Living with anxiety can be difficult, but there are steps you can make that may help.

Note: It’s important to seek help if you need it. You can contact Samaritans for free by calling 116 123 or by visiting their website. Also, NHS 111 can tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone. Go to NHS 111 online or call 111.

Get active

Exercise can be hugely beneficial for our mental health as it releases endorphins, helping us to feel good. Many people also find it useful as it occupies their time when they may be having anxious thoughts. You could try a local route to get some fresh air and help clear your mind.

There are many easy ways you can incorporate activity into your daily life. Whether you’re doing star jumps and stretches whilst the kettle is boiling, or trying out a new hobby such as jogging, it all counts.

Another free and convenient way to get moving is getting active at home. Check out our activity finder where you can find a variety of videos and tutorials.

Mind also has some suggestions on other ways to get active at home, such as putting on a music playlist and having a dance around.

Get out in nature

Spending time around nature benefits us both physically and mentally. Getting outdoors and being around greenery naturally helps to calm your mind, as well as giving you fresh air at the same time.

Why not try a new route or nature spot? In one study, 70% of UK adults agreed that being close to nature improves their mood.

Spending time around animals is also a great mood-lifter. If you don’t have a pet, you could try offering to walk a friend’s dog, or joining them on a walk.

Read more about how nature can benefit your mental health.

Focus on your breathing

Mental Health Foundation suggest a breathing technique to help. When you’re having anxious thoughts try focusing on your breathing, concentrating on the feeling of your body as you breathe in and out.

4-7-8 breathing technique:

Close your mouth and quietly breath in through your nose, counting to four in your head. Hold your breath and count to seven. Breathe out through your mouth, making a whoosh sound while counting to eight. Repeat three more times for a total of four breath cycles.

Learn to relax

As well as using breathing techniques, there are many other ways you can help yourself to relax.

Practising mindfulness can help you manage your thoughts, feelings and mental health. Mindfulness exercises are ways of paying attention to the present moment using techniques like meditation, breathing, and yoga.

Pilates is a brilliant way to get active whilst taking it slow and feeling relaxed.

The NHS has a useful audio guide where a doctor explains how you can take control of anxiety.

Keep a diary or journal

It’s important that we don’t try to ignore our worries. Writing down or drawing what’s happening in your life and how it’s affecting you can help you understand what’s triggering your anxiety.

This can also help you better prepare for and manage situations that may cause feelings of anxiety.

Join a support group

Talking with or spending time with people who are experiencing similar feelings to you can be helpful.

You can find details of support groups, forums and helplines on the Anxiety Care UK, Anxiety UK, No More Panic, No Panic and Triumph Over Phobia UK websites.

You could also join Side by Side, Mind’s supportive online community.

If you’re looking for a support group near you, contact Mind’s Infoline. Alternatively you could find your local Mind and contact them directly.

More advice

For more advice on dealing with anxiety, please see the below links:

NHS
Mind
Mental Health UK
Young Minds
Mental Health Foundation

The post Small ways you can help manage feelings of anxiety appeared first on Active My Way.

Being active can increase our self-esteem and can reduce anxiety and stress. Endorphins released during exercise also help you to feel better as they trigger a positive feeling in the body.

When dealing with stress, it may be difficult to find the motivation or time to get active. We’ve put together some tips to help you find a way that suits you to get moving.

Reducing cortisol levels

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress, often referred to as the ‘stress hormone’. Whilst it plays an important role in the body’s stress response, high levels of cortisol over an extended period of time can have negative effects on our health.

Cortisol can impact physical activity levels by reducing motivation and energy levels. This can make it more difficult to engage in regular exercise, which can further exacerbate the negative effects of cortisol on the body.

One way to counteract this is to engage in stress-reducing activities such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises. These activities can help reduce cortisol levels and improve mood and energy levels, making it easier to engage in regular physical activity.

Regular exercise itself can also help reduce cortisol levels and improve overall stress levels. However, it’s important to strike a balance between exercise and recovery, as excessive exercise can lead to an increase in cortisol levels and exacerbate the negative effects of stress on the body. Read more here.

Getting active

When exercising, it’s important to know how much you should be doing and how often.

Check out the NHS’s exercise guidelines for advice on this. If you have a health condition, please contact your doctor or health professional before starting a new exercise or sport.

Mind have some brilliant advice on getting active to benefit mental health. They’ve got tips on choosing an activity to suit you, useful contacts and more.

We have also put together some small, easy ways to get active for you to try.

Spending time around nature

Getting outdoors whilst being active has even more benefits. Being around nature can help improve your mood; why not try a new spot or a route you haven’t done in a while?

Or why not try walking sometimes when you usually drive, such as when taking the children to school. Try to take in your surroundings and enjoy the scenery and fresh air.

Putting yourself in motion helps you step back from the fast pace of modern life, particularly when outdoors.

We have put together some tips for getting started with running, as well as advice for getting started with cycling.

Image by Sport England.

Trying a new activity

There are plenty of ways you can get moving whilst having fun; one example is by having a dance!

You may want to start going to dance sessions, or you could have a dance at home or in the garden when it suits you. Put on a new playlist or some of your favourite songs that get you moving, and have a dance around the house.

Swimming is a relaxing activity as you can choose the pace you go. It’s also brilliant way to keep active as it gives you an all-round workout, working almost every part of your body. Check out our tips for getting started with swimming.

Yoga is a slower paced relaxing activity which you can do at a session, or online at home. You can find some online yoga videos on our Activity Finder, or on YouTube.

We hope this has helped you find an activity to try, or inspired you to get moving in a new way or a way you used to. However you do get active, remember to take it at your pace, and in a way you enjoy!

The post How physical activity can help with stress appeared first on Active My Way.