Quick tips for anxiety

Anxiety is the activation of your nervous system. As originally hunter/gatherers, we humans had to be ready to escape danger at a moment’s notice. If you saw a tiger, you have to be ready to run away. Your body sensed danger and was prepared to respond. Fast forward to present day—your body wants to help keep you alive, but the “danger” signals haven’t been readjusted to meet modern life. Your body doesn’t know the difference between stress from an overdue project or a tiger. When it feels stress, your body jumps into “ready mode”, in order to keep you alive. You may feel increased heart rate, jitteriness in your limbs, tightness in your chest, sweaty palms, and other physical symptoms. You may experience feelings of dread, overwhelm, or racing thoughts.

For times when you feel to anxious and too stressed to talk to a friend or use any tips related to thinking through your issues, it can be helpful to do something physical to calm down.

• Activate your mammalian diving reflex. This may sound wild, but our bodies slow our heart rate in response to cold water, and this can help calm you. You could splash cold water in your face for five seconds at a sink. Or, take a cold washcloth or icepack covered in a hand towel. Sit down on a chair and place your head between your knees. Gently hold the washcloth our icepack right below your eyes for a slow count of five.

• Shake it out. Vigorously shaking your body can help release the tension built up in your muscles, and it can help regulate your nervous system.

• Tense and relax your muscles. Progressive muscle relaxation is when you start at one end of your body, squeeze and release specific muscles, and then move to the next muscles. For example, you could tighten your feet, then relax them. Tighten your calf muscles, then relax. Progress upward until you have tensed and released everything up to your forehead.