Calm Your Anxiety: A Powerful Tool for Restoring Peace
Many of us struggle with anxiety. We try to keep it at bay, but it has a way of rising to the surface. We feel it in the tension in our body, we feel keyed up ... on edge. It wakes us up in the middle of the night and our racing thoughts make it difficult to fall back asleep. Sometimes it may surge forward in panic causing a racing heart and difficulty in catching our breath, followed by fear that this may happen again! There are many contributing factors; the workplace, our marriage, our teen, the market, our health, our finances, along with the many worrisome things that are happening in our world. The number of clients I see in my office for anxiety has increased significantly over the last few years.
How about you? Do you battle with anxiety?
If so, this article is for you. Before you continue reading, I want you to do one thing ... pause for a minute and take a few deep breaths. Follow these simple instructions:
· Slowly take in a deep breath for 6 – 8 seconds.
· Then (pursing your lips like you are whistling) slowly exhale for 8 - 10 seconds.
· Take three or four of these deep breaths and focus your attention on all the good oxygen flowing in and out of your lungs.
How does this feel as you deliberately concentrate on slowing your breathing and focusing on the air as it comes in and out? This process of slow and deep breathing activates your Vagus nerve which sends a signal to your brain that everything is ok, and you can relax. This breathing technique is just one (of many) activities which fall under the classification of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a powerful tool for battling anxiety and restoring peace. The topic of mindfulness is far bigger and encompasses much more than we can cover in a brief blog like this. In short, it is about being present in your body in the here and now. As a Christian, I also see mindfulness as the recognition of God being with us as He promises He will “never leave us or forsake us.”
There are many activities which help promote this present awareness. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. Present Focus. This is a practice where you purposefully immerse yourself in the present moment. Notice what you are seeing, the colors, the beauty, the smell, or the feel of the air ... truly enjoy the moment. Focusing on the present moment and your surroundings activates a part of your brain that promotes a sense of peace. This is the opposite of worry and regret. Worrying about the future or regretting the past robs us of enjoying the present and activates chemicals in our brain that lead to anxiety.
For me, focusing on the present moment happens during my quiet time in the early morning. I am also usually holding a mug of coffee. 😊 I am outside during the good weather and inside by the fireplace when it’s cold. I am often experiencing and expressing gratitude to God for His presence, for this moment, for His creation, and for the life He has given.
2. Meditation. This is the practice of focusing your mind on a specific thought or truth. As a Christian, I often focus on a specific truth from scripture. Here are a few of the truths you can focus on:
· I am loved by God.
· I was created in God’s image.
· I have been given purpose.
· God is always with me.
Essentially, the process of meditating is to deliberately focus on a thought in your mind such as “God is with me, and He loves me.” You allow the thought to stay in your mind, you notice the emotions you experience from this truth, and you allow the thoughts and emotions to encourage and strengthen you. It takes practice to do this well, and to be able to keep all the other thoughts and concerns of the day from crashing in.
3. Progressive Relaxation. This is a combination of the breathing exercise I introduced to you at the beginning of this article and the purposeful relaxation of your muscles to bring your mind and body to a deep state of relaxation. To do this exercise:
· Sit in a comfortable chair
· Close your eyes.
· Start with the breathing exercise.
· Continue to breathe in this manner while you focus on relaxing specific muscle groups.
I have clients start with the top of their head and move down the body (forehead, jaw, back of neck, shoulders etc.). Ultimately, this is connecting your mind to your body, and the relaxation begins to balance out the anxious part of your brain.
Anxiety can be very difficult and overwhelming, but help is available to you. Mindfulness is just one of the many different treatments helpful for anxiety. If you suffer from anxiety, I encourage you to call the Renewing Life office at 702-434-7290 to schedule time with one of our counselors.
Mark Whelchel, M.S., LMFT