How to Head Off Stress and Anxiety Before They Happen

October 22, 2018 Teresa Clark

Off

Welcome to my blog! If you would like to keep updated on new posts, please subscribe.
And consider following me on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for visiting!

If you suffer from stress and anxiety, you probably want to avoid future run-ins with these problems. Of course, stress is inevitable, but you can learn to cope with it in a functional, healthy way. Here are some tips for staving off stress and anxiety before they catch up with you:

Good nutrition – This is listed as number one for a reason. It is one of the most important and effective means by which you can cope with stress and anxiety and prevent them from taking over your life. Some nutrients and foods that are good for proper brain and body function include essential fatty acids and vitamin D. Essential fatty acids, which are found in olive oil, salmon, flax seeds, and other unrefined vegetable oils, should be sought out and deliberately included in your diet. And vitamin D is important because it plays a significant role in mood regulation.

Regular exercise – Don’t wait until you feel stressed or anxious to start exercising. Make it a part of your regular routine. Exercise increases circulation and also induces the body to produce endorphins. These brain chemicals profoundly affect your mood and response to stress. Keep your exercise goals realistic. For example, commit to running one lap around a quarter-mile track followed by walking for three laps. This can boost your confidence and give you a sense of accomplishment. These are great weapons against stress and anxiety.

Positive self-talk – You may need to break negative self-talk patterns. Many of us have developed patterns of thought that automatically involve self-abasement. For example, if you make a mistake on a piece of paperwork, you may immediately have thoughts that you can’t do anything right, you are terrible at paperwork, and so forth. Learning to recognize this pattern and redirect your thoughts to more positive ones can help prevent further stress and anxiety.

Deep breathing – It may seem silly to focus on breathing as part of preventing stress and anxiety. Deep breathing is deliberately taking in a breath that helps focus your thoughts and energy. It also promotes the circulation of oxygen throughout the body. Exhaling deeply and fully is also important, as this more thoroughly eliminates toxins from the body.

Rest – Getting adequate sleep is essential for helping your body cope with stress. Everything seems bigger, scarier, and more worrisome when you are exhausted.

Know the symptoms – Learn to recognize your body’s cues that it’s experiencing too much stress and anxiety. Pay attention to things like feelings of restlessness, fatigue, anxious thoughts, and muscle tension. Once you learn to recognize the stressful trend, you can stop it before it takes hold.