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Top 10 ways to manage anxiety

Anxiety has become very common in today’s age. Almost everyone feels anxious from time to time. It is a normal response when faced with testing times or a significant life change. But, if you are often anxious without any reason, it might be a cause for concern. Chronic anxiety can affect relationships, work performance, and a person’s general nature. Some common anxiety disorders include panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social anxiety disorder.

What are the symptoms of anxiety disorder?
The most common signs include irritability, restlessness, uncontrolled worry, unusual fatigue, muscle tension, and frequent sleep issues. Those who experience these symptoms frequently should visit a professional. Health experts recommend a combination of treatments and cognitive therapy sessions depending on the severity.

How to manage anxiety?
Besides visiting a professional for expert guidance, here are a few things you can do at a personal level to feel relaxed:

Try deep breathing
When anxious, stop for a moment and engage in deep breathing; sit up straight, take a long breath through your nose, and exhale slowly. This can help relax the muscles of your nose, shoulders, jaw, and abdominal area. It can also slow down the heart rate and lower blood pressure.

Get enough sleep
Sleep is incredibly essential for anyone to stay healthy and happy. Doctors say that a person should get around eight hours of sleep daily. If anxiety makes it hard for you to fall asleep, leave your screen behind when lying on your bed, follow a strict schedule, and ensure your sleep environment is comfortable. You may also maintain an optimum temperature in the bedroom to induce peaceful sleep.

Avoid stressful conversations
Try to ignore troublesome situations before bedtime. Do not address any difficulties. Just focus on relaxing so that your mind cools down. Indulging in meaningless conversations when overwhelmed, worked up, or tired can increase stress and deprive you of peace of mind.

Meditate
Mindful meditation is a great practice to reduce anxiety and psychological stress. If you are new to this field, try participating in guided meditation. Sit down on the floor, close your eyes, and chant some mantra. This mantra can be any positive sound or statement that makes you happy. If your mind is distracted initially, do not get frustrated. Try to practice meditation and follow a routine every day.

Reach out to someone close
If you often get anxious because of some personal reason, share it with a friend or family member you are close to. Talk to someone who offers a new perspective on your situation. If you need something, do not hesitate to ask. You can also spend time with your loved ones, go out for a movie, or just sit and talk your heart out. It is always better to talk to someone who cares. You can even join community help groups if the issue is too severe.

Exercise
There are several simple exercises to relax tensed muscles, but progressive muscle relaxation is perhaps the best. Just choose a group of muscles, tighten them for a few seconds, and then let go. Focus on one section at a time until most of the body feels relaxed. You can also engage in other forms of exercise, such as walking, yoga, and tai chi. Finding time for exercise can be challenging, but it can help significantly.

Look for triggers
If a particular place, situation, person, or time makes you anxious, try to avoid it. If needed, write down the list of triggers. Then look for patterns and find ways to confront the feeling of panic. Knowing the reason behind feeling anxious can make you better prepared to handle the situation.

Laugh
Anxiety is a serious issue and should not be taken lightly. Like deep breathing, laughing can help increase oxygen levels and relax tense muscles. Laughter makes a person feel good internally and lightens their mind. It can shift your focus and even help you forget the cause of worry. So, the next time you feel stressed, watch a comedy movie or call up that friend who always makes you laugh!

Be creative
If you are a creative person, use your creativity to control anxiety. If you are artistic, paint how you are feeling. Or hang a picture of a serene beach in your drawing room and take a mental vacation. If you love to write, pull out your journal and write down your feelings. These activities eliminate negative thoughts and help you appreciate the good things in life.

Be kind to yourself
Sometimes, you just need a break to do something that makes you feel good. So, go for a spa session, a massage, or even a soothing facial. If you are at home, just put a warm towel around your neck and shoulders. Then close your eyes and relax the muscles of your face and neck. This will help you disconnect yourself from the noise of the world. Even if you have just ten minutes, turn off your phone and enjoy some quiet time. While it might not seem a great deal, taking some me-time can help in the long run.

Anxiety disorder is no joke. If you feel anxious more than usual or get panic attacks when put in serious situations, it is time to work on the issue. You might want to list helpful strategies to tackle anxiety symptoms. If possible, write down all the fears and the ways to work on them. Remember, you need to acknowledge your issue first to deal with anxiety. If these tips do not work out, seek professional guidance so that your anxiety issue can be addressed on time. Visiting a mental health expert is especially necessary if the problem affects your everyday life and gets in the way of your productivity.

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11 useful tips for anxiety management

Nearly 84% of participants in a particular mental health survey were said to have some form of anxiety. The severity of symptoms did vary from person to person, but the fact remains that we live in a world where almost everything is a potential trigger for anxiety. And living in denial about having a psychological trigger only worsens the problem. Luckily, it is possible to manage anxiety by following the suggestions recommended by experts. Identify the triggers Anxiety is mainly triggered due to an event or episode where one finds themselves in a difficult position. It could be something that puts a person out of their comfort zone. Doctors advise people to identify these triggers and avoid them. Any comment, action, or situation that did not work out in favor triggers anxiety. So, make a list of such events and instances and ignore them the next time something happens related to that event. At the same time, try to remain positive as it can help strengthen the mind to manage anxiety better. Keep busy Distraction is one of the simplest ways to prevent a panic or anxiety attack. You can perform simple chores or indulge in a favorite task to stay physically and mentally occupied for a few hours. When the mind is occupied, there is hardly any scope for negative thoughts to trigger unnecessary overthinking. Some creative activities to boost cognitive performance include taking a walk, painting, drawing, listening to music, meditating, praying, and reading. You can opt for any of these to stay busy. Try mindfulness techniques Deep breathing and mindfulness techniques have helped thousands overcome their fear or anxiety time and again. Focused deep breathing is a method where one inhales for four counts and exhales for the same duration; this is practiced for minutes. It helps lower heart rate, which, in turn, calms the mind and body.

Atrial fibrillation – Causes, symptoms, and management tips

The human heart is susceptible to several health complications, including atrial fibrillation (AFib). The condition is the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia, which is a term describing when the heart beats unusually slowly, fast, or irregularly. AFib is estimated to affect between 2.7 million to 6.1 million individuals in the country. An individual with the complication experiences irregular beating in the heart’s upper chambers, affecting blood flow, leading to health complications. Causes Irregularities in the structure of the heart are the most common cause of atrial fibrillation. Sometimes people may develop the condition without any known heart damage or problems. Risk factors like age may also contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation. Other potential causes of the phenomenon include a heart attack, sick sinus syndrome – issues with the heart’s natural pacemaker, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defect – A heart defect that an individual might be born with, high blood pressure, lung diseases, heart valve problems, use of stimulants, including certain prescriptions and caffeine, physical stress caused due to pneumonia, other illnesses, and also surgery, sleep apnea, overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), metabolic imbalances, viral infections, and complications due to earlier heart surgery. Symptoms A person who develops atrial fibrillation may not notice symptoms, and the condition is detected only after a physical examination. But some people experience signs and symptoms before a diagnosis. A few common symptoms of AFib include being unable to exercise to one’s full potential, feelings of weakness, throbbing pain in the chest, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations and sensations of a fast, fluttering, or pounding heartbeat, and feeling extremely fatigued. Therefore, the symptoms of atrial fibrillation differ from one person to the other. Occasional symptoms (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation) Here, a person may experience something that lasts from a few minutes to a couple of hours.

Macular degeneration – Types, causes, and remedies

Macular degeneration is a condition that affects a person’s vision and develops as people age. This progressive eye disorder involves the deterioration of the macula, which is a part of the eye’s retina. It is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults and may develop in one or both eyes. This condition is of two main types – dry and wet. Read further to learn about the disorder, its causes, and its types. Dry macular degeneration People are more likely to have dry macular degeneration than wet form. It is also less severe and develops when tiny yellow protein deposits under the macula. These deposits dry and thin the macula, causing gradual central vision loss while the peripheral vision remains intact. In the advanced stages, the dry form can progress to the wet form. People with dry macular degeneration need to test their eyes daily at home using an Amsler grid. One must consult a health expert immediately if any vision changes are observed. Wet macular degeneration In this condition, the blood vessels grow beneath the retina and macula and cause blood and fluid to leak into the retina. This build-up of fluid results in scarring, leading to permanent loss of central vision. The wet form can cause a sudden change in eyesight resulting in a severe loss of centralized vision when left untreated. People with wet macular degeneration may require repeated treatments. Symptoms Macular degeneration may not cause any symptoms during the early stages. However, as the condition progresses, it can cause distortion and blurry vision. It can result in difficulty reading, driving, and identifying colors. Macular degeneration occurs mainly in people aged over 50. Blurred vision Dark, blurry areas appear in the center of the vision, leading to increased blurriness in reading printed words. Visual distortion The person may experience visual distortions, such as straight lines that look wavy or crooked, and objects may appear distorted.