Curing Anxiety - 3 Ways To Beat Stress

Anxiety attacks, worry, panic and fear can come about for a huge range of reasons. For some people its caused by generalised and powerful feelings of fear for the future. This can be about any percieved or potential occurence such as losing a job or starting a new class.

Other forms of anxiety are manifested more spcifically such as in the fear of flying, heights or spiders. These forms are called phobias and generally have a different set of treatments to generalised anxiety.

All of these anxieties have a common root cause and physilogical condition associated with them. During times of stress adrenaline is released into the bloodstream causing an elevation in heart rate and blood pressure as well as a range of other secondary symptoms. You can see some of these in the diagram above.

Anxiety in manageable amounts does have a great purpose - it helps us prepare for the future. It keeps us on our toes to ensure we perform at our best. But when it gets out of control and the adrenaline is running to long and hard then it can cause serious health problems.

In the sections below I'll point out some of the tried and true methods for curing anxiety that you can use in your daily routine.

Whether its running, cycling, weight training or even lawn bowls, exercise is a fantastic way to reduce stress, anxiety and even depression. Many studies have stated that regular exercise is just as potent a treatment for depression and other mental health issues as medication.

It works because when the body is undergoing physical extertion it releases endorphins which are your internal 'happy hormones' that lift the mood and boost your immune system too.

So how to get into more exercise? Here's a few ideas...

• Join a martial arts club such as karate or judo


• Take up cycling. You don't even have to buy a bike as many areas will let you hire a bike for the day.


• Take up running - you can do this indoors at your local gym or round the park. If you're shy to start don't worry - we all start feeling shy!! As you get more confident running you'll have to be pinned indoors to stop you getting your regular running session.


• Join the local gym


• Join a Yoga or Pilates class. More information on how yoga can help your anxiety is given below.

There's several different types of yoga depending on what you're after and all have a great chance of curing anxiety. It's just a case of choosing the one that's right for you and finding a local class. A good yoga session helps you to regain your head when you've been hit by the adrenaline bug.

Bikram Yoga
This is a high energy yoga performed in a hot room. It's designed to get you sweating as much as possible to help flush your body of all the toxins you accumulate throughout the day. It can be very invigorating but be prepared with lots of fresh water beforehand.

Ashtanga Yoga
Another intense yoga method this is very good for overall body tone and fitness as it really works the body in all it's movements. It's sometimes called Power Yoga and was made popular by Madonna in the 90's. This is my personal favourite and the one I'd recommend to everyone if you're willing to sweat a bit! ;)

Hatha Yoga
This is actually an umbrella term for all position-based yoga but it's come to be known as a yoga in its own right. It's the most common form practiced today and is a very relaxed and calm progression through a series of postures. You won't get much of a workout form this but it's great for meditative purposes and flexibility.

Meditation has been used by many millions of people worldwide to help center themselves and bring about a state of calm and equilibrium in an otherwise hectic world.

There's many types of meditation but the most common is Counting Breath.

1. Begin by finding a comfortable place to sit (don't lie down) where you wont' be disturbed.


2. Close your eyes and try for a moment to clear your mind.


3. Begin to notice your breathing without trying to control it. Feel the your chest and stomach move with each inhale and exhale.


4. Start to count each breath in turn from 1 up to 10.


5. When you reach 10 start form 1 again.


6. Repeat this breath counting for at least 10 minutes but the longer you can perform it for the better for your nerves.