Note: This website is for informational purposes only and must not be construed as medical advice. (See disclaimer at foot of page.)

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Tips for Dealing With Anxiety

Whether you suffer from a specific anxiety disorder, or whether you simply want to lower your everyday stress, there are a number of methods for dealing with anxiety.

Lifestyle changes can have a huge impact.  Here are the essential areas for improvement that we’ll look at in this section:

1. Identifying triggers
2. Breathing
3. Posture
4. Diet
5. Alcohol
6. Exercise
7. Sleep
8. Meditation & Yoga

NB: These tips are effective, but they are really just “first aid”.  If you’re serious about getting rid of anxiety for good, see our ‘Further Assistance’ section below.

1.  Identify your stress triggers

Take the time to carefully analyze all aspects of your daily life, and note down those things that trigger your stress.  It may be easiest to keep a “mini diary” for a week to do this.  Your stress triggers may include things in environment, certain people or places, being placed in certain situations, or the performance of certain tasks.

Anxiety & stress triggers Once you’ve done that, sit down and carefully go through the list of stress triggers you’ve recorded, and apply your intuition to the problem.  You might be able to identify solutions for some or all of the triggers.  For example, if a certain person is a trigger for major stress, you may be able to lessen your contact with them.  If the regular performance of a particular task is a stress trigger, there may well be another less stressful way of going about it.

This may not be possible for every trigger on your list, or you may feel like the solutions are too short-lived, or inappropriate, or involve too much sacrifice.  Don’t worry – we’ll get to a more permanent solution for dealing with anxiety at the end of this page.

2.  Breathing

Breathing is controlled by our autonomic nervous system (i.e. it is not consciously controlled), and involves two important elements: inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.  A normal, healthy breathing pattern results in a good balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in our bloodstream, which in turn results in the healthy functioning of our body’s organs.

However, in times of stress or anxiety, our breathing patterns change.  We breathe shallower than normal, hyperventilate, and our breathing becomes irregular.  Oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in our blood fluctuate, which in turn adversely affects all our body’s systems.  Physical symptoms resulting include increased heart-rate, palpitations, dizziness, headaches, trembling and muscle tension.

Conversely, correct breathing can decrease heart rate and blood pressure, slow metabolism, relax muscle tension and increase blood circulation.  It is therefore essential to adopt proper breathing technique when dealing with anxiety and stress.

Despite what you may have heard, “taking deep breaths” is too simplistic an answer.  Instead, make sure you inhale each breath slowly and fully, and then exhale in a similar manner.  Don’t try to force the air in and out, and don’t try to gulp air in quickly – just take relaxed, slow, full breaths in and out until you feel better.

3.  Posture

Posture Good posture is important for all of us, whether we suffer from anxiety or not. Continued bad posture can to lead to physical problems later in life, particularly back problems. This is especially true for those of us who spend a long time sitting down, like most office workers and frequent computer users.

It’s an even bigger issue for anxiety sufferers.  Posture has a very specific effect on anxiety levels because of what it does internally.  So if you suffer from an anxiety disorder, panic attacks, or even just high levels of stress, it is essential to adopt good posture.

When we are anxious or stressed, we naturally tend to adopt bad posture.  We subconsciously “protect ourselves” from harm by crossing our arms, slumping our shoulders forward, and sitting with a curve in our back with our torso bent forward at the waist.

Unfortunately this “defensive” posture actually worsens our anxiety, because it:

  • compresses and restricts the heart and lungs
  • results in shallow breathing
  • inhibits good circulation
  • causes muscle pain and tension.

We recommend adopting the following posture when sitting: back straight, shoulders pulled back (level with body), both feet resting flat on the floor.  This will reduce pressure on your heart, allows your lungs to expand fully, and will increase circulation and reduce muscle pain.

4.  Diet

The food we eat and the liquids we drink can have a huge impact on our anxiety levels.  We recommend you read our section on anxiety & diet to find out the details.

5.  Alcohol

The relationship between anxiety and alcohol is a complicated one.  We explain this relationship, and give recommendations in our section on alcohol & anxiety.

6.  Sleep

Sleep is vital to replenish our energy each night.  If you’re tired, you’ll have less energy to cope with the challenges of each day, and you won’t be properly equipped to deal with anxiety and stress.

SleepOur bodies also use the time we are asleep to repair damaged cells, so sleep is essential to maintain a healthy body.

7-8 hours per night is the amount to target.  If you can’t get to sleep, don’t lie there in the dark worrying about it for too long. Get up, and go and do something useful – e.g. read a book – and then try again later.

Avoid consuming caffeine, sugar or protein any later than 2-3 hours before bedtime, and make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark – use earplugs if necessary.

7.  Exercise

Another essential step when dealing with anxiety is to get plenty of physical exercise.  Physical activity will give you improved overall health. More specifically, exercise:

  • improves circulation
  • improves lung function
  • allows your heart to work at full capacity
  • strengthens your core, back and neck muscles, which will then improve your posture
  • burn off excess energy that can cause anxiety
  • helps you to sleep better at night

And of course, knowing that you’re fit and healthy gives one less thing to worry about, so this might reduce your anxiety levels in itself.

You don’t need to run marathons.  You just need to be more active. Even walking for 30-40 minutes each day can make a world of difference.  So get out of the office and into the fresh air wherever possible.  Also, try to increase your movement generally during the day – if you’re making a phone call, do it whilst walking around a bit, as opposed to sitting down.

8.  Meditation and Yoga

Meditation & Yoga Two of the oldest methods for dealing with anxiety and stress are meditation and yoga.  When done properly, both can have a major impact on the mental side of things, getting you relaxed and with a clear mind.

On the physical side, yoga encourages muscle strength and flexibility, helps improve breathing and posture, and can even result in an increase of endorphins in the body (the body’s natural painkillers), giving a natural, happy “high”.

Further assistance

These tips are really just “first aid”.  If you really want to rid yourself of anxiety for good, you may need to take further steps.

lightbulb Anxiety disorders require proper treatment. 

If you want to stop anxiety and panic attacks for good, there is a drug-free solution that actually works, according to the consumer feedback we’ve seen:

Visit the Official ‘Panic Away’ Website to Stop Anxiety & Panic <<<



Disclaimer:  Important Notice regarding use of this Web Site
This website is for informational purposes only and must not be construed as medical advice.
In all instances see a physician or other health provider if you believe you have a medical condition.
See medical disclaimer notice here.