30 Nov 31 Experts Share Their Favorite Ways To Manage Anxiety Or Stress — Without Medication
Anxiety and stress are two of the most common “negative” emotions.
In fact, they’re so common we ALL experience them at times. That’s normal and appropriate.
But there are ways we can manage these unpleasant feelings better and in doing so, we can free ourselves up to enjoy more positive emotions like happiness and calm.
Keen to learn more? Read on …
via Your Tango by Carter Gaddis
In March, the World Health Organization released a scientific brief that reported a 25-percent increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide in 2020.
So, it’s not just you. The world really is more stressful, and anxiety actually is on the rise.
According to the WHO’s brief, young people and women were hit hardest. Social isolation was considered a major factor, as were loneliness and exhaustion.
A recent randomized clinical trial published by the Journal of the American Medical Association sought to determine whether performing mindful meditation for anxiety was as effective as a popular anti-anxiety medication, escitalopram, which helps regulate the levels of anxiety-reducing serotonin produced by the body. Its conclusion: Outcomes were similar for both medicinal and non-medicinal treatment methods.
The Cleveland Clinic recommends several non-medicinal methods to increase the body’s production of serotonin, including eating foods with tryptophan, getting more sunlight, exercising regularly and taking steps to reduce your stress level.
We asked our deep roster of YourTango Experts healing and wellness professionals to share their top non-medicinal tips for managing stress and anxiety. Here are their responses.
31 experts share non-medicinal tips to manage stress and anxiety
1. Remember to breathe
When you are anxious and stressed your breathing becomes rapid and shallow. This causes you to be oxygen deprived, which only makes your body feel more anxious. The quickest way to reduce stress-related anxiety is to slow down and deepen your breathing. Inhale for a count of four, hold the inhale for a count of four and exhale deeply for a count of six.
– Kimberly LaFollette, clinical psychologist
2. Count your blessings
Stay focused on all that is positive. Focus on your blessings. Find your gratitude.
– Kathy Lynn Thielen, spiritual intuitive & medium
RELATED: How I Regulate My Crippling Anxiety Without Pharmaceutical Drugs
3. Get out and exercise
Stress — the need to fight off a tiger or run away from it — needs to be expressed and released from the body. Physical activity in any form — walking, running, swimming, jumping rope, using a hula hoop, kickboxing — whatever will help release the hold stress has on you and give you time and energy to think so you can problem solve and be compassionate with yourself.
– Judith Pinto, attention, focus and productivity coach
… keep reading the full & original article HERE