Anxiety Disorders are a concern for many New Zealander's, coming in many forms – for example, Generalised Anxiety Disorder is ongoing, lingering anxiety without relation to anything specific, while Panic Disorder shows itself in sudden bursts of severe anxiety.
Symptoms of anxiety can include:
- Feeling on edge
- Shortness of breath
- Pounding heart and chest
- Sweating, especially in the palms
- Difficulty sleeping
- Wanting to avoid daily life
- Ongoing fears and nervousness despite knowing the outcome is unlikely
These symptoms can be overwhelming, uncomfortable and unwelcome. We have 5 top tips to try when you’re experiencing those anxious feelings.
5 Top Tips for Relieving the Symptoms
1. It’s OKAY to be Anxious
Don’t stress over feeling stressed. While we know this is easier said than done, it is important to try and relax, take slow, deep breaths and accept that you’re going through a natural reaction and you’re going to be okay.
Once you’re at peace with how your body is reacting, it’s much easier to think logically about your situation. It’ll also help you switch your focus from thinking about how you’re feeling, to how best you can work through it.
2. Get Up and Go 
All that nervous energy needs to be burned somewhere.
Exercise is good for you. Not only does fresh air make you feel so much better, physical activity is also a great way to relieve stress and anxiety.
If you’re lying in bed plagued with thoughts or sitting down and feel overwhelmed, get up and go for a walk. If you’ve had the sort of day where you’re so anxious you just want to crawl under the covers, step up the physical activity with a run or a bike ride.
You’ll find that you’ll feel calmer and your mood is boosted thanks to the increase in endorphins – these are the feel-good chemicals naturally produced by the central nervous system and the pituitary gland in response to physical exertion, that trigger a positive feeling in the body.
3. Practise Mindfulness 
A calm mind is a happy one and there are plenty of apps out there that are created to help us deal with stress and bring us back to our happy place. For example,
Headspace is a popular app that focuses on strengthening your mind. When our body needs more strength, we take it to the gym. Why not give your brain the same love!
Even if it’s just finding a short meditation or visualisation series on YouTube that you can play in your car, while you’re out walking or at your desk. Letting your mind relax and wander into a soothing meditation will help calm your nerves. Being mindful of the present can help manage the signs and symptoms of anxiety.
4. Surround Yourself with Positive People 
As much as we might feel like we just want to be alone when it seems like the weight of the world is on our shoulders, we’re social creatures. We need human interaction for social, physical and emotional support. Work on building relationships with people that encourage you to be the best version of you. Suggest meeting up at a café, catching a movie, or going for a walk somewhere new. Simply getting out of your own head can help reduce feelings of anxiety.
5. Curb the Bad Habits
You should try avoiding stimulants when you can. Coffee and alcohol in particular don’t help your pounding heart and busy brain.
Switch these habits for good ones that’ll help relax you. Instead of coffee, you could try Chamomile tea. It has been brewed for centuries to ease the mind and calm frazzled nerves. Have a cup before bed if you’re a restless sleeper.
Magnesium is a great addition to your diet. It soothes sore and tired muscles, can help with getting a good night sleep and has an abundance of other advantages for your overall wellbeing. You could also try
B-Stress Free, which is specially formulated to help you feel calm in times of stress and adrenal fatigue.
We know that managing anxiety can be easier said than done but finding a technique that works for you can be greatly beneficial. Understanding the cause of anxiety as well as looking at these 5 tips to help manage anxiety is a great place to start.