We all feel anxious and tense from time to time, whether it be due to a stressful day ahead at work, or whether we’re going through a difficult and emotional time in our personal lives. A lot of the time, ‘smaller worries’ can be easily shrugged off as the day goes on. However, sometimes things can just mount up too much and become overwhelming – this is when you need to take a step back and make your mental and physical health the priority, rather than attempting to continue soldiering on.
Of course, sometimes you may need to seek advice from a healthcare professional who will know exactly how to diagnose anxiety and will focus in on what might be causing problems and then offer solutions.
In most cases, it can be reasonably straightforward to take care of yourself, all it usually involves is taking stock and making a few changes in your lifestyle.
Sleep well
A fundamental way to help stop yourself from feeling anxious is to get a good night’s sleep. Not only are there many physical benefits that follow naturally from having a structured sleep pattern, but it is also a tried and tested way to help your overall mental health.
Making sure you limit screen time before you turn in for the night, avoiding coffee and other stimulants after a particular time in the evening, and adapting your bedroom environment to encourage a good night’s sleep are all easy things to do. They don’t cost anything either.
If you do have the budget, spending money on a good bed frame and a comfortable mattress and pillows is always a good idea. If you get the recommended eight hours of sleep each night, you will, after all, be spending a third of your life in bed, so it will be money well spent.
Eat well
A well-balanced diet is another thing that helps both the mind and body. Everyone is aware that fresh fruit and vegetables are essential for the nutrients they provide to keep you fit and well. Also, things like nuts and legumes also contain essential amino acids that play a big part in the brain’s chemical processes.
Without adequate supplies of these very basic compounds, your brain can lack the ‘feel-good’ hormones such as serotonin, and that can have very drastic effects on mood and mental wellbeing. This is why, as a pick-me-up, we might often crave a big bar of chocolate or tub of ice cream when we’re down in the dumps.
Exercise well
You might be the type of person who has a gym membership and actually uses it, but for many other people finding the time to exercise can be a problem, and finding the motivation can be even harder.
Thankfully, there is the easy option of simply going for a walk – the health benefits that regular outdoor exercise bring are another easy way to improve both physical and mental well being. The great thing about walking, apart from proven positive effects on things like lower blood pressure, is that anyone can do it regardless of the starting point of their fitness levels.
The way that a pleasant walk clears the mind and helps bring into focus problems and their solutions is something that is simple to do, but it is often overlooked. The only way to prove just how effective it can be is to try it for yourself.
Be well
If you have a health worry, it can be the most significant source of anxiety that there is, because often it comes with feelings of negativity in terms of what you can do to make a difference. The first thing to do is not to shy away from your concerns and to find out exactly what the problem might be.
It is never wrong to seek out professional advice if you are unsure about any type of health issue. Of course, money can be an issue here, which only adds to the pressure you might be under, and that is another area where you can try and head off anxiety issues at their roots.
Money wellness
Being in debt can be a major source of anxiety and worry and, unfortunately, it is something that affects the lives of millions of Americans. Once again, if you don’t confront issues of debt or lack of funds, you can’t take positive steps to solve the problem, so identifying the cause is the essential first step.
By taking stock of your outgoings and working out if there are any areas where you can make cutbacks, you can immediately make a difference and relieve your worries. By talking to lenders, you can make arrangements to pay off debts in ways that put you under less pressure. By learning how to apply ‘money wellness,’ you can relieve one of the most weighty causes of anxiety.
