Anxiety Tool Kit: Body, Mind, Spirit: Part I: Body

Written by Michele Dial, M.Ed, LPC

Picture this. You crawl into bed at the end of a long day, exhausted and looking forward to a good night’s sleep. You close your eyes, lay your head on the pillow, and …

Nope, not dreamland.

Instead, the thoughts start creeping in. First a trickle – did I lock all the doors? What am I wearing tomorrow? What’s the weather gonna be like anyway? (‘Cuz you KNOW it’s changing by the minute this time of year!) And then BAM! The trickle becomes a flood of swirling thoughts about work, the kids, friends, to-lists, heath, home repairs, aging parents . . . and the list goes on, often spiraling into catastrophic thinking. Before we know it, it’s 2:00 a.m. and we’re counting the few hours left of potential sleep. Then the self-criticism starts, beating ourselves up about worrying so much and losing sleep over the things that we can’t change in this moment. For some, this rabbit hole becomes a full-blown panic attack with physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, numb or tingling sensations, and chest tightness.

This is just one snapshot of anxiety. There are more. So. Many. More.

The New Oxford Dictionary defines anxiety as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 19.1% of U.S. adults had any anxiety disorder in the past year, with a higher prevalence among women (23.4%) than men (14.3%). This fear of uncertainty can escalate to debilitating measures, manifesting itself in sleep disruption, depression, feelings of hopelessness, irritability, and mental, emotional and physical fatigue.

These symptoms often adversely affect our relationships, ability to perform at work, and our overall health. Chronic stress and anxiety contribute to issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure, a suppressed immune system, and diabetes. But don’t take this information as reason to feel more stressed and anxious. Instead, let’s use this knowledge to get motivated to make changes that will help us reduce stress and anxiety.

IN THE MOMENT

Let’s start with our most basic, physiological needs. In the midst of intense anxiety, try slow, deep breathing, such as box breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation to regain control over your bodily responses to anxiety. According to the Mayo Clinic, intentional deep breathing can actually calm and regulate the autonomic nervous system, the branch of the nervous system responsible for breathing, heart rate, and digestive processes. The physical sensations that often accompany intense anxiety can lead to a sense of loss of control, which exacerbates anxiety, as well as the physiological responses. These mindfulness-based techniques can help you slow your body down and restore calm in the moment. If you need additional tools, consider a warm bath or shower, calming lavender scents in your bath or on your pillow, soothing music, or a guided meditation (try YouTube or apps like Calm and Headspace) to help reduce your anxiety when you’re in it.

PREPARING AHEAD

EXERCISE. To reduce the chances that you’ll experience this anxiety vortex at bedtime or anytime, try preparing with anxiety-busting body care. Exercise or some form of body movement is a proven effective release of anxiety. It shifts our thought processes and increases blood flow to free up the tension that builds and relax the systems that freeze in response to anxiety. Getting 20-30 minutes of exercise, even if it’s pushups, jumping jacks or yoga in your living room, can tire your mind and body for a more restful sleep. Amelia and Emily Nagoski, authors of Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, recommend a daily dose of exercise to complete the stress cycle and help your body reset.

NUTRITION. Alcohol, caffeine, and sugar all impact anxiety negatively. Sorry folks, but there is science to back it up. Alcohol and caffeine both affect sleep adversely. While you may have noticed that you fall asleep quickly when you have a cocktail or glass of wine in the evening, sleep studies show that the heart rate remains higher than with no alcohol in the system. The same is true of caffeine – even if you can drink a cup of coffee or a soda and go right to sleep, the sleep you get will suffer in quality.

Refined sugars found in sweets, processed foods, and yes, alcohol, temporarily increase blood sugar, but then drop significantly. These swings in blood sugar levels cause your hormone levels to fluctuate and wreak havoc on anxiety. The good news is you don’t have to give up any of the three altogether to see the benefits. But reducing your intake overall can minimize your exposure to the chemical changes in your brain and body chemistry that often lead to elevated anxiety. And on any given day or evening when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, skipping alcohol, caffeine, and refined sugars can help avoid a restless night.

REST. I recognize the irony given the opening scene of this blog. But our bodies do a LOT of work while we sleep. Research shows that sleep provides restorative effects for almost every part in our bodies. It impacts growth and stress hormones, our immune system, appetite, breathing, blood pressure, and cardiovascular health. The brain’s automatic filing system also works hard to sort through all the data of the day to decide what to keep and what throw away. Without adequate sleep, our bodies get cheated out of the opportunity to restore themselves and be ready to take on another day. Which means all these other tools for getting proper sleep are crucial to our overall health and wellbeing, as well as moderating anxiety.

Part II – Mind:

https://heightsfamilycounseling.com/blog/2019/11/25/anxiety-tool-kit-body-mind-spirit-part-ii-mind.

If you’re struggling to manage your anxiety, contact us for a free consultation for anxiety therapy.