5 Simple & Effective Tips to Deal with Anxiety

Although it is a normal human reaction when faced with stress, anxiety is a mental condition that is quite energy-consuming, can eliminate our enthusiasm for life, and is often the main cause of someone getting sick more easily. It's not an easy thing to get rid of anxiety, but that doesn't mean it's impossible right?

The anxiety we feel is valid. Instead of denying what we feel, it's better to slowly try to accept those uncomfortable feelings and find a way out to overcome them. Rest easy, try these simple yet effective tips to help reduce your anxiety!

1. Take Deep Breaths

When the anxiety comes, the first step you can do is to take a deep breath. The trick is to take a deep breath in through your nose, hold it for a few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth. This can make your body feel more relaxed and less anxious, you can also practice this breathing technique every day to help let go of distracting thoughts.

2. Sharing with Close People

When feeling anxious, usually someone will choose to withdraw from their environment and suppress their feelings. However, it turns out that this method is not the right solution. On the other hand, the support of friends or close people like family is actually the best way to help you get through difficult times. Therefore, when anxiety strikes, try to express it to the closest person or if necessary immediately consult a mental health professional for help. There's no need to be ashamed because it can actually help you to overcome anxiety and be able to return to activities more comfortably as usual, even though it can take a long time in the process.

3. Healthy Eating

Reporting from Thecut.com, the next tip to reduce anxiety is to adopt a healthy lifestyle, such as eating healthy foods and avoiding excessive consumption of caffeine and sugar which are sources of anxiety. Also, make sure not to skip breakfast every morning by eating foods rich in protein to keep blood sugar levels in balance. Some recommended foods include fish, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts), green vegetables, and fruits.

4. Regular Exercise

Not only keep the body healthy, exercise is also able to reduce stress hormones (cortisol) and release endorphins or hormones that can improve mood and make a person feel happy. You can start with some light physical activities such as walking in the morning, jogging, or short yoga. Some of these types of exercise can help reduce stress, anxiety, and also improve the quality of sleep every day.

5. Doing What You Like

Anxiety can also be overcome by diverting your attention to doing things you love, from hanging out with friends, listening to music, fun makeup makeovers, quality self-care sessions at home, staycations, or doing past hobbies that have been buried in work routines.

Don't forget to always take time even if it's only about 5-10 minutes every day for yourself, no matter how busy you are, for light meditation or practicing mindfulness. This method aims to provide a moment of rest for your mind, heart, and body.