24 Simple Tricks To Reduce Your Anxiety

Because we all get nervous sometimes.

1. Meditate.

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Mindful practices like meditation train your brain to stay in the moment and help eliminate worries and concerns. The goal is to quiet your mind by stretching, breathing deep and slow breaths, and focusing your mind on one thought or idea for a set time period.

2. Drink some herbal tea.

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Sipping on herbal remedies like lavender and chamomile tea helps reduce anxiety levels because it relaxes your blood vessels and smoothes your muscle fibers. Make sure you only stick to decaffeinated beverages, otherwise you could actually increase your anxiety.

3. Write in a journal.

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Take all of the anxieties and stresses that exist in your body and mind and put them down on paper. It's always better to get everything out than hold it in and let it fester. Plus, you never know what kind of stories or ideas you might come up with.

4. Take a deep breath.

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If you don't have enough time to meditate, take a deep breath. Slow and controlled breathing helps to lower blood pressure and increases feelings of calm and relaxation. Inhale through your nose, count to 10, and exhale from your mouth. Good, now you're one step closer to achieving Zen.

5. Refer to yourself in the third person.

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Apparently, talking and thinking about yourself in the third person might help reduce anxiety levels. Thinking about yourself as if you're someone else can give you more psychological space to demonstrate self-control.

6. Exercise.

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Your brain releases endorphins when your body is being physically stimulated from things like exercise. Endorphins essentially act as sedatives and help to eliminate anxieties and stressful feelings. So, exert yourself.

7. Go for a walk.

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Again, any kind of physical activity is helpful because it stimulates your brain and releases endorphins. If you don't feel like heading to the gym or engaging in a serious workout, taking a walk can be just as effective.

8. Remove yourself from the situation making you anxious.

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One of the best ways to get rid of anxious feelings is to go straight to the source. If you're in a position to exit the situation at hand that's making you feel uneasy, then do so. Feeling better can be as easy as removing yourself.

9. Talk to a friend.

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Even if you're not looking for advice, talking things out with a friend and expressing your feelings out loud can help you come to terms with the anxiety and get things off your chest.

10. Listen to calming music.

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Listening to music can help distract you from other pains and anxieties you're experiencing. In turn, this decreases your awareness around your feelings of anxiety and helps relax your mind. Choose a song or artist that relaxes you and press play.

11. Or rock out to your favorite jams.

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If calm, soothing sounds don't really do it for you, that's OK. Any music can serve as a distraction.

12. Create a happy place.

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And go there in your mind when you're feeling stressed or anxious. Everyone could use an escape from time to time, and having a designated place in your mind comes in handy when your reality is ridden with anxiety.

13. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

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For every bad thing that runs through your mind in the midst of feeling anxious, try and think of something that makes you happy, instead. This is a much welcomed distraction when it comes to anxiety because it shifts your thought process from negative to positive.

14. Hug someone.

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Physical contact — and specifically, hugging — reportedly lowers your blood pressure, heart rate, and decreases anxiety levels. Just make sure you embrace someone who wants to be on the receiving end.

15. Watch your favorite TV show or movie.

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This can serve as another distraction from any kind of anxiety-filled situation, especially if you select a show or film that you really love and enjoy watching.

16. Stuff your face.

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According to some doctors, people get more anxious when they're hungry. A healthy diet can help eliminate the possibility of experiencing anxiety, but in the short term, grab a snack if you're stomach is empty and you're starting to feel anxious.

17. Laugh.

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Not only does laughter strengthen your immune system because it increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, but it also releases more endorphins which reduces stress and anxiety levels.

18. Light some candles.

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Certain scents, like lavender and sage, can help you relax and keep calm.

19. Express gratitude.

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Feeling grateful and exhibiting gratitude through your actions is another great way to reduce anxiety, since it also makes others feel appreciated. Keeping a gratitude journal is a productive way to get in the habit of feeling grateful. The more gratitude you have the less you room you have to feel anxious.

20. Read your favorite book.

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Distract yourself by falling into the plots and stories of your favorite novel. Whatever you're reading will most likely take your mind off other anxieties happening in real-life.

21. Practice anchoring.

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If you're in the midst of a chaotic situation, focus on one specific thing. For example, if you're stuck in traffic and feeling anxious, shift your attention to the sky and look at the clouds.

22. Repeat a mantra.

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If you continuously say one word or phrase with a positive connotation over and over again, you can slowly convince yourself that thought is true. It's also an easy way to deviate from anxiety-inducing ideas.

23. Unplug.

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We're in front of screens all day every day — take some time away and quiet your mind.

24. Let it out.

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Don't feel the need to hold your feelings in, especially if it's for the sake of others. Yell into a pillow, scream out loud, or however else you want to express yourself.