For many of us, anxiety is a fact, an unavoidable experience that we all must learn to cope with. Stress occurs when our body reacts to certain stimuli, generating a “fight or flight” response. This response manifests as a combination of changes in the nervous system and the endocrine system. There are many factors which can cause anxiety. It may be pressure from one’s career, for instance, or it may be the result of a mental illness, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Regardless of the cause, it is important for one to learn how to manage chronic anxiety to avoid the numerous health issues which it creates. The following are some potentially effective techniques designed to help reduce anxiety.

One way to reduce stress is to practice deep breathing. This entails inhaling deeply (typically over a few seconds), and then exhaling deeply (usually for a much longer time than you inhaled). This technique increases the amount of oxygen in your body, allowing your body to relax. Deep breathing also helps focus the mind, disengaging it from distracting thoughts which may be inducing anxiety. It is best to practice deep breathing regularly, though you can do it any time you feel stressed. If you have any significant respiratory issues, however, you should not practice deep breathing, as it can be straining on the lungs.

Another method is called body awareness. To practice body awareness, one must first find a quiet and comfortable place to sit. You then close your eyes and sit completely still. As you sit still, you try to focus on which parts of your body are still moving (such as your heart or your chest as you breathe). This technique is useful for determining which parts of your body have the most tension, as these parts of the body are difficult to keep still.

Body scanning is a technique where you focus on a specific part of your body and attempt to release any tension found there. In body scanning, you take the time to focus on each part of your body, and attempt to relax that part of the body as best as you can. Typically, when you focus on a body part, you focus on the tactile sensations that body part is feeling. For example, someone doing a body scan might start by focusing on their legs. They would focus on the feeling of their legs against the ground if they were standing, or the feeling of their thighs against the chair if sitting. They would also focus on how their clothes feel on their legs. After focusing on these sensations, they would then try to relax their legs as much as possible. After relaxing their legs for a certain period, they would then start focusing on a different body part, such as the stomach, and repeat the process until they have covered every body part. This technique is very effective when combined with body awareness, as body awareness allows one to determine which part of their body holds the most tension, and body scanning allows them to focus on releasing tension from that body part. Body scanning is best done a few times a week, in conjunction with body awareness. Sessions should typically last between 20 and 45 minutes.

Some may be familiar with the phrase “Go to your happy place”, as a suggestion for coping with anxiety. Visualization exercises allow you to do just that: you simply close your eyes and try to picture a happy scene. The scene can be anything you want, if that scene makes you happy and calm. This technique can be practiced anywhere, at any time, if you can focus on whatever images calm you down.

While anxiety is an inevitable part of life, it doesn’t have to control it. With these techniques, you can potentially improve your mental health and take better care of your mind. If you believe you may be experiencing anxiety disorder, depression, or suicidal thoughts, please consult your doctor, loved ones, or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

References:

“Body Scan Meditation (Greater Good in Action).” Practice | Greater Good in Action, www.ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/body_scan_meditation.  

Harvard Health Publishing. “Anxiety and Physical Illness - Harvard Health.” Harvard Health Blog, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/anxiety_and_physical_illness.

Engs, Ruth Clifford. “What Stress Is and Health Problems It Can Cause.” Indiana University Bloomington, The Lilly Library, Indiana University, www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/stress1.htm.

Stress Reduction Techniques. www.purdue.edu/hr/pdf/StressReductionTechniques.pdf.

“Stress Reduction Techniques.” Middlebury, www.middlebury.edu/student-life/health-wellness-education-and-safety/education/stressmanagement/stressreduction.

Harvard Health Publishing. “Six Relaxation Techniques to Reduce Stress - Harvard Health.” Harvard Health Blog, www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/six-relaxation-techniques-to-reduce-stress.