An anxiety attack is a scary experience. Symptoms include palpitations, sweating, trembling, nausea, and shortness of breath. If you’ve ever experienced such an incident, you undoubtedly want to avoid a future recurrence. This guide provides actionable tips you can incorporate into your everyday life to prevent a repeat scenario.
Eliminate clutter from your home.
A cluttered home isn’t just inconvenient. It’s also bad for your mental health. Mess overloads the brain, causing stress and anxiety. Clear away clutter and give your house a deep clean. Open the windows and let in fresh air and sunlight, and burn sage to clear out bad vibes. Finally, light some candles with soothing scents like lavender to create a calm atmosphere.
Incorporate exercise into your daily routine.
Exercise is good for your physical and mental health. Regular physical activity improves cardiovascular health, improves muscle tone, and enhances flexibility. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise also eases signs of depression and anxiety. This may be because physical activity encourages the brain to produce good endorphins.
If you have trouble working out, motivate yourself with tech tools. Use a fitness tracker like the Apple Watch Series 6 to record your progress and set personal goals to beat. This cutting-edge gadget even includes blood oxygen sensors and an electrocardiogram measure. Alternatively, you can use a pedometer to measure how much you’re walking every day. Try to reach a minimum count daily.
Try meditation techniques.
According to Harvard, mindfulness meditation is one way to alleviate mental stress and anxiety. People with anxiety often struggle to control distracting thoughts and are unable to differentiate between a “problem solving” thought versus a nagging worry that brings no benefit. Mindfulness encourages focus on a single point, eliminating such harmful thoughts. You can use affordable apps like Calm or UnPlug to give it a try.
Prioritize social connectivity.
Humans are naturally social beings. Too much time alone can exacerbate mental health issues. Research has shown that people who have close friendships as teenagers enjoy happier adolescence and likewise have lower rates of anxiety and depression later in life, for instance. Face-to-face interactions in the present day also alleviate anxiety by reiterating the fact that you have a support network.
Make sleep a priority.
The average adult is advised to get at least seven hours of sleep every night. Sleep gives both your body and mind a chance to recharge. Over time, sleep deprivation can lead to a number of health issues, such as a greater risk for certain cancers and Type 2 diabetes. Lack of sleep also increases your risk of anxiety attacks. Make rest a priority by transforming your bedroom into an oasis of calm. Invest in fresh silky sheets, for example, and get a white noise machine to block out strange sounds at night.
Limit caffeine and alcohol intake.
If you are prone to anxiety attacks, it’s best to limit caffeine and alcohol intake. Caffeine causes a temporary increase in heart rate, which can trigger attacks. Some people also experience “jitters,” which exacerbate feelings of anxiousness. Meanwhile, alcohol acts as a depressant and slows the heart rate. While you might not feel anxious when inebriated, you may notice anxiety creeping in after cocktail hour has passed and your heart rate speeds up.
Anxiety attacks can seriously hamper your everyday quality of life. You don’t want to go through your days always wondering when the next one will hit. Follow the above tips and reduce your risk.
Many of the points mentioned above don’t just decrease anxiety, they are also integral to healthy aging. DNC Consult is dedicated to supporting seniors as they get older with handy resources on staying mentally and physically fit. Get more handy tips via the DNC Consult blog.