5 Surprising Benefits of Yoga
Anxiety and depression are common mental health issues today. Tough as they are, we found that practising these mindfulness activities for anxiety is grossly effective in making you feel better.
Are you struggling with anxiety? Stress? Perhaps depression? You are not alone. These are common mental health issues affecting millions of people around the world. Like sadness, these negative feelings feel like a black hole drowning you each time it strikes. The more you let them stay, the deeper you drown in the black hole, affecting everything in your life; from work to school, relationships and even self-care.
While some people now turn to antidepressants, we found that practising these Five Mindfulness Activities for Anxiety and Stress goes a long way to help you gain back control of your mind and body. Of course, we will leave you with a bonus at the end of the article. So, stay glued.
Focus on breathing
The first arrow in your quiver is your breath. Once you can steady your breath, you already detox that negative energy, giving you back control. There are several ways to perform deep breathing exercises. You can stand still with your hands wide open, sit down with your legs folded in, or lie on your back and face the sky/ceiling. Whichever position you choose, be sure you are focusing on your breathing the whole time. No distractions. Simply follow every breath. Be conscious of how you breathe in and how you breathe out. Make it into a game. Take a deep breath in, hold for a few seconds, exhale deeply, and repeat the cycle.
In your mind, visualize everything standing still. Think of it like you are a superhero and you just froze time. This reduces the number of thoughts your brain is processing and helps your heartbeat settle into a normal rhythm.
Just listen
Another great mindfulness activity for anxiety is mindful listening. Unlike regular listening where you are singing along, dancing along, or even half-listening, this exercise helps you to focus on the present through sound. You can pick from any genre that works for you but make sure it is not the artist or lyrics that you are after. You just need sound to drown out the thought and the rest of the world. There are tons of relaxation songs to choose from if you like. Once you get the song. You can put it on repeat and assume a meditating position as you drown out the rest of the world. Just follow the sound.
Connect to your body
Gaining control over your body and mind requires you to connect to your body. This mindfulness exercise is typically practised laying on your back. With your hands and legs spread out and your face facing the sky or ceiling, try connecting with each part of your body, starting from your toe. Take one part at a time and spend time observing what is happening on that particular part of the body without looking at it. Use your mind to feel the part and digest what’s happening at the moment before moving to the next body part. Continue until you get to the head.
Try naming things around you
Connecting with your environment is another way to feel grounded and in control. As the worries spiral out of control, look around you and ‘mindfully’ observe items around you. It could be the lawn outside of the mug or a photo. Just look around and observe each time. Focus on one item at a time.
Walking exercise
Walking is one of the most effective mindfulness activities for anxiety and stress. Simply moving around, as observed while exercising, releases a shot of the ‘happy hormone’, helping you feel way better than you did lock in a room. As you walk, remember this is not for weight loss. Take it slowly and focus on just walking.
Bonus tip
Deep appreciation
Lastly, you will gain a lot from appreciating little things in your life. Take a deep breath and think of all the little things you are grateful for. It helps to get a journal and write them down, focusing on one thing at a time. Enjoy the moment.
Anxiety, stress, and depression are hard targets to fight. But we are positive you can win this fight with these 6 arrows in your quiver. Whenever you find your thoughts spiralling out of control, be sure to fight back with one or more mindfulness activities for anxiety.
