Most of us experience moments filled with anxiety that come and go quickly without causing long-term harm to our bodies. However, for those of us who are suffering physical symptoms from high stress and/or anxiety, sometimes just “taking a walk” is the hardest thing to convince ourselves to do. I know I have had debilitating anxiety, but I also know I was able to get myself out of it when I slowed down long enough to recognize the areas I needed to course-correct.
Common physical symptoms of anxiety and/or stress:
Heart palpitations
Racing heartbeat
Brain fog
Intrusive thoughts
Excessive habits (binge eating, watching tv, even exercise)
Spiraling emotions that feel out of control
Pacing or feeling restless
While there are many more symptoms one could feel, no matter what is going on with you, after you consult a doctor, I highly recommend taking control of your emotions as best as you can. The fastest way to do this is to slow down and FEEL. I say this all too often in my private practice, “We do best with what we can recognize. When you are moving quickly through emotions or sweeping them under the rug, they will continue to creep back up.” Sitting in the emotions, even when uncomfortable, will give you the necessary time to deal with them, not just cover them up and hope for the best.
Below are my tips on how to take control of anxiety and stress:
- Logically own that you are feeling what you are feeling. As easy as it sounds, if you notice your heart is racing but you aren’t actively working out, it’s time to tune into your body and listen to what is going on.
- Get moving. Even a slow walk outside gives us space to notice a physical shift in our moods and the physical symptoms that stem from emotions.
- Talk to a friend or a therapist. Be honest with them and yourself. It’s not always easy to recognize where the stressors are, and that is okay! You are human. Sometimes, verbally processing a moment can lead you down the path you need to find the solution.
- Eat sour candies. Truly, this does help reset the nervous system and is something you can do even in a stressful meeting at the office.
- Make time for self-care. I know this word is overly used, but it is so important to put yourself and your needs first when it comes to healing through anxiety and stress. Even ten minutes soaking in a tub changes your brainwaves to be able to handle stress.
At the end of the day, it all boils down to coping mechanisms, recognizing triggers to avoid them in the future, and giving yourself the grace to get through our daily hurdles. Life is never going to be perfectly calm, but there are many ways in which we can hack our nervous system to feel regulated. Find what works for you while being open to expanding your tools in the future.
This was written by our contributing writer, Tiffani Morgan.
Image Source: Pexels, Alejandro Aznar
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