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Anxiety is something most of us deal with regularly. It can go from manageable to completely debilitating and if your anxiety is just too much for you to bear, then you should consider seeking medical assistance. If you get anxious from time to time, know that this is perfectly normal and there are things that you can do to reduce anxious episodes and their severity. It all starts by making lifestyle adjustments. Let’s take a look at a few lifestyle tips for minimizing anxiety.
There is probably no better predictor of anxiety than bad sleep. Several studies have found that poor sleep induces anxiety by altering the brain’s chemistry. So, if you want to minimize anxiety fast, the best thing you can do is make changes to your routine and sleeping environment that will promote better sleep.
Start by watching what you’re doing right before you go to bed. If you like to watch videos on YouTube or TV shows before you sleep, you might want to switch to reading or watching audiobooks instead. This is because most digital screens, including those on alarm clocks, produce what is referred to as “blue light” and blue light can trick your body and internal clock into thinking it’s still daytime.
Another thing you should do is get a good mattress and some blackout curtains. Get a mattress that fits your sleeping style and doesn’t get too hot. Black-out curtains will block any light from coming in whether it’s from outside lighting or the sun in the morning and will prevent it from waking you up or affecting your sleep cycle.
A lot of people don’t know how much of an effect the food they put in their bodies can have on their mental state. If you’re a heavy coffee drinker, for instance, then you should know that coffee is known for exacerbating anxiety symptoms. What you should do instead if you need that kick of caffeine is drink green tea. Matcha green tea has more than enough caffeine to keep you up but it also contains a chemical called theanine that balances the jitters, so you’ll be less anxious.
Another thing you should consider is supplementation. You have supplements like kratom, for instance, which can be great for curbing anxiety. You have to be very careful where you buy it from, however, as Kratom is not very tightly regulated in this country. If you want a good source, Left Coast Kratom makes a good product that you should check out.
Besides that, we would recommend that you stay away from refined sugars including things like white bread and anything made with white flour. Go for whole-grain options as much as you can and make sure that you get more than enough protein as it has been shown to help reduce anxiety.
People who don’t exercise are also more likely to suffer from anxiety, so do everything in your power to get more physical activity if you’re sedentary. If you work a desk job, make it a point to do at least five minutes of intense activity every hour. You could do jumping jacks, burpees, jump rope, shadow boxing, whatever you want, as long as you can get that heart rate up.
Getting into a serious gym routine will help you even more and will give you long-term results. So, if you have never considered the option or have a membership but never go to the gym, start taking things seriously for the sake of your mental health. These are all things that you need to do if you want to make your anxiety more manageable and reduce the number of anxious episodes you experience per day or week. It all starts with being mindful and being ready to make significant changes to the way you’re living.