5 Tips To Reduce Anxiety Naturally

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JAKARTA - Anxiety is an inseparable part of this world. Often considered negative, it turns out that not all anxiety is bad. Having anxiety makes you aware of danger, motivates you to stay organized and prepared, and helps you calculate risk. However, when anxiety begins to interfere with daily activities, it's time to act before it becomes a dangerous boomerang.

Uncontrolled anxiety can greatly affect the quality of life. Cited from Healthline, Tuesday, December 28, try to get the hang of it with the ideas below.

Stay active

Regular exercise is not only beneficial for your physical health, but it can also help keep your mental health in balance. A study conducted in 2013 reported that people with anxiety disorders felt better able to control their anxiety after regular physical activity than just sitting still. This is because exercise can distract from something that makes you anxious, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

You can do any type of exercise as you wish. Run or HIIT workouts to get your heart rate up. As for beginners, doing sports such as Pilates and yoga is enough to maintain mental health.

Avoid alcohol

Drinking alcohol can indeed reduce anxiety. However, research shows that alcohol does have an impact on anxiety disorders. Too much alcohol can upset the balance of neurotransmitters, which are responsible for positive mental health. These disorders create an imbalance that can lead to certain symptoms of anxiety.

Alcohol has also been shown to interfere with your body's natural ability to sleep by disrupting sleep homeostasis. Meanwhile, a good night's sleep is very helpful when fighting anxiety.

Meditation and mindfulness practice

The main goal of meditation is to train oneself to be fully aware, the here and now by paying attention to all thoughts without judgment. This can lead to a sense of calm and contentment by increasing your ability to tolerate all thoughts and feelings mindfully. Research from Johns Hopkins shows 30 minutes of meditation daily can act as an antidepressant to reduce some symptoms of anxiety.

Eat a balanced diet

Low blood sugar levels, dehydration, or chemicals in processed foods, such as artificial flavours, artificial coloring, and preservatives, can cause mood swings in some people. A high-sugar diet can also affect temperament.

If your anxiety worsens after eating, check your eating habits. Stay hydrated, avoid consuming processed foods, and choose to eat a balanced diet rich in complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein.

Breathing exercises

Shallow, rapid breathing is so common in anxiety that it can cause a fast heartbeat, dizziness or lightheadedness, even panic attacks.

Deep breathing exercises are deliberate processes of taking slow, even, deep breaths that can help restore normal breathing patterns and reduce anxiety.