How to Reduce Anxiety and Stress-Tips I Personally Followed

Dr. Hafiz Muneeb
7 min readAug 24, 2022

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How to Reduce Anxiety and Stress to get mentally and physically fit is the most asked question by many patients and friends of mine. During the course of my study, I experienced many things, because the medical field is a tough field with a lot of anxiety and stress. You can’t imagine I saw some people who left the study just because of the tensity and distress of study. But don't worry I am gonna tell you amazing tips that you can adopt in your daily life to reduce your anxiety and stress level.

I personally followed all these simple ways to relieve stress that's why I guarantee you it will be good for your mind and body.

How to Reduce Anxiety and Stress

What are Anxiety and Stress?

Stress is any demand made on your body or mind. It might be triggered by any situation or occurrence that frustrates or stresses you out.

A sensation of fear, worry, or unease is called anxiety. It might happen as a result of stress, but it can also happen for no apparent reason.

Effects of Anxiety and Stress on Your Body:

You can become physically and mentally exhausted by anxiety and stress. Many people frequently endure tension and nervousness.

The body can suffer from a continuous and ongoing increase in heart rate, as well as elevated levels of stress hormones and blood pressure. Long-term stress can increase the risk of hypertension, heart attack, or stroke.

Long story short, stress and anxiety affect your body from head to toe.

Are You Stressed? | Sign and Symptoms of Anxiety and Stress

Many people experience stress on a daily basis. Everyday challenges such as those related to work, family, health, and finances can often lead to higher stress levels.

In addition, heredity, social support, cognitive functioning, and personality type all influence a person’s susceptibility to stress, which means that some individuals are more prone to get stressed than others.

Distress and trauma can cause a variety of physical and psychological problems. and you must be conscious of How to reduce anxiety and stress.

Symptoms of Stress:

· muscular tension dizziness

· stomach problems, such as nausea and diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, rage, or irritability

· headaches

· increased perspiration

· sentiments of overabundance

· restlessness

· alterations in appetite

· elevated heart rate

Symptoms of Anxiety:

Anxiety can cause the same symptoms as stress, as well as:

· sense of impending doom

· tingling or numbness in the hands

· feet brain fog

Learn more about the sign and symptoms of Stress and Anxiety

Sign and Symptoms of Anxiety and Stress

How to Reduce Anxiety and Stress

You can reduce your anxiety and stress with simple lifestyle-changing habits. There are some other ways by which you can relieve your stress and anxiety level. That one is through mindfulness practices. If you are curious about this then you can check it out.

5 Amazing Mindfulness Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

Below I am going to discuss all those amazing tips that I personally follow in stress management.

1- Increase Your Physical Activity

Increasing your physical activity doesn’t mean hitting the gym and lifting heavy weights. It means involving your body in some consistent physical activity like yoga, daily morning walk, etc in order to relieve your stress.

6-week research of 185 university students discovered that doing aerobic exercise twice a week lowered total reported stress and perceived stress related to uncertainty. Furthermore, the exercise regimen significantly reduced self-reported depression. ( Source PubMed Central).

Start with mild activities like walking or cycling if you’re currently inactive. Choosing an exercise that you enjoy may improve your chances of staying with it in the long run.

2- Eat Healthy

Your nutrition has an impact on all aspects of your health, including your mental health.

Chronic stress might cause you to overeat and go for extremely appealing foods, which can impair your general health and happiness.

According to research, those who eat a diet high in ultra-processed foods and added sugar are more likely to have high levels of perceived stress.

Reduce your intake of highly processed meals and beverages while increasing your consumption of whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, seafood, nuts, and seeds. As a result, your stress tolerance may improve.

Eat Healthy to manage stress and anxiety

3- Practice self-care

Setting aside time for self-care may aid in stress reduction. Examples in practice include:

· Going for a walk outside

· Reading a nice book

· Working out

· Cooking a healthy dinner

· Stretching before bedtime

· Receiving a massage

· Engaging in a pastime

· Utilising a diffuser with relaxing scents

· Yoga practice

Taking care of yourself is crucial for living a healthy life. This is especially crucial for persons who are prone to stress.

You can also check How Social Media Creates Anxiety and Depression Issues

4- Spend Quality Time With Family and Friends

Because having a social support system is vital for your general mental health, social support from friends and family may help you get through stressful situations and manage stress. If you’re feeling lonely and don’t have friends or family to turn to, social support groups might be beneficial.

5- Avoid Bad Companies and Create Boundaries

Not all stressors are under your control; some people and their habits can cause us to feel worried and agitated.

Taking control of your personal life may aid in stress reduction and mental health protection. Setting boundaries, especially with people who contribute to your stress, is a smart strategy to protect your well-being.

6- Avoid Procrastination and Set Priorities

Another method to manage your stress is to prioritize your tasks and prevent procrastination.

Procrastination can reduce your productivity and force you to scramble to catch up. This can lead to stress, which has a bad impact on your health and sleeps quality.

Changing tasks or multitasking can be stressful in and of itself. So, focus on what needs to be done today, and if you find yourself delaying frequently, try making a timeline of what to accomplish and what not to do.

Procrastination can lead to Stress

7- Physical Contact Can Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Positive physical contact and sex, according to studies, may help relieve stress since these sorts of interactions may assist the release of oxytocin and lower cortisol. As a result, these actions aid in lowering blood pressure and heart rate. As previously stated, both high blood pressure and rapid heart rate are physical signs of stress.

8- Spend Time With Nature

Being immersed in nature and spending time in green spaces such as parks and forests are beneficial strategies to handle stress.

9- Take a Deep Breath

Stress activates your sympathetic nervous system, causing your body to go into fight-or-flight mode.

Stress hormones cause physical symptoms such as a faster heartbeat, faster breathing, and constricted blood vessels during this reaction.

Deep breathing exercises may assist in activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which regulates the relaxation response.

Deep breathing is to focus your attention on your breath, making it slower and deeper. When you take a deep breath in through your nose, your lungs completely expand and your belly rises. This slows your heart rate and allows you to relax.

10- Stop Taking Too Much Caffeine in Diet:

Caffeine is a stimulant that stimulates your central nervous system and is present in coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks. However, ingesting too much might disrupt your neural system, increasing stress and anxiety.

Caffeine tolerance levels vary from person to person. If you notice that caffeine makes you jittery or agitated, try substituting decaffeinated herbal tea or water for coffee or energy drinks.

Conclusion:

This all article is about How to Reduce Anxiety and Stress

Although stress is an inescapable aspect of life, persistent stress has a negative impact on your physical and mental health. However, some evidence-based measures, such as physical exercise, spending time in nature, dietary modifications, and limiting screen time, can help you reduce stress and enhance your overall psychological well-being.

Note:

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As a medical student, it is my goal to make people aware of the significance of maintaining physical health. Whenever I have the time, I write the most. If you have any questions, you may reach me at officialdr.muneeb@gmail.com.

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