10 Tips To Calm Anxious Thoughts
While it would be awesome if we all had all day to meditate, workout, read books, and take bubble baths while sipping herbal teas, life is usually not so simple.
That’s why my motto is “something is better than nothing” - every little bit of self-care makes a big impact. Below I’ve listed 10 tips to help you feel good, especially during this trying time. Find the tips that work for you and remember to be easy with yourself.
1. Get Quality Sleep - The number one thing you can do to boost your immune health is to get sleep. I know the news is ever-changing and addictive, but turn it off. Make sure you are getting quality sleep by turning off screens an hour before bed and sleeping in a cool dark room. Try and go to bed around the same time. Sleep is essential to your physical and mental health.
2. Visualize - Your subconscious is working all night long, so instead of focusing on the negative aspects of our current situation, try to spend a few minutes before bed visualizing something positive: a place you love, a vacation you are looking forward to, a bottle of hand sanitizer?!? Whatever makes your heart happy. The more realistic the visualization, the better.
3. Be Grateful. Things are hard right now and they are scary. But we are powerful individually and even more powerful collectively. Remember the things and people that you have to be grateful for. Give them a call. Gratitude can powerfully dissolve fear and sadness. Start a gratitude journal and make a habit of writing down three things you are grateful for every day.
4. Move. You have to move. Every. Day. Something is better than nothing. Walk the dog. Do some yoga in your living room. Swing the kettlebell. We are all stuck away from our regular gyms, but the emotional, physical and immunological boost that we get from exercise will help us be better prepared for these tough times.
5. Meditate. I know I know, you don’t have time. Try 2 minutes. Research has shown that just 2 minutes of meditation daily can help your brain function optimally. Download an app, set a timer, whatever helps you to just sit still and listen to your breath. You can also check out QiGong, a traditional Chinese movement practice that combines meditation and movement to support emotional and physical heath.
6. Eat right. Always. I mean it. Stop eating processed foods and sugar. Check out the multiple blog posts on this site to for fun recipe ideas to include more whole foods into your diet.
7. Hydrate. You need to stay hydrated for your body and brain to function properly. Coffee and wine, unfortunately, don’t count (bummer). You should aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces per day. Drinking adequate amounts of water is one of the easiest (and FREE) things you can do to boost your health right away.
8. Let Your Brain Have Fun. Learn a new language. Listen to a new podcast. Read a new book. Learn a new craft. What are the things you’ve always wanted to do, to see, to learn? Now is the time! Explore the creative parts of your brain that often get ignored in lieu of plopping in front of the television. Keeping your brain active and engaged is a wonderful way to improve your mental and emotional health.
9. Call friends. Times like these are great to take a step back and look at the relationships in your life. Who is checking in on you? Who do you miss? Whose phone calls make you happy and who makes you stressed? As we go through our lives we all change and evolve, sometimes friendships no longer fit the way they once did and perhaps there are friends that you didn’t realize were as important as they are. Reach out, you are not the only one struggling, I promise.
10. Don’t just look for helpers, be a helper. There is no better way to stop focusing on your own worry than to focus on helping others. Do what you can. If you can donate, donate, if you can order from a local restaurant and give a good tip, do it. You can offer to help neighbors or call a friend that you think may be having a hard time and check in. By focusing on others, we are able to see a ‘bigger picture’ that helps pull us out of our own ruminating and anxious thoughts.
