety.
When having sex, you get a flood of several types of hormones in your body. A combination of testosterone/estrogen, oxytocin, and dopamine can help brighten your mood. It also helps if you do it with someone you are sexually compatible with, meaning there’s give and take in the relationship and healthy communication.
A healthy sex life can work wonders for your anxiety. Whatever your particular views are about sex, knowing your body can keep anxiety at bay.
The Bottom Line
Stress and anxiety can happen wherever you are. It’s especially prevalent in your workplace and your personal life. Knowing what activities you can do can help keep you stress-free and relaxed for longer periods.
Try the activities we suggest above and you’ll surely be a little less on edge. Not only will these activities help improve your quality of life but also provide increased happiness in your day-to-day life.
Photo by Garett Mizunaka on Unsplash
It also helps to get some dopamine and serotonin pumping, which results in a much better mood overall.