Self-care is a daily practice that helps you avoid getting ill, and lowers the chances of you being stuck up with work. It has a great impact on your mental health as well. Many people suffer from anxiety which could be triggered by events happening in their lives, but if one practices self-care, they will not only be able to cope with the current situation better but also might even prevent any further problems from arising. In this article, we'll explain how self-care can help reduce anxiety.
Firstly, let's talk about what causes anxiety: Anxiety may be caused by an underlying physical or psychological problem or sometimes because of a combination of both. However, people suffering from anxiety often try to avoid going to the doctor as they believe this will worsen their health instead of improving it. A person suffering from anxiety might feel multiple physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and even break out in a sweat. This only makes the patient more anxious and thus he develops avoidance behavior which prevents him from seeking help.
Now let's talk about how self-care is able to improve mental health: As we mentioned before, if one practices self-care regularly they can prevent themselves from getting ill and lower the chances of them being stuck up with work for days at a stretch. Moreover, it also helps improve mental health by decreasing stress levels and allows you normalcy in life.
In this article, we'll be going over several things that you can do as a part of self-care to cope with anxiety:
Get enough sleep
Make sure you sleep 7-8 hours every night as it will help your mind and body rest and recover from the hard day's work. Lack of sleeping regularly can lead to mental health issues such as depression or even hallucinations. Moreover, if one does not get enough sleep they might face problems at work/college which will only aggravate their condition further. Sleep deprivation due to any reason could also lead to paranoia and extreme mood swings which complicate the problem even more.
If you have problems falling asleep, I strongly recommend you try Amaki Flowers and Salts Bath Soak which will help you ease your mind and body. I've been using them for a while now, and their relaxing effect calms my nerves and helps me sleep better. This is in part due to the Dead Sea Salt that eases tension and stiffness in your muscles and the Epsom Salt that reduces stress and eliminates toxins from your body.
Adopt a healthy diet
Eat healthy food regularly because if your diet is unbalanced then chances are your body won't be able to cope with the hard work it does on a daily basis. People with unbalanced diets may develop anxiety which can lead to weight gain, irritability, mood swings, and fatigue which might even cause social problems in extreme cases.
Since I have been experiencing stress caused by nutritional imbalances, I started taking Tranquilene Total Calm, a comprehensive natural anti-anxiety supplement by Tranquility Labs. It works wonders! It contains Magnesium which is an essential mineral that controls the neurotransmitter activities in your brain.
Add exercise to your daily routine
Another self-care activity that one can adopt is getting enough exercise every day. Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to keep yourself healthy and ward off any health issues you might be facing due to stress. It improves your blood circulation and lowers the level of cortisol (stress hormone) in your body. If you don't get regular physical activity then your muscles will weaken over time and they won't be able to support your body in times of need. Moreover, lack of proper circulation could also lead to an increased heart rate which again triggers mental health issues like anxiety or panic attacks.
Exercise also blows off steam by releasing low endorphins in the brain giving an individual more energy for their task during the day. Without endorphins, a person may develop symptoms like depression and hopelessness which will only make their mental health worse.
Find a new interest
The next self-care activity that you can try is keeping yourself occupied with things that interest you throughout the day. This is because if you don't keep your mind busy then it might end up focusing on anxious thoughts and lead to even more problems. For instance, find a new hobby or interest to do in your free time. If that's not possible then find yourself a new pet or even get a plant because having something living with you will help to lower stress levels and keep your mind from wandering off into unwanted thoughts.
Interact with people
Remember to interact with people and connect with both old and new friends. If one does this regularly then they'll be able to better understand themselves along with controlling their emotions in everyday life. Moreover, interacting with another being also helps improve mental health because it forces you to take a break, forget about everything else for a little while, and just focus on the things around you which makes you feel more relaxed in life. Also when we talk to someone else will help us avoid feeling lonely or remember any recent anxiety attacks or family issues that could trigger us further.
Enjoy a home-spa treatment
Another way in which one can practice self-care is by giving yourself a home spa treatment. This means you'll want to take a shower, apply body lotion or oil, put on fresh clothes, and go about your day. You can even try listening to some relaxing music or light classical music because it will help calm your mind. This way when you're at work/college you won't be feeling anxious anymore and might even enjoy what you do on daily basis.
As you can see, self-care is not just about taking care of your body but also your mind and spirit as well. So if you are suffering from mental illness, any type of anxiety disorder, or have a friend or family member who is, then encourage them to take care of themselves in every way possible so they can continue being the wonderful person that they are!
