Stress and anxiety are two of the most common mental health issues worldwide, with an estimated 40 million adults suffering in the US alone.
Many people think that stress begins with a high intensity experience, but most cases of prolonged stress and anxiety actually begin with little
things that slowly accumulate until they finally break you down. This is typically called ‘burnout.’
Many people believe that meditation is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety because it’s easy to do anywhere, at any time. However, many people who practice this activity tend to think about other things while meditating which counteracts its purpose.
If you wish to properly meditate to relieve stress and anxiety, you will find it useful to learn mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness meditation focuses on breathing techniques that bring awareness to your current emotional state by focusing on your senses, thoughts, emotions, and what is happening around you simultaneously.
Think of it as living in the moment so there is no past nor future focus. By doing this activity for 5-20 minutes once or twice a day it can significantly reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.
As far as eating habits go, some foods can cause the body to mimic the feelings you get when you are anxious.
For example, the caffeine in coffee can increase your heartbeat and make you feel fidgety.
Additionally, if you don’t eat enough and allow your blood sugar to go too low you can feel sluggish and tired.
Another important thing is getting plenty of exercise during the week whether it’s running, jogging, weight lifting, etc.
Not only does this activity give you more energy throughout your day but also reduces feelings of stress because it gives you a productive way to deal with those negative emotions rather than bottling them up inside until they explode.
Sleeping well at night can be difficult for many reasons but lack of sleep means you start the day feeling tired, which will worsen feelings of anxiety.
Being on the back foot all day, struggling to concentrate and potentially making mistakes that can lead to situations that make you feel even more stressed and anxious.
To get good restorative sleep it is best to get into a regular routine. Go to bed in a dark room without cell phones, tablets or television.
Try to go to bed at the same time each night, eat the last meal of the day no less than two hours before bedtime and give yourself time to wind down in the evenings.
Finally, the habit that will probably help you most in life is practicing gratitude every day.
When you are worried and upset it is sometimes hard to realize all that is good in your life. Gratitude for your ability to see and hear things others can’t, or for your sense of taste when enjoying a meal with friends and family.
Furthermore, practicing gratitude allows us to have a better appreciation for all the little joys in our life.