Do you sometimes feel this intense feeling anxiety? It can be felt in your chest? Heart starts to pump, you start to sweat, hands feel clammy, bit shaky and maybe even feeling disoriented? It can be common to feel anxiety and face moments of panic from time to time whether you’re diagnosed with anxiety or not. They can feel so unpleasant, hard to deal with, or down right affecting your life. Next time you find yourself in a moment of panic…put these tips to use!
1 Take a deep breath
To begin, expel all of the air from your chest.
· Keep your lungs empty for a four-count hold.
· Then, inhale through the nose for four counts.
· Hold the air in your lungs for a four-count hold.
· When you hold your breath, do not clamp down and create back pressure. Rather, maintain an open, neutral feeling even though you are not inhaling.
· When ready, release the hold and exhale smoothly through your nose for four counts. This is one circuit of the box-breathing practice.
· Repeat this cycle for at least five minutes to get the full effect.
2 Change the temperature (TIPP)
TIPP stands for Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, and Paired muscle relaxation.
3 Temperature
When we’re upset, our bodies often feel hot. To counter this, splash your face with cold water, hold an ice cube, or let the car’s AC blow on your face. Changing your body temperature will help you cool down—both physically and emotionally.
4 Intense Exercise
Do intense exercise to match your intense emotion. You’re not a marathon runner? That’s okay, you don’t need to be. Sprint down to the end of the street, jump in the pool for a few laps, or do jumping jacks until you’ve tired yourself out. Increasing oxygen flow helps decrease stress levels. Plus, it’s hard to stay dangerously upset when you’re exhausted.
5 Paced Breathing
Even something as simple as controlling your breath can have a profound impact on reducing emotional pain. There are many different types of breathing exercises. If you have a favorite, breathe it out. If you don’t, try a technique called “box breathing”. Each breath interval will be four seconds long. Take in air four seconds, hold it in four seconds, breathe out four, and hold four. And then start again. Continue to focus on this breathing pattern until you feel more calm. Steady breathing reduces your body’s fight or flight response.
6 Paired Muscle Relaxation:
The science of paired muscle relaxation is fascinating. When you tighten a voluntary muscle, relax it, and allow it to rest, the muscle will become more relaxed than it was before it was tightened. Try this technique by focusing on a group of muscles, such as the muscles in your arms. Tighten the muscles as much as you can for five seconds. Then let go of the tension. Let the muscles relax, and you’ll begin to relax, as well.