{"id":3117,"date":"2024-04-28T14:00:49","date_gmt":"2024-04-28T19:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/?p=3117"},"modified":"2024-04-28T06:32:58","modified_gmt":"2024-04-28T11:32:58","slug":"overwhelmed-how-to-reduce-anxiety-in-times-of-stress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/?p=3117","title":{"rendered":"Overwhelmed? How to Reduce Anxiety in Times of Stress."},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Overwhelmed? How to Reduce Anxiety in Times of Stress.<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Claremont\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\tNeed a break? Use these tips to press pause and de-stress.<\/b><\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\tStress is an an unavoidable fact of life. And some of it is actually good for us, helping us develop resilience and fueling motivation and productivity. But the constant stream of somber news and a never-ending to do list can also create high levels of chronic stress that has a negative affect on our health.

\n\nIn fact, as previously covered by TODAY, Americans reported their highest stress level in the 15-year history of a poll conducted for the American Psychological Association.

\n\nThe good news is there are simple steps you can take to regain some calm in your life. Here are six ways to reduce stress and anxiety in five minutes or less.

\n 1. Focus on your breathing. <\/b>
\n\nAccording to Dr. Marlynn Wei, a psychiatrist based in New York City, rhythmic breathing is a good stress-reducing exercise that doesn\u2019t take too much practice to start using.

\n\nHere\u2019s how to do it:

\n\n
  • Set a timer for three minutes. <\/li>
  • \n Focus on your breath. <\/li>
  • \n Take a deep breath through your nose while you count to five. <\/li>
  • \n Hold your breath for five counts. <\/li>
  • \n Exhale for five counts. <\/li>
  • \n Repeat for the remaining time, and notice how your breath becomes deeper. <\/li><\/ul>

    \n\n\u201cI think that it\u2019s easy to use and great for beginners,\u201d Wei says.\n\nIf you\u2019re not only stressed, but tired as well, Wei recommends doing this breathing exercise while you walk. Try to time your breath with your walking pace.

    \n\n\u201cWhen you\u2019re able to calm your fight-or-flight response, you reduce your cortisol levels over time,\u201d she says. \u201cAlmost immediately, however, you will notice that your heart rate will go down and your blood pressure will go down.\u201d

    \n 2. Take a break from your phone. <\/b>
    \n\nConstantly checking your phone for the latest notification can overwhelm you, according to Kristine Carlson, co-author of the book \u201cDon\u2019t Sweat the Small Stuff,” which she wrote with her late husband Richard Carlson.

    \n\n\u201cWe are so tied to our technology,\u201d she says. \u201cEmail, text message, checking your Instagram \u2014 all of that, it\u2019s very addictive.\u201d

    \n\nInstead, she advises, \u201creally unplug from your email or phone\u201d and take what Carlson refers to as a \u201cgolden pause.\u201d

    \n\nBy snoozing your notifications, you create the mental space to focus on yourself and how you\u2019re feeling. While you focus on yourself, practice breathing slowly, closing your eyes and turning your thoughts toward something you\u2019re grateful for, Carlson suggests.

    \n\nResearch backs up this up: Focusing on gratitude has been shown to increase a person\u2019s level of happiness.

    \n 3. Use an app to help you learn how to meditate. <\/b>
    \n\nThere are many free meditation apps out there that can help you tune out for the five minutes you need to relax.

    \n\nPopular apps like Headspace or Insight Timer have hundreds of guided meditation options that can help you deal with any emotion you may be feeling. Research suggests meditation can help ease anxiety and depression.\n\nNick Allen, a psychology professor and director of the Center for Digital Mental Health at the University of Oregon, suggests you try to build a meditation practice when you’re not feeling stressed. The more you work beforehand, he says, either by yourself or with a professional, the better results you\u2019ll see when you\u2019re in a pinch.

    \n 4. Listen to a relaxing song. <\/b>
    \n\nEmmeline Edwards, Ph.D., Director of the Division of Extramural Research at the National Institutes of Health, says music therapy can also be a great way to relax wherever you are.

    \n\n\u201cThe auditory cortex is connected to other areas of the brain that are connected to our reward system, motor systems, centers for motivation and emotion regulation,\u201d Edwards says.

    \n\nIn fact, research shows music can help people dealing with stress-related disorders, mild depression and anxiety.

    \n 5. Have a relaxing cup of tea. <\/b>
    \n\n\u201cHave a hot cup of tea, preferably with no caffeine,\u201d Wei says. \u201cAnd put the smart phone away and just spend a few minutes focusing on the flavor of tea, the temperature, noticing everything about the cup.\u201d

    \n\nThis mindfulness practice helps you tune out other thoughts, helping you focus on something that\u2019s calming. This can be a great tactic to reduce stress at work; while you can’t necessarily step away from the stressors completely, you can use a cup of tea as a signal to press pause for a moment.

    \n 6. Go outside for a few minutes. <\/b>
    \n\nDr. Monique Tello, an internal medicine physician at Women’s Health Associates in Boston, Massachusetts, says that sometimes, getting outside for a quick walk or fresh air is a great option to reduce stress quickly.

    \n\n\u201cIf someone is feeling very stressed and they have the chance to change their environment, get fresh air, see nature \u2014 water, trees \u2014 they should,\u201d Tello tells TODAY. \u201cExercise, take a brisk walk.\u201d

    \nThis strategy is great for people who feel restless or unable to concentrate and there are studies to support its effectiveness, she adds.


    \nContributor: Marguerite Ward \u2013 USA Today<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Overwhelmed? How to Reduce Anxiety in Times of Stress. Need a break? Use these tips to press pause and de-stress. Stress is an an unavoidable fact of life. And some of it is actually good for us, helping us develop resilience and fueling motivation and productivity. But the constant stream of somber news and a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3117"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3117\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3122,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3117\/revisions\/3122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/claremontcoloniccenter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}