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Conquer Anxiety! 6 Easy Lifestyle Hacks You Can Do TODAY (#Anxietyrelief)
Feeling overwhelmed by anxiety and overthinking? You're not alone! This video dives into 6 powerful, yet simple lifestyle changes you can incorporate into your daily routine to find calm and quiet your mind.
00:00:00 Hello listeners, welcome back to the Path to Calm on April 2nd, 2024.
00:00:53 LIMIT YOUR CAFFEINE INTAKE
00:04:31 SCHEDULE YOUR “WORRY TIME”
00:11:28 CULTIVATE GRATITUDE
00:17:12 Gratitude Tip 1.
00:17:56 Gratitude Tip 2.
00:19:01 Gratitude Tip 3.
00:19:56 USE “MENTAL ANCHORING”
00:26:25 HAVE A SOLID MORNING ROUTINE
00:29:43 Ali Miller is a dietician and author of The Anti-Anxiety Diet
00:34:35 START A HOBBY
We'll cover:
Limiting caffeine intake: Discover how much is too much and how it affects anxiety.
Scheduling "worry time": Learn how to strategically tackle worries on your own terms.
The power of gratitude: Shift your focus and appreciate the good things in life.
Mental anchoring: Discover a powerful technique to instantly calm your mind.
Building a solid morning routine: Set the tone for a peaceful day with healthy habits.
Finding a fun hobby: Engage in activities you enjoy to take your mind off worries.
These small changes can have a BIG impact on your anxiety levels! Take control of your well-being and start living a calmer life.
For more info, check out the book "Anxiety is the Enemy" by Nick Trenton, and visit his website at bitly.slash.NickTrenton
Like this video? Let us know in the comments!
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Transcript
Hello listeners, welcome back to the Path to Calm on April 2nd, 2024.
Speaker:Stop overthinking, become present, find peace.
Speaker:Feeling overwhelmed by anxiety and overthinking, you're not alone.
Speaker:Today, we'll explore simple, actionable strategies you can incorporate into your daily life to find calm and quiet your mind.
Speaker:These tips are inspired by the book, Anxiety is the Enemy by Nick Trinton.
Speaker:Stay tuned and let's pave your path to calm together.
Speaker:Now, you might not want to hear what comes next, but if you're consistently battling anxiety, caffeine could be the hidden culprit.
Speaker:Did you know that the DSM, the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders used by the American Psychiatric Association, contains four separate disorders related to caffeine?
Speaker:Caffeine is the world's most commonly used psychoactive substance, but Dr. Julie Rodico is a clinical psychologist who reminds us that caffeine is not a problem per se.
Speaker:After all, it can boost concentration levels and give us a shot of energy.
Speaker:Not to mention it's delicious, but I encourage people to know healthy limits and consume it strategically because it is activating and can mimic or exacerbate the symptoms of anxiety.
Speaker:Because of the ubiquity of coffee in modern life, many of us, doctors included, simply never think of coffee as something that could be adding to our anxiety behind the scenes.
Speaker:So, we valiantly plug away at mindfulness and do our breathing exercises conveniently forgetting the four cups of espresso we had that morning.
Speaker:So, how much is too much?
Speaker:Well, there is variation in individual tolerance levels.
Speaker:The standard advice is not to exceed 400 mg daily, or risk over stimulation, anxiety, and a range of fun physical effects such as nausea, gastrointestinal distress, and heart palpitations.
Speaker:For perspective, a normal cup of coffee brewed at home contains around 100 mg of caffeine, but drinks sold in coffee shops and things like energy drinks or supplements can contain as much as 400 mg in one cup.
Speaker:Cola can contain about 30-50 mg per can, and even tea and decaffeinated coffee can add to your overall caffeine intake, so don't assume that you're in the clear just because you don't drink coffee.
Speaker:So, is the solution to quit caffeine cold turkey?
Speaker:Probably not.
Speaker:Unless you are extremely sensitive to it or are battling a pronounced anxiety disorder, it's more about moderation and drinking coffee strategically than it is about quitting completely.
Speaker:A 2007 study by Sergei Ferev in the Journal of Neurochemistry explains exactly why coffee has the effects it does.
Speaker:Caffeine blocks the neurotransmitter adenosine, which results in us feeling more alert, but the same process also triggers adrenaline release.
Speaker:This process is not dissimilar from the one that unfolds in the HPA axis during the fight-or-flight response.
Speaker:Beyond a certain point, in other words, alertness turns into anxiety.
Speaker:A 2018 study by Winston et al. in the Journal Advances in Psychiatric Treatment found that a too high caffeine intake can actually mimic the symptoms of a range of psychiatric disorders, including anxiety.
Speaker:This is important. It means that there are at least some people out there who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder when the real story is that they're suffering from excessive caffeine intake.
Speaker:If this sounds like you, the solution is obvious.
Speaker:Before you consider behavioral or lifestyle change, and before you think about anti-anxiety medication or therapy, check to see that your morning cup of coffee is not to blame.
Speaker:Trying to stop abruptly may lead to caffeine withdrawal, which can be counterproductive.
Speaker:Instead, taper off gradually, find a comfortable dose that's right for you, and don't exceed it.
Speaker:9. Schedule Your Worry Time
Speaker:Stress is a part of life, and we've already explored the power of acceptance and acknowledgement without resistance.
Speaker:If worrying has been a constant part of your life that it almost seems like a day job, maybe it's time to turn things around and be the boss.
Speaker:How?
Speaker:One counterintuitive way is to deliberately dedicate time in your schedule to worry.
Speaker:In other words, give yourself permission to worry, but do it on your own terms.
Speaker:If you're used to thinking of your anxiety as some annoying, difficult, or even shameful tendency, then it might feel strange at first to worry more effectively.
Speaker:But let's start with an assumption.
Speaker:You'll probably worry at least somewhat some of the time.
Speaker:So choose how you do it.
Speaker:Here's a suggestion.
Speaker:Step 1.
Speaker:Be aware of when you're worrying.
Speaker:Step 2.
Speaker:Acknowledge that you're allowed to feel worried, but that you'll merely delay worrying for later.
Speaker:Step 3.
Speaker:Pick up your worry again later at some pre-planned, limited-time window in the future.
Speaker:That's all there is to it.
Speaker:You can't do this process if you're not first mindful of what's happening, but don't be too hard on yourself if you slip into unconscious rumination now and again.
Speaker:Practice makes perfect.
Speaker:Hopefully, be glad when you come back to awareness and carry on without beating yourself up for getting trapped in a loop.
Speaker:Next, say to the worry,
Speaker:I see you, I'll give you all the attention you need, but not right now.
Speaker:Then, perhaps jot down some notes to help remind you later.
Speaker:Have a worry book.
Speaker:Once a thought is in there, it's safe and you don't need to return to it until the designated worry time.
Speaker:Your mind will want to return there, but politely remind it.
Speaker:You don't have to do anything right now, mind.
Speaker:Nothing is outstanding and there's no problem to solve right now.
Speaker:For the time being, we only have to relax.
Speaker:You can worry as much as you like later.
Speaker:If you're having particular trouble with delaying worries, simply write that worry down in the book too.
Speaker:For example, I'm really worried that this stupid technique is actually going to ruin my life.
Speaker:Your brain will play a trick on you.
Speaker:It will try to argue that worrying is a useful thing and that by not worrying, you're doing something wrong or allowing everything to go haywire.
Speaker:Just notice this and give yourself permission to put all that rumination aside for the time being.
Speaker:You can catastrophize later as much as you want.
Speaker:Okay, so when do you actually worry?
Speaker:Allocate a time, around 20 minutes once a day when there are no restrictions and you can worry to your heart's content.
Speaker:In fact, during this time, you're not allowed to do anything other than go through your worry book and worry.
Speaker:Completely focus on your worries.
Speaker:Note how it feels to worry now after a day spent not worrying.
Speaker:You may notice a few unexpected things.
Speaker:The thoughts you believe were really, really important a few hours ago don't quite seem as urgent now.
Speaker:We are capable of sitting with anxiety.
Speaker:Our worrying doesn't actually change anything because we can stop doing it and life just carries on as it did before.
Speaker:Worrying actually doesn't feel very good.
Speaker:This sounds obvious, but it can be a light bulb moment for some people.
Speaker:Why spend so much time deliberately making yourself feel bad, especially when it doesn't achieve a single thing?
Speaker:The next time an urgent worry comes up, you might find yourself wondering,
Speaker:how is this going to look to me a few hours from now?
Speaker:Is it really as urgent as it feels?
Speaker:Sometimes you'll look at a thought you've written down and be comfortable completely crossing it off the list.
Speaker:It's no longer relevant, so congratulations, you spared yourself some unnecessary worry.
Speaker:But sometimes you'll put something in your worry book that is genuinely a problem, then what?
Speaker:As before, you need to become aware of what we can control, what we can't, what we value, and what action we can take.
Speaker:Worry can serve a purpose.
Speaker:It can alert us to problems and inspire us to solve them by taking action.
Speaker:There's an Irma Bombeck quote, worrying is like a rocking chair.
Speaker:It will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere.
Speaker:Instead of just going back and forth, commit to busting worries by doing something about them.
Speaker:Your scheduled worried time can be used to simply worry, but you can also take it a step further.
Speaker:Look at everything you've written down and categorize it.
Speaker:What is in your control and actionable?
Speaker:What isn't?
Speaker:What is you trying to people please or solve problems that are not in your business going to solve?
Speaker:Can you see any items that are just mindless, what if questions, regrets, or distorted beliefs?
Speaker:Once you've had a look at the actual content of your worrying mind, it's a great idea to take one simple step.
Speaker:Look at all the problems you can actually do something about and identify only the very next small step you need to take to get started.
Speaker:For example, if you've been worrying about how you're going to manage catering for a massive party at the end of the week,
Speaker:your very next action might be to confirm the actual guest numbers so you know how many you're catering for.
Speaker:Don't think beyond this, just identify this next step and then take it.
Speaker:Often, your very next step will simply be planning some time in your schedule for when you'll work on the issue at hand.
Speaker:Once you've scheduled blocks of time this way, put the issue out of your mind.
Speaker:If you're someone who gets worried about forgetting things, then set a reminder that will work for you and then forget about it.
Speaker:This forgetting about it is where the real work takes place.
Speaker:You'll gradually learn to trust yourself.
Speaker:If you've done what you can, you can rest.
Speaker:Eventually, with practice and with using the above techniques, you will actually prove to yourself that your worry is kind of useless and that you can manage your life perfectly well without it.
Speaker:Think of it as developing an attitude of healthy boundaries.
Speaker:Imagine your worry is like a pushy relative who never shuts up and never leaves you alone.
Speaker:You need to learn to say no to them.
Speaker:You also need to learn to tell yourself that worrying is not the same as problem solving.
Speaker:Do something to solve the problem and if you can't, then it's not worth worrying about, right?
Speaker:Scheduling worry teaches you an important lesson that you are in control of your thoughts.
Speaker:They are not in control of you.
Speaker:10. Cultivate Gratitude
Speaker:By now, there's so much evidence for the value of being thankful for the positive things in our lives that you'll see gratitude practice suggested as a solution for just about anything.
Speaker:But did you know that being grateful can also help you lower stress levels?
Speaker:It's easy to understand why.
Speaker:When you're anxious and overthinking, your brain is hyper-aware of everything that's wrong, exaggerating perceived threats and dwelling on all the bad things that could potentially happen.
Speaker:But when you're grateful, your brain does the opposite.
Speaker:It zooms in on what's important, what's right, and what's going well.
Speaker:Being grateful is not just a box we tick or something we do once and never again, it's a habit.
Speaker:A 2008 longitudinal study by Wood at all published in the Journal of Research and Personality found that gratitude improved relationships, strengthened mental resilience, and lowered anxiety.
Speaker:When we're grateful, we're less critical of self and easier on ourselves, more compassionate with others, able to give support and seek it from others, better equipped to bounce back from adversity.
Speaker:Being grateful doesn't mean we don't experience stress, it just means we deal with it better.
Speaker:A 2019 German study by Heckendorf at all discovered a significant reduction in anxious negative self-talk when study participants used an app that helped them cultivate more gratitude day by day.
Speaker:It's this ability to think differently about adversity that helps us stress less about it.
Speaker:You might be tempted to think of keeping a gratitude journal as a kind of trendy fad that couldn't possibly help combat all the genuinely terrifying things in your life, but practicing gratitude can literally change your brain.
Speaker:Anxiety can cause us to release stress hormones and neurotransmitters that teach us to look for the negative in our lives, and when we look, we can usually find something to worry about, and the cycle continues.
Speaker:But if we're grateful, we create a neurochemical environment that primes us to see the good instead, and the more good we see, the better we are at seeing it.
Speaker:You cannot be grateful and anxious at the same time. If we choose gratitude, it displaces stress. After all, stress is not just a response, it's a perspective and an attitude, and attitudes can change.
Speaker:You can choose to focus on the thought, look how blessed I am instead of look how much is wrong with everything. You don't literally change reality, but you do choose which parts to take in, to focus on, and to make bigger.
Speaker:Sounds good, but how do you actually practice gratitude and switch away from anxiety and ungrateful state?
Speaker:First of all, don't fake it. Going through the motions will get you nowhere. The first step is just to become aware.
Speaker:Human beings tend to enjoy the good things in their lives at first, but quickly become numb to them over time, taking them for granted precisely because those good things are so abundant.
Speaker:Instead, consciously look around your life and really see all the great things you have. Find beauty around you.
Speaker:Even if you're having a hard time with the rose-tinted glasses, pause and appreciate the fact that you are a completely unique human being who's doing their best to be their best. Isn't that wonderful in itself that you're trying?
Speaker:What have you achieved that you're not giving yourself full credit for? What's working well for you right now? Who has helped you or supported you even when they could have easily not done so?
Speaker:In what ways are the people around you actually quite awesome?
Speaker:Can you see how your life has a lot of good in it, even though there are always problems too?
Speaker:The conventional advice is to write five things in a notebook you're grateful for every day, and this is great advice.
Speaker:But gratitude is not just singling out this and that, but a complete mindset switch.
Speaker:When you adopt this frame of mind, everything looks different.
Speaker:It's not that you're tasked with thinking of the nice things in your life. It's that you change your attitude in such a way that everything in your life looks a little nicer than did before.
Speaker:You know, the opposite of what anxiety does.
Speaker:Gratitude takes practice. It takes time to shift your mindset, but it can be done.
Speaker:Author of Emotional First Aid, Dr. Guy Winch claims that gratitude acts like a kind of mental immunization against stress.
Speaker:When we're grateful, we flood our brains with calm inducing serotonin and dopamine. We feel happier and more at ease.
Speaker:We're better able to tolerate uncertainty.
Speaker:Gratitude is an emotion that grounds us and is a great way to balance out the negative mindset that uncertainty genders, he says.
Speaker:Gratitude is a daily habit as important as eating right and exercising, and it all comes down to focus.
Speaker:I.e., where we choose to put our attention.
Speaker:Have you ever noticed if someone you know is pregnant suddenly all you seem to see around you are pregnant women?
Speaker:It's the same with gratitude.
Speaker:When you deliberately put your attention on the good, you'll suddenly seem to find it all over the place.
Speaker:Gratitude Tip 1
Speaker:Wake up every morning and first thing, pause and reflect on everything you have to be grateful for.
Speaker:Take stock of your blessings.
Speaker:What are you learning every day?
Speaker:What opportunities are there?
Speaker:What have you taken for granted?
Speaker:What beautiful things surround you?
Speaker:What is better today than it was a year ago?
Speaker:What has someone done for you that you're happy about?
Speaker:Dwelling on the answers to these questions will help you set your emotional tone for the day.
Speaker:You don't need to do anything special.
Speaker:Just pause and deliberately appreciate how great some things actually are.
Speaker:Do it every morning before you even step out of bed.
Speaker:Gratitude Tip 2
Speaker:Keep a journal.
Speaker:First thing in the morning or last thing at night, use journaling to reflect on the day and what went well with it.
Speaker:Really dwell on the positive emotions.
Speaker:Write a love letter to your life telling it how glad you are that it is what it is.
Speaker:Try not to mechanically write the same things over and over again.
Speaker:The exercise is about more than making a list.
Speaker:You want to give your brain time to genuinely experience all those happy neurotransmitters.
Speaker:Even if you're having a hard time, try to focus on the positive within that.
Speaker:You've come down with the flu?
Speaker:Well, at least you have someone to take care of you and time to catch up on some trashy reality TV.
Speaker:You got some bad feedback for a work project?
Speaker:But thinking about it, hasn't your critic also kind of done you a favor by drawing your attention to what can be improved?
Speaker:Looking for the silver lining sounds cheesy, but there almost always is one.
Speaker:Gratitude Tip 3
Speaker:Don't just keep all those warm fuzzy feelings to yourself, though.
Speaker:Whenever you can remember, ask if there's someone in your world who you could show a little more appreciation to.
Speaker:Demonstrating how grateful we are for other people not only makes us feel amazing, it'll do the same for them.
Speaker:Too often we don't say just how much we love and appreciate those around us.
Speaker:Why keep it a secret?
Speaker:There's someone you haven't spoken to in a while, but who you'd be devastated to never hear from again.
Speaker:Reach out to them and be earnest and complimentary.
Speaker:Write a sincere thank you note to someone who's made a difference in your life.
Speaker:Give gifts.
Speaker:Leave little encouraging notes for others to find.
Speaker:Or simply make a point of telling the barista at the coffee shop that they've made your day with their incredible mocha.
Speaker:11. Use Mental Anchoring
Speaker:If anxiety, rumination, and overthinking are like powerful, overwhelming waves, then mental anchoring is a way to grab hold of something and stay stable in the flood.
Speaker:Mental anchoring is a popular technique used to manage panic attacks, but can help anytime we need to ground ourselves.
Speaker:It works because of the brain's tendency to create links and associations.
Speaker:This technique is based on NLP, or neurolinguistic programming, and allows us to grab hold of a kind of primary experience and create a path back to it so we can access it later when we need it, i.e. in moments of anxiety or panic.
Speaker:Michael Carroll is the founder of the NLP Academy and teaches people the simple four-step process.
Speaker:First, you access a particular state.
Speaker:Then you find an anchoring stimulus in that state, and then you exit that state.
Speaker:When you're done, you can test the anchor if you like.
Speaker:Before we explain what this means, let's consider the type of anchors you can have all are based in our sensory perception.
Speaker:Visual anchors.
Speaker:Something you can see internally, like the image of a peaceful beach, or externally, like a red string tied around your wrist.
Speaker:Auditory anchors.
Speaker:Something you can hear internally, repeating to yourself a mantra, or externally, ringing a bell, whistling, or clicking your fingers.
Speaker:Kinesthetic anchors.
Speaker:Something to do with touch or movement, such as drawing a shape on the back of your hand, or pressing the soft spot of flesh between the index finger and thumb.
Speaker:Old factory anchors.
Speaker:Something you can smell.
Speaker:For example, a little spritz bottle of lavender essential oil.
Speaker:Gustatory anchors.
Speaker:Something you can taste.
Speaker:For example, mint chewing gum.
Speaker:Now, let's say you're feeling anxious and wanted to feel calmer and in control.
Speaker:You would think back to a moment in the past when you felt how you'd like to feel now.
Speaker:For example, you might choose a peaceful memory you have of camping with your family in the forest.
Speaker:Take your time sinking into this memory, reliving it on all the sensory channels you can.
Speaker:Dwell on what you smell, see, touch, etc.
Speaker:As you relive this memory, you start to relive the feelings of calm and comfort you felt then.
Speaker:Really dig deep into these feelings and how they connect to your sensory memories.
Speaker:See the beautiful green trees swaying around you.
Speaker:Smell the fresh air.
Speaker:Feel the warmth of the sun on your skin.
Speaker:When you're at the peak of this emotional state, quickly connected to your chosen anchor.
Speaker:For example, you might rub your fingers over a smoothed polished quartz stone you can keep in your pocket.
Speaker:This quartz stone now becomes an anchor back into this peaceful moment.
Speaker:The anchor does not have to relate to the memory for the association to work.
Speaker:You can test to see if this association has cemented itself by later running your fingers over the smooth stone in some other context.
Speaker:Are you immediately reminded of the forest and the sun again?
Speaker:Bear in mind that making the link may take a few attempts.
Speaker:Anchoring is essentially reprogramming your brain.
Speaker:For it to work best, be consistent and keep repeating the stimulus with the anchor to tie them together.
Speaker:Remember to pair the anchor to the peak of your emotional experience.
Speaker:This takes a little practice, so be patient.
Speaker:Later in this book, we'll explore other ways to use our senses to anchor in the present moment and cut anxiety as it's happening.
Speaker:But for now, the NLP mental anchoring technique is a great way to prepare yourself ahead of time to better manage overwhelming feelings as they emerge.
Speaker:The great thing about anchoring is that your body and mind are already doing it.
Speaker:After all, your anxiety response might be nothing more than a series of negative associations you've made.
Speaker:For example, you might catch a whiff of the scent your awful ex used to wear and suddenly be reminded of all the negative feelings you have around that breakup.
Speaker:Or you could hear certain words or phrases that remind you of painful, traumatic, or just embarrassing moments from your past.
Speaker:Like a magic spell, it almost seems to transport you right back into that state of mind.
Speaker:With this technique, you're taking your brain's propensity to make associations and using it for good.
Speaker:The technique can be used to break certain associations and make new ones.
Speaker:There's no limit to the kind or number of associations you make.
Speaker:All you need to do is be aware of the rules your brain follows to make those associations and consciously choose to make them in a way that helps you live the life you want to live.
Speaker:It's as though we take a button, i.e. a stimulus or anchor, and wire it up to a desired mental state.
Speaker:For example, calmness.
Speaker:We want to connect our brains in such a way that when we push the button, we feel the state of mind we want to feel.
Speaker:Here's a summary of the steps you need to follow to do this wiring up process.
Speaker:It's not enough to simply read about them and intellectually grasp the idea.
Speaker:You need to try these steps for yourself and literally experience the associations in your own brain.
Speaker:The experience is what strengthens the connection.
Speaker:Step one, choose a desired state of mind.
Speaker:Step two, choose an anchor.
Speaker:Step three, explore in full detail a memory where you felt the desired state.
Speaker:Step four, at the emotional peak of the memory, capture the feeling with your anchor.
Speaker:Step five, repeat as many as five or ten times to cement the association.
Speaker:Step six, test the connection by engaging the anchor and noticing whether you conjure the desired emotion.
Speaker:Step seven, if it doesn't work, drill the association a few more times or pick a stronger memory to work with.
Speaker:12, have a solid morning routine.
Speaker:Anxiety and overthinking are about the individual distorted thoughts we have and the anxious actions we choose in one moment or another.
Speaker:But anxiety is also an overall attitude that colors everything in life, like a filter.
Speaker:Similarly, to tackle anxiety, we need to take specific actions, but we also need to put a different filter over our entire lives.
Speaker:We need consistent daily habits, routines, and ways of seeing that shape our every moment.
Speaker:This is why a morning routine is so important. A good morning routine sets the pattern for the rest of the day.
Speaker:Your ideal stress-busting routine will not be exactly the same as everyone else's,
Speaker:but it turns out that there are a few scientifically proven activities that will definitely boost your mood and ward off anxiety.
Speaker:How you include some of these ideas is up to you.
Speaker:Drink water.
Speaker:Amanda Carlson is a registered dietitian and director of nutrition at Athletes Performance, which is responsible for training world-class athletes.
Speaker:Studies have shown that being just half a liter dehydrated can increase your cortisol levels, she says, and more cortisol means more stressed feelings.
Speaker:When you don't give your body the fluids it needs, you're putting stress on it, and it's going to respond to that.
Speaker:But being stressed itself can also lead to dehydration, which can make you more stressed, creating a vicious cycle.
Speaker:One simple way to fend off dehydration is to always keep a glass of water next to your bed.
Speaker:Drink water first thing in the morning.
Speaker:Enjoy nature.
Speaker:You don't need to go outside into the woods for a walk first thing in the morning, although if you can, great, but do take some time to enjoy the natural, non-man-made world to ground yourself in the morning.
Speaker:This could be opening your window the moment you wake up to take deep breaths of fresh morning air, having your breakfast in your garden, maybe even putting bare feet in the grass.
Speaker:Play some soothing nature sounds, oceans, birdsong, rainstorms, etc. as you get ready for the day, or enjoy a few YouTube videos of relaxing nature scenes, cute cats, or beautiful scenery.
Speaker:Really enjoy something wholesome and natural to eat, like some fresh fruit.
Speaker:Get outside in the sunshine, smell the rain, or take a moment to enjoy the birds on your windowsill.
Speaker:Eat well.
Speaker:According to the National Institute of Mental Health, NIMH, chronic stress can increase your risk for developing obesity, heart disease, depression, type 2 diabetes, and anxiety.
Speaker:Everyday Health ran a survey in 2019 of 6,700 Americans, where 35% rated their stress levels as a 6 or a 7 on a scale from 1 to 7, and that was before the pandemic.
Speaker:The most common way of dealing with stress? Food. And you can guess that the foods chosen were not fruit smoothies and broccoli.
Speaker:Allie Miller is a dietitian and author of The Anti-Anxiety Diet, and claims that the key to a stress-busting diet is to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Speaker:This means avoiding refined carbs that can spike blood sugar and insulin levels, then crash, exacerbating stress on the body.
Speaker:Instead, choose high-fiber foods and whole grains, and avoid fasting or binging.
Speaker:Likewise, healthy fats slow digestion and increase satiety, so eat things like eggs, avocados, and nuts to help balance stress hormones and regulate your mood.
Speaker:Commit to having a light but wholesome breakfast every morning. For example, some oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon, a mushroom and spinach omelet, or some whole grain toast with peanut butter.
Speaker:Choose foods that make you happy, like a single block of dark chocolate. Yes, a 2009 study by Martin et al. in the Journal of Proteome Research found that modest daily chocolate intake lowered stress hormone levels.
Speaker:Have some coffee but not too much, or try tea. A 2013 study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology discovered that chamomile actually alters the body's stress response and stimulates the release of feel-good neurotransmitters.
Speaker:One tip is to add a banana to your breakfast. A preliminary study in neuropharmacology found that depression and anxiety could be a result of magnesium deficiency.
Speaker:Bananas are rich in magnesium, not to mention potassium and B vitamins, which regulate the nervous system and ease fatigue.
Speaker:Other foods to include are oily fish, rich in brain healthy omega-3, milk, calcium deficiency has been associated with poor mood, and fruit. Vitamin C may lower cortisol levels.
Speaker:Avoid too much caffeine, refined sugar, and alcohol, and don't allow yourself to get too hungry nor to have meals that are too big and heavy.
Speaker:Eat mindfully, go easy on yourself when you're not perfect, and remember that food is a source of joy and well-being. The best way to get a solid morning routine going is to be realistic and start small.
Speaker:Don't try to completely make over your life in 24 hours. If you make it enjoyable, you're more likely to stick to it, so choose small changes that will actually work for your lifestyle and the kind of person you are.
Speaker:For example, if you hate cooking and have a tiny kitchen and a busy job, don't go and buy a giant smoothie maker and force yourself to concoct elaborate breakfast smoothies in the morning. You'll only increase stress, not lower it.
Speaker:Be consistent and patient.
Speaker:Know that slipping up here and there is not the end of the world. Be flexible, so if something isn't really working, you don't have to completely give up. Just become curious about what will work.
Speaker:Always remember that self-care is about loving your body and enjoying life. It shouldn't feel like hard work or a punishment.
Speaker:Here are a few more things you can build into your morning routine, but again, don't feel pressured to do all of them. Sometimes, the small changes make the biggest difference if they're changes that fit, that are chosen mindfully, and that are done consistently.
Speaker:Don't look at your phone first thing in the morning. Keep it in another room.
Speaker:Meditate, read a few pages from an inspirational book, pray, or do a contemplative exercise.
Speaker:Take a few deep breaths.
Speaker:Stretch, or do some quick yoga.
Speaker:Do a visualization for the day ahead, or say some affirmations.
Speaker:Indulge in a self-care treat like a special bath, some lovely music, or a delicious snack you reserve for mornings only.
Speaker:Drink water, tea, or coffee, and really savor it along with your healthy breakfast. Don't eat while distracted.
Speaker:Be mindful with everything you do. Get up early so you can take your time. Feel the bubbles of your shampoo and your hair.
Speaker:Dress with care.
Speaker:Enjoy the quiet, private ritual of drinking some tea, sit down with a gratitude journal, or make some goals for the day ahead.
Speaker:A morning routine, whatever it looks like, does one important thing. It tells your body and mind that whatever happens, you're in calm control. You're the boss. You set your intention, and you follow through every day.
Speaker:13. Start a Hobby
Speaker:A 2013 study in the Mental Health Review Journal found that gardening-based interventions for people experiencing mental health difficulties reported that benefits included a reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety, and an increase in attentional capacity and self-esteem.
Speaker:Key benefits include emotional benefits such as reduced stress and improved mood.
Speaker:A Frontiers in Psychology paper, published in 2021, also found that people who indulged in their cooking hobby during the COVID-19 lockdowns experienced stress reduction and better resilience.
Speaker:So, does this mean that we have to take up gardening or baking to beat our stress?
Speaker:Nope. It may simply be that hobbies, whatever they are, can improve our overall well-being and make us more resilient to everyday stress.
Speaker:Having a pastime is a great way to ease your mind and just focus on something else.
Speaker:A hobby can also give you a sense of pride when a goal is accomplished, and if it's a social hobby, you get all the benefits of friendly interaction with others.
Speaker:If you have a project that you've been putting off, it might be time to pick it up again, but if you're in the market for a new hobby, the golden rule when it comes to hobbies is that they should be fun.
Speaker:If you're not really enjoying something, give yourself full permission to drop it.
Speaker:If cooking and gardening seem like torture to you, don't force yourself.
Speaker:Sometimes those of us with tendencies toward anxiety can put a lot of pressure on ourselves to do things right or get hung up on the outcome rather than just enjoying the process as it unfolds.
Speaker:You'll know a hobby is the right one for you when you feel pleasantly distracted and look forward to picking it up again.
Speaker:You should feel refreshed and relaxed by it rather than seeing it as another thing on the to-do list. Here are a few things to try.
Speaker:Arts and Crafts
Speaker:Drawing and painting
Speaker:Compiling scrapbooks
Speaker:Collage making
Speaker:Knitting and crochet
Speaker:Sewing clothing and quilt making
Speaker:Woodwork
Speaker:Metalwork
Speaker:Mosaics
Speaker:Making candles or soap
Speaker:Flower arranging
Speaker:Jewelry making
Speaker:Interior design or leatherwork
Speaker:Music
Speaker:Either listening to it or making it
Speaker:Join a choir or sign up for drumming lessons or just tinker with your ultimate playlist.
Speaker:You can do official classes with a teacher or just get a simple instrument to play around with.
Speaker:Writing
Speaker:Write stories, poems, novels, letters or articles or keep a journal.
Speaker:Think about joining a writing group or a Flash Poetry Club. Why not enter competitions?
Speaker:Physical activity
Speaker:Exercising, dancing, swimming, hiking or walking, surfing, martial arts, extreme sports, spending time with animals, camping or gymnastics.
Speaker:Reading
Speaker:There's a whole world of things to read. Subscribe to a new magazine, try a classic novel, consider joining a reading club or go to talks by famous authors.
Speaker:Everything else
Speaker:Making, gardening, photography, wild foraging, pottery, calligraphy, building puzzles, flying kites, decorating cakes, keeping chickens, baskets and weaving, car restoration, dog and cat breeding, stand up comedy or improv, collecting comic books, horse riding, glass blowing, hang gliding or joining an amateur drama group.
Speaker:Be honest about which hobbies genuinely make you feel good, which ones are a good fit for you personally and which ones are likely to make you feel happier and more relaxed.
Speaker:Sometimes we get caught up in a hobby because we're very competitive or feel like we should do it because we have some talent in that area or simply because it's what others expect of us.
Speaker:Maybe we feel that we need to have hobbies for others to find us interesting, but drop all of these assumptions and choose something that genuinely makes you feel good.
Speaker:If your ideal hobby is buying air dry clay from the craft store and making random misshapen animals for a few hours on the weekend, then do that.
Speaker:Try to choose hobbies that have other benefits too.
Speaker:For example, joining a gym and doing pilates is a hobby that may make you feel good, but it also improves your physical fitness and floods your body with endorphins, building long term stress resilience, so you benefit from two forms of anxiety management.
Speaker:Or you could volunteer at an animal shelter because you love cats, but get the additional feel good benefits from knowing you've helped animals in need.
Speaker:And by learning to cook better, you de-stress, improve your nutrition, and do something for your family that bolsters your relationship with them.
Speaker:All of this indirectly improves well-being and reduces stress.
Speaker:As with all other routines, start small and be consistent.
Speaker:It's better to experiment a little at first to see if you like something than ramp it up as you go.
Speaker:Avoid spending too much money on equipment at first, and don't get too hung up if you skip a few lessons or don't do especially well in the beginning.
Speaker:The goal is not to become a virtuoso, but to enjoy yourself.
Speaker:So if you've given it a good shot and find that you're not getting much from a new hobby, don't worry about quitting and looking for something you like better.
Speaker:Summary
Speaker:Easy, everyday lifestyle changes can make a big difference with anxiety and overthinking.
Speaker:An obvious area to examine is whether you're having too much caffeine. Try to limit yourself to 400 milligrams daily.
Speaker:Everyone worries, so at least do it strategically by scheduling worry time.
Speaker:Keep a worry journal so that instead of fighting worry, you postpone and contain it, tackling it on your own terms.
Speaker:Practice gratitude daily to gently shift your perspective to focus on everything that's going well in your world.
Speaker:Use a journal or write thank you notes to people who have shown you kindness.
Speaker:Mental anchoring is a technique that, once established, can be used as often as you like to help ground and calm you.
Speaker:Choose an anchor, choose a desired state, then connect the two during visualization so that revisiting the anchor brings you back to that state of mind.
Speaker:Have a consistent morning routine where you focus on good food, nature, healthy habits, and quiet contemplative time where you set your intention for the day.
Speaker:Make sure you're hydrated since dehydration can elevate cortisol levels.
Speaker:Finally, choose a hobby that can act as a pleasant distraction, but make sure you're choosing something that you genuinely enjoy.
Speaker:And that's all for today on The Path to Calm.
Speaker:We hope these tips equip you to tackle anxiety and overthinking.
Speaker:Remember, small changes can have a big impact.
Speaker:Start incorporating these practices and see if you can find more peace in your daily life.
Speaker:For a deeper dive into overcoming anxiety, check out Nick Trenton's book, Anxiety is the Enemy, and visit his website for additional resources at bit.ly-nick-trenton.
Speaker:Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time on The Path to Calm.
