Feeling anxious can sometimes prevent us from doing the things that we want to do, even more so at the moment.
The good news is, there are ways we can adapt and measures we can take to help manage our anxiety, so that we feel able to still enjoy some of things welove doing.
Take a look at the following tips, they’re really easy to implement and are designed to help you feel less anxious:
Tip 1: Maintain a normal sleep pattern
Sleeping regularly can help towards maintaining a sense of routine. The quality of our sleep can have a significant impact on how we feel mentally and physically.
Avoiding screens before bedtime, reducing your caffeine intake and creating a peaceful/relaxing environment can all also help make sure you drop off easily and get a good night’s sleep.
Tip 2: Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness can help reduce stress, slow down racing thoughts and clear your mind.
Mindfulness meditation involves sitting silently and paying attention to your thoughts, sounds, the sensations of your breathing and the feeling of different parts of the body. It works to bring your attention back to focus on the present moment. For more details, visit the NHS website.
Tip 3: Maximise your intake of daylight
Whether this is outside in your garden or on your daily walk/run/cycle. Gardening can be done in any space, even if it’s planting some pots on a sunny windowsill. The smallest of gardening jobs can have a positive impact on your wellbeing.
It’s important to absorb natural daylight, as this is the main way our bodies create Vitamin D. Research has shown that Vitamin D plays an important role in helping to regulate people’s moods and preventing depression. Vitamin D is vital in keeping our bones, teeth and muscles strong. It also supports our immune systems and heart health.
Tip 4: Embrace/Accept your worries
Don’t ignore them, no matter how small they may be.
When your brain is busting with worries, write all them down in a notebook, release them from your mind and then put the notebook away. It helps you to offload and focus on the present/Once you’ve put your notes away, try to let your worries go!
Tip 5: Limit your news consumption
If you find that watching live news updates or reading your news notifications is making you feel more stressed, don’t tune into them. Limit the amount of time you watch, read and listen to the news and switch off your notifications.
Tip 6: Focus on the present
It may be easier said than done, but if you can, keep your mind focused on the here and now by exploring your favourite relaxation techniques. This could be chilling out in front of the TV, reading a book, walking or any of the mindfulness techniques mentioned above.
Tip 7: Remember, you’re not alone
It can be easy to feel isolated, especially if you live on your own, but that doesn’t mean you’re on your own. There are services out there that you can reach out to offer guidance and a friendly chat, including our telephone befriending service.
We hope you’ve found the practical pointers above useful and are able to incorporate some of them into your daily routine. For more information on some of the help and support that’s available locally, take a look at our #BrumTogether page.
