Q: It's hard to avoid
all the negative news in the paper and on T.V. From time to time,
I feel very anxious and my heart races. Between stress at work
and stress from the economic uncertainties, I'm worried about the toll
this is taking on me. Is there anything simple I can do to relieve
my anxiety?
A: You can do a lot to keep
stress out of your body. Here are a few suggestions (feel free to adapt
them to suit your own style/circumstance):
- Breathing: Whenever you are feeling overwhelmed, a few deep exhales can reverse the physical aspects of the stress response and "take the edge off."? When you exhale, your parasympathetic nervous system (read: relaxation system) is stimulated. Try to exhale all the air from your lungs and diaphragm three times in a row. Really get all the air out. You should feel better.
- Gratitude List: It may sound cheesy, but making a list (either mentally or on paper) of everything you are grateful for can really help add some perspective. Chances are that most of the items in your list have very little to do with the stressful things in your life. Focus on those things to gather some perspective. Give the good things in your life equal mental energy as the stressful things and you become more balanced.
- Exercise: Exercise not only gets your mind off things, it actually trains your body in how to recover from stress. Exercise, in fact, is a physical stress placed on your body. When exercise stops, your body recovers quickly and returns to normal. People who exercise regularly benefit not only from the physical activity, but also from being able to recover quicker from emotional stress.
The present day news showing bomb blasts,the shattered human parts,dead children,fidyeen attacks remind me of horror films of the past.I never could watch but preffered other channels.