7 Ways You Can Reduce Anxiety at Home

reduce anxiety

reduce anxiety

Living with anxiety can be significantly challenging. Anxiety creates physical and mental reactions that can range from irritating to downright debilitating. Luckily there, are many ways that you can reduce anxiety at home. Some of these you can do in other places as well (when standing in lines or at your workplace, for example.)

While anxiety disorders may require, and usually at least benefit, from additional assistance including therapy, you can do a lot on your own to help mitigate the problems. Start by creating patterns, rituals, and responses that help lower your daily anxiety and manage it as it arises. Here are seven ways you can calm your anxiety:

1. Create A Helpful Morning Routine

In other words, begin your day in such a way that you create conditions that help reduce anxiety. Are you able to live a life that doesn’t require you to wake up to an alarm? That can be a great start, since alarms are jarring to the system. However, if you don’t have that option, you can choose alarms that are a bit better at easing you into the day, rather than blaring sirens.

Either way, once you first wake up, implement a helpful morning routine designed to get your nervous system off to the right start. A calming morning routine might include:

  • Stretching
  • A short walk
  • A long shower
  • Meditation
  • Journaling
  • Hanging out with your kids or pets (or both)

Each day is yours. Honor it right from the beginning. This is a great way to help regulate your nervous system in order to reduce overall stress and anxiety.

stretching to reduce anxiety

2. Reduce Screen Time

Yes, almost all of us feel like we need to spend a significant amount of time on phones, tablets, computers, etc. It’s how we earn a living. It’s how we communicate with others. However, most of us all spend a lot more time on these screens that we need to … and a lot more than is good for us. Screen time significantly reduces anxiety for many people. Therefore, when you reduce screen time, you naturally reduce anxiety.

One great tip is to bookend your day with time that doesn’t include screens. Don’t reach for your phone first thing in the morning. Instead, as you establish the morning routine suggested above, make sure it excludes screens. Likewise, pick a time at the end of the night to stop your screen time. Spend an hour or two or three before bed winding down without television and phone time.

3. Talk to Someone You Love

Anxiety often gets worse when we allow our minds to spin out. Spending too much time in your own head with the same circling thoughts just makes the hard things seem harder. Therefore, you might find it helpful to speak regularly to others.

Of course, there’s a catch 22 here. If you struggle with anxiety, including but not limited to social anxiety, then you might find conversations and interactions with others difficult. And yet, speaking with someone you love might just help. So, try to explore ways that you can create conversations that are healing and soothing for you.

For example, some people prefer speaking in person whereas others would rather video chat or even just voice talk. Some people find that it’s easier to exchange voice text messages in real time than to actually speak on the phone. For some people, it’s helpful to schedule calls and visits in advance. For others, that exacerbates anxiety so something more spontaneous works better.

Figure out what works best for you. And remember, you don’t have to talk about BIG HUGE PROBLEMS in order for conversations with loved ones to reduce anxiety. In fact, you might just have a five minute chat to ask them about their day, talk about a favorite book, or even discuss the weather.

reach out to someone for anxiety help

4. Move Your Body

When your mind is wreaking havoc for you, it often helps to move your body. Moreover, moving your body physically releases some of the anxiety that’s built up inside of you. You might love to run and get really physically active, which is great. However, you can move your body in smaller, easier, shorter ways, too, and it’s just as helpful to reduce anxiety. You can:

  • Walk
  • Stretch
  • Dance
  • Skip
  • Twirl
  • Do active housework

Research shows that movement reduces tension, releases nervous energy, and increases cognitive ability. Simply shifting your gaze from downward to upward has the power to lift your spirits.

Tip: you might find that combining this suggestion with the previous one is really helpful; invite a friend for a “walk and talk” with you.

5. Water Yourself

Splash it on your face or drink it … or both!

The mere act of splashing water on yourself triggers something called the “mammalian diving reflex.” This reflex automatically slows the heart rate, which in turn, helps reducer anxiety.

Drinking water is also an excellent way to re-hydrate and bring on a sense of calm and well-being. You might be surprised to learn that there’s a direct correlation between dehydration and many mood challenges.

water for anxiety

6. Notice, Name, and Don’t Judge Anxiety When It Arises

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