There are without a doubt certain times of the year when anxiety ramps up to levels that make it hard, if not impossible, to effectively cope.
I'm sure there are stories filled with anxiety riddled situations you could tell that would leave the rest of gasping for air and leave our personal experiences in the dust.
Perhaps it was the speeding car that went barreling through the parking lot only to end up slowing down with the help of your front bumper or the rude salesperson that made you wait and then overcharged you for your purchase, or maybe even trying to order something online only to get to the last page of the checkout process to be greeted with a message stating that you should try again later.
There is no doubt that anxiety is out there, ready and waiting.
The only real question is how long it will last and how bad it will be when it comes your way.
What is anxiety anyway? Anxiety is synonymous with the "fight or flight" response our ancestors used to escape the lion, tiger, bear, or out of control cave woman with that giant club.
When our fellow human beings start to behaving like a bunch of Neanderthals it may not be as life threatening as it was long ago but our bodies still treat it in much the same way by releasing large amounts of cortisol and adrenaline into our blood stream.
When this occurs our heart rate elevates, blood pressure rises, energy supplies increase, pupils dilate, sweating increases, non essential body functions are slowed, and our brain goes into hyper sensory mode.
There are others as well but one thing is for sure and that is while you haven't become the "Incredible Hulk" you are definitely not the same person you were just moments before the anxiety triggering event.
Repeated encounters with anxiety lead have been shown to put a person at risk for heart disease, depression, sleep disorders, digestive problems, weight gain, memory impairment, immune deficiency, and worsening of stubborn skin conditions such as eczema.
What can be done to diffuse anxiety before it causes me to behave badly or leads to an unwanted health condition? *Learn to breath: By simply taking ten deep breaths through the nose and then slowly exhaling through the mouth you may be able pull the plug on anxiety symptoms before they have a chance to get going.
*Take a tip from ancient healers: Certain types of centuries old medicine believe that by gently applying pressure in a circular motion for five minutes in the area that's four finger widths above the navel you will be able to trigger the release of feel good endorphins, thus sending anxiety packing.
*Walk it off: Walking is one of the best ways to reduce stress & anxiety.
It helps the body get rid of excess cortisol and adrenaline, triggers the release of feel good endorphins, and restores oxygen flow throughout the body including to the brain.
*Watch out for too much alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, and nicotine: Any one of these holiday favorites can increase a person's anxiety level perhaps causing an anxiety molehill to turn into something much more serious.
*Keep a natural anxiety remedy on hand just in case: When trapped in a house full of relatives all which have at least two hyperactivity ADHD kids you might need a little extra help to keep anxiety under control.
*Don't dwell on past problems: Use the suggestions above to help you feel more at ease with present concerns but let go of those problems and things from the past you cannot change.
I'm sure there are stories filled with anxiety riddled situations you could tell that would leave the rest of gasping for air and leave our personal experiences in the dust.
Perhaps it was the speeding car that went barreling through the parking lot only to end up slowing down with the help of your front bumper or the rude salesperson that made you wait and then overcharged you for your purchase, or maybe even trying to order something online only to get to the last page of the checkout process to be greeted with a message stating that you should try again later.
There is no doubt that anxiety is out there, ready and waiting.
The only real question is how long it will last and how bad it will be when it comes your way.
What is anxiety anyway? Anxiety is synonymous with the "fight or flight" response our ancestors used to escape the lion, tiger, bear, or out of control cave woman with that giant club.
When our fellow human beings start to behaving like a bunch of Neanderthals it may not be as life threatening as it was long ago but our bodies still treat it in much the same way by releasing large amounts of cortisol and adrenaline into our blood stream.
When this occurs our heart rate elevates, blood pressure rises, energy supplies increase, pupils dilate, sweating increases, non essential body functions are slowed, and our brain goes into hyper sensory mode.
There are others as well but one thing is for sure and that is while you haven't become the "Incredible Hulk" you are definitely not the same person you were just moments before the anxiety triggering event.
Repeated encounters with anxiety lead have been shown to put a person at risk for heart disease, depression, sleep disorders, digestive problems, weight gain, memory impairment, immune deficiency, and worsening of stubborn skin conditions such as eczema.
What can be done to diffuse anxiety before it causes me to behave badly or leads to an unwanted health condition? *Learn to breath: By simply taking ten deep breaths through the nose and then slowly exhaling through the mouth you may be able pull the plug on anxiety symptoms before they have a chance to get going.
*Take a tip from ancient healers: Certain types of centuries old medicine believe that by gently applying pressure in a circular motion for five minutes in the area that's four finger widths above the navel you will be able to trigger the release of feel good endorphins, thus sending anxiety packing.
*Walk it off: Walking is one of the best ways to reduce stress & anxiety.
It helps the body get rid of excess cortisol and adrenaline, triggers the release of feel good endorphins, and restores oxygen flow throughout the body including to the brain.
*Watch out for too much alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, and nicotine: Any one of these holiday favorites can increase a person's anxiety level perhaps causing an anxiety molehill to turn into something much more serious.
*Keep a natural anxiety remedy on hand just in case: When trapped in a house full of relatives all which have at least two hyperactivity ADHD kids you might need a little extra help to keep anxiety under control.
*Don't dwell on past problems: Use the suggestions above to help you feel more at ease with present concerns but let go of those problems and things from the past you cannot change.
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