Simple Self-Care Tips to Ease Anxiety

Learn more about simple steps that you can take to manage your anxiety from Salyer Counseling Groups team member, Madison Thomas, LMSW. Madison is a therapist that is passionate about making therapy, mental health, and wellness accessible to all. Learn more about her simple steps to better anxiety management below. 

It is likely that at some point, we’ve all heard that staple things like sleep and daily movement are experiences that help curate a sense of balance and well-being. However, sometimes life’s stressors can make it feel like these are more of a luxury than a pillar in our everyday routine. 

Nowadays when we picture “self-care”, many of us imagine bubble baths, an extravagant day spent doing things that bring us pleasure, or an hour-long hike in nature. All of these things are great ways to relieve anxiety, and could very well be a part of your life. However, the problem with relying on these methods alone is that they are not always accessible while we may be feeling anxious at work, waking up in the middle of the night with a panic attack, or trying to hold in our tears driving from one appointment to the other. 
Before I share some more accessible tips with you, I want to encourage you to change the way you think about self-care. Not as a luxury, but as a necessity that is honoring who you are: human. I had a professor in college that suggested reframing self-care as self-parenting. When a child is feeling overwhelmed, we remind them of their capabilities and that all will be okay. When a child has a big day ahead of them, we might ensure they have the food to fuel them through. We are aware of their need to move, get fresh air, sleep, and stay hydrated. The list could go on much longer, but the bottom line is that if we are aware of the basic human needs of children, why do we, as adults with many more responsibilities, sometimes neglect our basic human needs?
With this being said, I want to share some quick, easy, and effective tips to ease your anxiety that you can pull from when you are feeling overwhelmed or that you can build into your self-parenting routine. 

Sunlight.

It might sound silly, but in our modern society, we spend over 90% of our time indoors, reducing our exposure to the amazing benefits of sunlight on our mental health. The vitamin D we get from the sun helps our body produce serotonin, the hormone that regulates our mood and emotions. Studies show that “moderately high serotonin levels result in more positive moods and a calm yet focused mental outlook” (1). So whether you're working or at home, try taking your lunch outside. Maybe you can take a couple of breaks outside throughout the day or start eating dinner on your porch or balcony. 

Breath work.

Our breath is one of the most accessible tools that we have to help our bodies relax, think clearly, and reset. Pausing to take a few slow and deep breaths is proven to help switch our nervous systems into a restful state and promote comfort, relaxation, and alertness. (2). Taking a moment to focus on our breath can help us rebalance when we feel overwhelmed and can be built into our daily routines as a means of stress prevention.

Meditation.

It does not need to be a spiritual or complicated practice. There are many free resources for easy guided meditations that one can access on the internet. It is another practice that can be built into a balanced daily routine, or be utilized when needed to produce feelings of inner calm and relaxation (3). It can be used in conjunction with breathing exercises and help our minds and bodies remain aware and steady as we move throughout the day. I recommend finding a guided meditation video on YouTube that feels comfortable for you or playing peaceful music while you quiet your mind and body for a few minutes. 

Movement.

I understand that the word exercise or the idea of “working out” can feel daunting or even triggering for some. You don’t have to pump iron in the busy gym or run 10ks to retrieve the amazing benefits of movement. It can be slow like yoga or walking or it can be as simple as utilizing your chores as an opportunity to move your body with intention. However you choose to engage with it, daily movement is shown to have a strong and positive impact on anxiety symptoms (4). 

Laughter.

In our modern world, we often take in negativity without even realizing it. Most of us spend hours a day on our devices observing stressful emails, news headlines, and social media posts on top of life’s challenges. Believe me, I am not saying “just be happy” or “just ignore it”, because that’s not helpful or realistic. However, what we can do is be aware of what information or practices are unnecessary and curate more opportunities for ourselves to laugh. A study during the COVID-19 pandemic found that laughter increases our feelings of life satisfaction and reduces anxiety (5). Engaging in this practice could be as simple as swapping out the late-night thriller for a comedy show, calling a close friend on your drive home, or listening to an uplifting podcast while you're cooking. 

The next time you are feeling overcome with anxiety, consider how you might “self-parent” the human being within. Whether you start building these practices into your routine or adding them to your ready-to-use toolbox, I hope that tuning into your needs and responding to them with compassion encourages an even deeper appreciation for the amazing capabilities you possess.

By Madison Thomas, LMSW

 If you are experiencing anxiety, our team of trained therapists is ready to use evidence-based strategies to address your needs. With the option for online therapy and in-person sessions in our DFW/Arlington office, we provide care for clients looking for in-network services, self-pay, and sliding scale options. I hope you’ll reach out today to get the care you need and take the next step toward healing.