6 Ways to Soothe Anxiety
6 Ways to Soothe Anxiety
When life becomes too heavy, use these simple mindfulness practices to come back to your centre.
We all experience anxiety from time to time. It is a common part of the human experience. We can experience different degrees of anxiety. Anxiety may be caused by worry, thoughts about the future, or feeling powerless. No matter the cause, you may find one or more of these strategies helpful to ease the anxiety you may be experiencing.
1. Notice Gravity
When you pause to notice the impact of gravity on your body, you can feel instantly connected to the present moment, and a sense of grounding. Simply sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor or lay down. Allow your body to settle into stillness and let all your muscles soften. Feel how gravity is grounding you to your chair or to the floor. Allow gravity to help you feel anchored and connected to this present moment, to ease your experience of anxiety.
2. Drink Something Cold
As you pause to drink something cold, become aware of the sensations in your body as you drink it. Notice the cold liquid as it moves around in your mouth. Notice it as it travels down your throat and into your belly. Drink it slowly and with intention in order to notice all the sensations. Place all your attention on the act of drinking the cold beverage. Focus on what you notice and label it with a word to describe it. Once you are finished drinking the cold beverage notice how feel. Become aware of how your body feels in this moment.
3. Take a Tech Time Out
While our smart phones and technology can be very useful in our day to day lives, they can also cause us to feel overwhelmed, over stimulated, anxious or insecure. Choosing to take a tech time out can help to calm our nervous system.
Having screen time limits, do not disturb hours, and app limits on your devices can help reset your own inner compass and help you feel more present. Disconnecting from your technology regularly will have an impact on easing some of the anxiety you may be experiencing. Establishing healthy boundaries with your daily technology will become a lifelong skill that will serve you now and into the future.
4. Just Breathe
We hold this beautiful tool within us and take it everywhere we go. We don’t have to think about doing it, it just happens naturally. It is our breath.
Your breath breathes you each and every day without your even thinking about it. It holds the ability to calm your mind and body by simply noticing it. When you pause to notice or follow your breath as you inhale and exhale, you are better able to bring yourself back into the present moment. As you breathe count your inhale and exhale as one. Try to count to 10 by simply following your breath. By tracking or watching your breath as it rises and falls, you can ease your anxiety.
5. Move Your Body
It has been said that emotions are simply energy- in-motion, which means that movement or motion is helpful in moving them. Anxiety can become an energetic pattern in the body and become stuck if it isn’t moved. Our bodies require daily movement for physical, emotional, and mental well-being. When we move our body, it benefits our mind just as much as it does our body.
In order to help move anxiety out of the body take a walk, do some yoga, garden, dance, go for a swim, or play a game with a friend or neighbour. When you move your body, the anxiety can become eased thanks to the various hormones and endorphins released when you move your body. Find an activity or exercise that you enjoy and can do regularly. Make a plan and be sure to add the movement activity to your calendar to help establish a regular practice.
6. Connect to Your Senses
Slowing down to notice the experience in the present moment is more accessible if you use your senses. You embody 5+ senses that help you understand the environment around you.
Use all five of your primary senses, one at a time, to simply notice the experience occurring around you in the present moment. Notice and then name what you are experiencing with each of the five senses. You might use the phrases I see…, I hear…, I feel…, I smell…, or I taste…, to help you notice then name the experiences with your senses. Notice how you feel afterwards and how this practice can be helpful to ease anxiety in the moment.
The key to easing anxiety is to first acknowledge that the anxiety is present, then we can take a conscious action to ease it. If you repeat this practice enough times you will begin to re-wire the neuropathways in your brain and begin to create new patterns that will start to free you from the grip of anxiety.
May you be well!
Amber Pavey is a writer, creator, educator, momma, and a lover of all things WELLness. You can learn more about her work at www.presentpossibilities.ca