10 Ways to Fight Anxiety With Easy Self-Care Tips

Occasional anxiety and a certain amount of stress are normal for everyone at some point. But the stress of modern life: pandemics, economic uncertainty, politics, global unrest can push the anxiety level over the top for many – if not most – people.

“Anxiety can be a vicious circle,” says Silvana Romitelli, a life coach in Buenos Aires, Argentina, referring to the mind/body/emotion loop that feeds anxiety and stress. “It’s necessary to change actions or habits to break the circle."

Read on for ten easy ways to interrupt the anxiety circle and help reduce stress in trying times.

Exercise has been shown to release serotonin, a natural mood-booster that is a doctor-approved way to reduce problems with stress and anxiety, says Mary Elizabeth Dean, a writer on mental health issues at Betterhelp.com. Go for a jog, ride a bike, do yoga — anything to get your body moving. Even taking a walk helps pump up the so-called “happiness hormone” to reduce anxiety. “When you exercise, you not only are giving your body much-needed strength and stamina, but you are also releasing all the bad energy that is pent up inside you,” she writes.

There are dozens of apps for guided meditation as a way to gain control of your emotions. All you may need, though, is a few minutes alone in a quiet place. Psychologist Rick Hanson, the author of several books about personal well-being, psychological growth and contemplative practice, suggests a waking-up practice of “leaning into good.” “There is a traditional saying that the mind takes its shape from whatever it rests upon," he writes at his website. "Instead of resting it upon planning, worrying or stressing about your day, how about taking a little time to receive and embrace something more positive?” However you choose to meditate, practitioners say that consistency is key, so set aside time for meditation each day.

Even in hard times, there’s a lot to be thankful for, and developing an attitude of gratitude can have a calming effect on the brain, researchers have found. “Studies over the past decade have found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed,” psychologists Joshua Brown and Joel Wong write in an article for Greater Good Magazine. Some suggestions: Write a letter to thank someone (even if you don’t send it); notice — and accept as a gift — small acts of kindness; keep a gratitude journal.