Anxiety is a common part of life for many people. For some, feeling anxious comes and goes, while with others it can stick around a little longer.

In fact, according to the Black Dog Institute anxiety is the most common mental health issue for Australians.

But there are ways to manage and stop feelings of anxiety. It’s all about reading the signs and making he moves that suit you.

Ways to spot anxiety

There are a whole bunch of signs and symptoms that indicate you may be feeling anxious. The first step in combating these feelings is recognising when they are there.

According to Headspace there are physical, mental and behavioural indicators of anxiety, some of these include:

Physical

• Heart racing
• Fast breathing
• Feeling tense
• Aches (particularly in the neck, shoulder and back)
• Sweating
• Feeling dizzy
• Feeling sick or having butterflies

Mental

• Worrying often
• Worrying out of proportion
• Finding it hard to concentrate or focus

Behavioural

• Unable to relax
• Avoid socialising
• Feeling irritated and annoyed
• Struggling to sleep

4 ways to manage anxiety?

The good news is, there are plenty of ways to manage anxiety, you just need to figure out what suits you and makes you feel good.

So with that in mind, here are four strategies you could consider:

1. Find a breathing exercise technique you like

This can be a short breathing exercise that you do whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed.

According to BeyondBlue, your breathing becomes faster and shallower when you’re anxious. So the aim with breathing exercises is to slow it down and feel more relaxed.

Try and do your chosen technique at least 4 times a day to create a new habit for when you’re feeling anxious.

Check out the 4-7-8 technique for example.

2. Keep a regular routine

Sticking to a routine can help ease feelings of anxiety. Make sure you strive to have a similar wake up time, exercise schedule, working from home routine and bedtime.

While there’s no way you can do exactly the same thing at the exact same time every day, if you work around a few core things you’ll likely find a rhythm. Even small things like watering your plants once a week or cleaning parts of the house will keep you going.

Need a place to start? Download the Live Life Get Active Daily Schedule – you can print it off and fill it out yourself! Don’t forget to jot down your regular activities as well as any small goals you have for the day – it’ll only motivate you to get the job done.

3. Schedule in  your worry time

Give yourself 10 minutes a day for ‘worry time’ and dump all anxieties down on a piece of paper then throw it away. That way you can release yourself of how you were feeling and focus on doing something nice and positive. Try one of our on-demand yoga classes or meditations – perfect for distracting and calming the mind!

4. Move your body

Make sure you are getting plenty of exercise. Exercise has almost instant impacts on reducing anxiety!

Whether that’s heading to the gym, walking, dancing, yoga, housework or even a Live Life Get Active fitness class. According to the Australian Department of Health guidelines, you should be getting in at least 30 mins of physical activity per day.

 Login and book your active training or yoga class either in the park or online now.

It’s also important to encourage feelings of calmness to ease anxiety, so why not check out the Live Life Get Active weekly meditation live-streams? Relax your mind from the comfort of your own home.

Not a member? Register now for FREE access to outdoor and online fitness classes, live guided meditations, wellness videos, recipes and more!

References:

Black Dog Institute: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/anxiety/

Headspace: https://headspace.org.au/young-people/what-is-anxiety-and-the-effects-on-mental-health/

BeyondBlue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/treatments-for-anxiety/anxiety-management-strategies

Australian Department of Health Guidelines: https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-phys-act-guidelines