7 Things You Can Do Today to Reduce Anxiety and Increase Joy

Enhancing your emotional health

Roseville, Calif. – Are you experiencing higher levels of stress or anxiety lately? You can approach your stress/anxiety with your mind, body, spirit, and emotional health in mind.

7 powerful things you can do to help

1- Exercise

Getting your circulation going can help blow off some steam. A blend of cardiovascular exercise such as running, walking, elliptical, bike riding etc. combined with weight-bearing exercises such as lifting weights is an ideal way to help your body metabolize stress hormones out of the system appropriately.

2 – Laugh

Finding a light atmosphere where you can laugh and enjoy yourself is important for your emotional health. Watch a comedy or go to a live comedy show, visit friends and family who bring joy to your life. Laughter on a daily basis is great medicine.

3- Find Tranquility

Finding a space of peace and quiet where you can allow your systems to relax and rest is necessary for parasympathetic systems that are in charge of healing and recovery. A garden, a fountain, a park, someplace that is safe and peaceful would be a great place to spend a little time on a daily basis.

4- Learn

Exercising your mind helps to keep your mind engaged in a hopeful space. Learning new hobbies, skills, or about how certain things work can enhance your skill sets and awaken new parts about yourself.

5 – Join Your Community

Becoming involved in your community can strengthen your sense of belonging and connection. During times of chaos, volunteering, joining a club, helping others can be a way to nurture peripheral stability.

6- Go Inward

Prayer or meditation can be an important way to connect with your higher power and or inner self. Prayer or meditation can help to articulate your needs, your values, and prioritize what is most important to you. Studies show prayer and meditation to have powerful healthy effects on the body. Setting aside a time and space for praying/meditating would be very beneficial.

7- Play

The joys that children experience when they play is something adults should tap into more frequently. Playing allows a person to get lost in an activity and lose track of time and the things going on in the world. Giving yourself a break from the complexities of life is important for your health. Find a way to bring play back into your life whether it be a game, a sport, an activity, getting out and losing yourself in play.

Credit: Dr. Ethelbah ND, RDH.

Related

• Overcoming Stress Naturally
• Stress: The Great Accelerator of Aging
• Exercise is the Key to Vitality, Overcoming Depression

Explore additional topics from Dr. Godby, ND, MA at Natural Wellness.

As a naturopathic doctor for the last 18 years, I have witnessed the power of a preventative lifestyle and naturopathic medicine to transform the health and lives of thousands of patients.

Sacramento Naturopathic
2530 J Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: (916) 446-2591
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