Feeling anxious? Here are 10 practical ways to calm your nervous system.
Before we begin, let’s just take a few deep breaths and honor how you’re feeling. The first step is to acknowledge that you’re feeling anxious, and not judge whatever is coming up. While there may be truth to the anxious thoughts, things can seem more heightened and intense when we’re in a fight or flight response. Here are a few ways to ease anxiety.
1. Tune into your senses: Notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Getting out of your head for a moment and stepping into the present reality can help shift your focus from what’s happening inside your mind to what’s going on around you.
2. Connect to the air, water, and earth: Step outside if you can and breathe some fresh air. Give your worries to the wind and imagine it sweeping those anxious thoughts away.
3. Dip your hands in water: Pay attention to the temperature of the water and notice how it feels on your skin. Oscillate between warm water and cold water. If you want to take it a step further (and you’re up for the challenge), take a cold shower, or simply splash some cold water on your face. This is a fantastic way to help regulate your nervous system.
4. Connect with nature: Gardening, walking along the beach, or going on a hike are just a few ways to feel connected to the Earth. Sometimes our thoughts can feel all-encompassing and being in nature can be a reminder that we are not alone.
5. Listen to music: Listening to music can completely change your state of mind. Whether it’s calming music that lowers your heart rate and helps you feel more relaxed or listening to a song that pumps you up and makes you feel happy – turn on the tunes to help ease a bit of that anxiety.
6. Write a prioritized to-do list: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try writing down everything that’s been roaming around in your mind and is stressing you out. After it’s all on paper, see if there’s anything that you can cross out or reschedule if it’s not something that is super pressing or necessary. Then, order the tasks from most important to least important, and put a start next to the tasks that are urgent and time-sensitive. Start with the tasks that are time-sensitive and then work your way through the list based on what is of the highest priority and the soonest deadline. Even if you can’t tackle all of those tasks right away, seeing it organized on paper instead of scattered in your mind can help you feel more in control and at ease.
7. Pay attention to your caffeine and sugar intake: Some people aren’t affected by caffeine in the slightest, while some people who experience more anxiety may find that caffeine helps with their energy levels, but also revs up their anxiety levels. Matcha is an example of a drink that contains caffeine but doesn’t cause the spikes of crashes that coffee sometimes brings on. It has L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea, which actually helps reduce anxiety.
8. Plan a fun activity or think about something you’re looking forward to doing: Having something to be excited about can help remind you that this moment and feeling will pass. It can be something really simple, like making plans with a friend to go on a walk or out to dinner, or watching a show or movie you’ve been wanting to see.
9. Practice alternate nostril breathing exercises: In Sanskrit, alternate nostril breathing is known as nadi shodhana pranayama, which translates to “subtle energy clearing breathing technique. Here’s an excellent video to guide you through the technique.
10. Try Butterfly tapping to reduce anxiety: As an EMDR-trained therapist, this is a technique that I often have my clients practice during our sessions. It is a form of bilateral stimulation, which helps you feel more grounded when you’re experiencing anxiety or panic. This practice involves placing your hands (palms down), on your chest and interlocking your thumbs in a shape that resembles a butterfly. Then, slowly tap one hand after the other near your shoulders. Repeat at a slow pace.
Bilateral stimulation is a key component of EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. People who come to us for EMDR therapy have often experienced panic attacks, intense anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, depression, and feelings of low self-worth. EMDR is a cutting-edge science-based way of changing the brain. After you utilize EMDR you respond to stress differently and you aren’t quick to get upset about things.
Key takeaways: Remember that this feeling is temporary. I know it can feel all-encompassing but it will eventually pass. If you’d like to learn more about EMDR and see how it can help you through your mental health journey, feel free to get in touch or call us.