How to manage anxiety

Here’s How to Manage Anxiety

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Last updated October 10, 2020

Every day that you struggle with anxiety is a day that you’re managing it. Managing anxiety is simply the act of preventing anxiety from overwhelming you. No matter how difficult it may be to live with anxiety or how much you struggle with it every day, you are coping with it in small ways.

Yet anxiety can also be managed better. You want to get to a place where you can live with your anxiety every day, and your anxiety doesn’t hold you back from achieving your goals. That’s why anxiety management tips are so valuable.

What is the Difference Between Managing Anxiety and Curing Anxiety?

Managing anxiety is when you still have anxiety, but you’ve learned to control it. Curing anxiety is when you do not suffer from anxiety disorders anymore. You may still have anxiety when faced with an anxious situation, but you no longer suffer from anxiety attacks or live with unprompted anxiety every day. Curing anxiety takes time.

You want to cure your anxiety someday. Managing anxiety is great, but your mind and body are still struggling with it, and over time that stress can still cause you more problems even if your anxiety feels under control, but curing anxiety takes time, dedication, and smart treatment choices. Until you’re ready to commit to an effective long-term treatment that can ultimately help you prevent future anxiety, managing anxiety is the next best thing.

The Truth About Anxiety Management

But you can also make it weaker, and you can do that by using unhealthy anxiety management practices. For example:

These are always unhealthy behaviors, but they’re especially damaging when you’re trying to manage anxiety. That’s because they become crutches that essentially tell your brain that it doesn’t need to practice its coping skills because you have something else dulling the anxiety for you.

Your mind and body adapt when outside forces require it to do less work. It’s the reason that steroid use in athletes is so dangerous. Take too many steroids, and your body will naturally produce less because it doesn’t think it needs to do any work for them anymore.

It’s the same with anxiety and stress. If you’re often anxious, and you turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, then your mind will expect that these coping mechanisms will do all the work, and you’ll further lose your ability to cope naturally. So while you should always refrain from heavy drinking, drugs, etc., it’s especially important when you live with anxiety.

How to Manage Your Anxiety and Anxiety Symptoms

That doesn’t mean there aren’t strategies that you can use to manage your anxiety. They simply have to be strategies that aid your natural coping ability rather than replace it. Below are some examples of natural anxiety management tools:

Remember, anxiety management is about helping your mind learn to cope with stress better so that the symptoms of anxiety aren’t as severe. Anything that promotes relaxation may be helpful.

Panic Attack Management

Living with panic and anxiety attacks can be a bit harder. Unfortunately, without the right treatment, these attacks will continue, and they can be devastating even for those that are used to them. But there are still ways to manage your anxiety attacks.

The key is to reduce their severity. The weaker your anxiety attacks are, the less likely you’ll fear them, and the less you fear them, the less power they have. Here are some examples of how to manage panic attacks:

These aren’t perfect strategies, of course, but they can help. Panic attacks, like all forms of anxiety, can be relieved with the right treatments, so make sure that you’re seeking out these treatments so that you can properly improve your symptoms.

Permanently Managing Anxiety

In some cases, you may find that anxiety management was all you needed to create a better quality of life. Not everyone suffers from severe anxiety, and in some cases, a bit of management may be enough to «essentially» cure your anxiety, at least enough that you can function happily with anxiety having little impact.

Still, most people need something more. So while you should use the above anxiety management tips and information, you should also remember that options are available, and you don’t have to live with anxiety forever.

How to Prevent Anxiety

This article was co-authored by Alexandra Janelli. Alexandra Janelli is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Anxiety and Stress Management Coach, and owner and founder of Modrn Sanctuary, a holistic health and wellness facility in New York, New York. With over 10 years of experience, Alexandra specializes in helping clients push through their roadblocks to achieve their goals by utilizing her hypnotherapeutic-based approach. Alexandra holds a BS from the University of Miami. She graduated from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute with an Advanced Training Graduate Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Handwriting Analysis. Alexandra is also a Certified Life Coach from the iPEC Coach Training Program. She has worked with Academy Award Nominee Actors, world-renowned photographers, singers, top-level executives, and professionals across many sectors of business. Alexandra has been featured on MTV, Elle Magazine, Oprah Magazine, Men’s Fitness, Swell City Guide, Dossier Journal, The New Yorker, and Time Out Chicago.

There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

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Anxiety is characterized by worry, unease, or nervousness about a specific event or about the general uncertainties that may arise in the future. Though most people experience anxiety from time to time, if you constantly find yourself in a state of worry and want to know how to stop it, then it’s time to put in the effort to prevent future anxiety so you can go back to enjoying your life. If you want to prevent anxiety, then you need to take some quick-fix approaches, avoid anxious thinking, and follow some long-term strategies for success. If you want to know how to do it, just follow these steps.

This article is based on an interview with our certified hypnotherapist, anxiety and stress management coach, Alexandra Janelli, owner and founder of Modern Sanctuary. Check out the full interview here.

What is anxiety and how can you manage it? Symptoms, causes, and prevention

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The first time I ever saw someone have an intense bout of anxiety was in college.

We were sitting outside of our statistics class. My classmates and I were waiting for our professor when (seemingly out of nowhere) one of my classmates started screaming “No! No! No!” — over and over again.

Within seconds, her body slammed to the ground and she continued screaming while banging her fist on the ground. My professor soon arrived to help her (along with an ambulance) and suffice it to say, the class was canceled.

My classmate was a strong, tall, powerhouse — almost six feet tall. She loved to laugh and joke around in class, so to see her like this was a shock to everyone who witnessed it.

But what I and the rest of the class didn’t know about her, was that she had something called panic disorder, which manifests through extreme anxiety.

That image has been forever ingrained in my memory. That’s when I understood the toll that an anxiety disorder can take on a person’s life, and one of the main reasons I became a mental health advocate and coach.

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What is an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety is a natural emotion characterized by temporary worry or fear that can occur as a result of stress (i.e., before taking a test or dealing with a problem at work).

Acute anxiety develops suddenly and goes away quickly. It’s a part of the fight-or-flight reaction. Under stress, the autonomic nervous system (which controls involuntary responses) kicks in. It speeds up our heart rate and makes sure that we have enough glucose to take action.

However, this system was designed for short-term stressors. It’s not so helpful with chronic stress. Chronic anxiety develops slowly, worsens over time, and can damage a person’s mental well-being.

An anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive fear and excessive anxiety. People with anxiety disorders experience an intense fear and worry that doesn’t go away, and even gets worse over time if left untreated.

Contrary to common belief, an anxiety disorder is not centered around mood. It’s a mental health challenge with severe anxiety (though it can affect your mood too).

There are several different types of anxiety disorders, although they share several main symptoms.

What are the symptoms of anxiety disorders?

Anxiety can take many forms. Symptoms often involve uncomfortable mental and physical experiences that impact your life, like excessive worrying, body tension, headaches, and muscle pain.

Other possible anxiety disorder symptoms include:

Anxiety — and the related stress — can also put you at a higher risk for developing other physical health problems and mental illnesses. The hyperactive sympathetic nervous system (part of that autonomic system discussed earlier) can suppress the immune system and take a physical, as well as mental, toll.

What are the most common causes of anxiety?

Anxiety — as well as many other mood disorders — is often attributed to the diathesis-stress model. This is the term behavioral scientists use to describe the combination of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to extreme anxiety. It’s theorized that some individuals have a genetic predisposition, or vulnerability, to extreme anxiety. This vulnerability is exacerbated by life stressors, or risk factors.

The risk factors for each type vary, but some general factors include:

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What is an anxiety attack?

The experience my classmate had was a fairly dramatic example, but it’s characteristic of the extreme fear that accompanies an anxiety attack. Panic attacks, as they’re also known, can be noisy or subtle. They often come seemingly out of nowhere, and the symptoms can vary widely.

On the “mild” end, panic attacks often include increased heart rate, shortness of breath, racing thoughts, and feelings of anxiety. More severe anxiety attacks, however, can include chest pains, dizziness, and a feeling of dread. Many people report feeling as if they were about to die. It’s not uncommon for people to go to the emergency room, believing that they’re having a heart attack.

Sometimes, the panic triggers are identifiable. However, it’s more likely that the episodes may come unexpected. Regardless of whether the trigger is known or unknown, panic attacks should be treated immediately.

Panic attacks are a feature of several different types of anxiety disorders.

What are the 7 types of anxiety?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Expert Dr. Krystal Lewis, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in adults. Anxiety disorder is a term that refers to a collection of specific diagnoses, each with their own trademark symptoms. The DSM identifies several different types of anxiety disorders. These include generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety, agoraphobia, and separation anxiety.

In this section, we’ll go over each of them.

Generalized anxiety disorder

This type of disorder displays excessive anxiety or worry on most days for at least six months.

Worries can be about several things related to personal health, work problems, interacting with others, and general routine life circumstances. As a result, there can be significant problems at work, home, school, and with social interactions.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

When someone has experienced a major life stressor, the trauma can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD usually shows up as a reaction to certain triggers. People get “stuck” in the traumatic event and are immediately transported back there whenever they experience related stimuli. For example, someone who was in a terrible car crash may have panic attacks while driving. People with PTSD may go to great lengths in their daily lives to avoid their triggers.

Panic disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by unexpected or recurring panic attacks. A panic attack includes a sudden or intense fear that seems to come out of the blue and typically peaks within minutes.

These attacks can be triggered by a feared situation or object (or can come on unexpectedly). During a panic attack, people often experience feeling out of control and afraid that something bad’s going to happen. They describe it as a feeling of impending doom.

People with panic disorders often try to head off panic attacks by avoiding people, places, things, and behaviors that can trigger an attack. Unfortunately, these avoidances can cause significant problems in all areas of their lives due to an obsession with avoiding triggers (leading them to miss out on social, family, and work experiences).

Phobias

People who have a specific phobia experience intense fear or anxiety about specific objects or situations. They may have irrational or excessive worries about encountering their phobias, and they may also take active steps to avoid them.

When encountering their phobias, they may have to experience or endure immediate, intense anxiety (especially if they’re unavoidable). Some common examples include fear of spiders, fear of heights, fear of flying, and fear of blood.

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)

People with social anxiety disorder have general, intense anxiety and fear in social situations or in situations where they have to perform. This could be something like hosting an important business meeting, giving a presentation, or even attending a networking mixer.

Those with social anxiety often try to avoid social situations altogether. They worry that their actions or anxious behaviors will be negatively judged, leaving them feeling embarrassed and misunderstood. In situations where they can’t leave, they’re forced to endure severe anxiety and may experience a range of intense symptoms. These might include a racing heart, chest pain, feeling hot, shakiness, headaches, and even panic attacks.

Agoraphobia

People with agoraphobia experience intense fear when leaving safe spaces. They can be triggered by being outside of the house alone, standing in line or being in a crowd, being in open spaces, and/or using public transportation.

As a result, people with agoraphobia tend to avoid these situations because they fear not being able to leave if they experience panic-like symptoms or embarrassing symptoms. A person with severe agoraphobia may refuse to leave their house altogether. Agoraphobia and social anxiety overlap in many experiences.

Separation anxiety disorder

Both children and adults can experience separation anxiety disorder (fear of being parted from people they’re attached to). This typically involves feeling afraid that something bad will happen to their attachment figures while they’re separated. The person may refuse to be alone or leave their loved one’s side.

Separation anxiety may include intense physical, as well as psychological, symptoms when they’re separated from or anticipate separating from their attachment figures.

What is the treatment for anxiety?

An anxiety disorder often requires clinical help. Typically, psychotherapy (i.e., cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and metacognitive therapy) is the main treatment option. Talk therapy is often very helpful in treating anxiety.

Since the disorder is rooted in a natural stress response, the goal is not to make it go away. Rather, mental health professionals and patients work together to challenge intrusive thoughts and replace them with more helpful ones. If the patient has phobias or anxiety attacks, they may work together to develop strategies to work through these experiences.

Lifestyle and diet changes are also very helpful in treating anxiety disorders. This can also include (but isn’t limited to) other healing modalities designed to work with therapy and medication, such as:

Treatment should always be as personalized as possible, with a large focus on holistic wellness: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

If appropriate, treatment should also address professional and personal problems like difficulties coping socially or experiencing challenges at home (like difficulty getting along with family members). It should also address other underlying medical conditions (like vitamin or thyroid imbalance) that may be causing the anxiety.

In some cases, anti-anxiety or antidepressant medication may be an appropriate (and helpful) way to supplement other treatment options.

When does anxiety need medication?

Medication doesn’t cure anxiety, but it can help reduce anxiety symptoms.

In psychiatry, there is no real definition of “normal.” Rather, we talk about symptoms being maladaptive — that is, the reaction or experience isn’t helpful to your day-to-day life. Anxiety is a natural emotion that we need to survive. However, when the symptoms of anxiety begin to interfere with your health, relationships, or job, that’s a sign that the anxiety is maladaptive. It may be time for additional treatment — especially if you’ve already tried several coping techniques without success.

Anti-anxiety medications can only be prescribed by a medical doctor, like a psychiatrist. They’ll ask you about your symptoms and medical history to put together a diagnosis and choose the right medication.

Anti-anxiety medications generally fall into one of three categories: antidepressants, beta-blockers, and benzodiazepines.

Antidepressants

Despite the name “antidepressant,” these medications are often used to treat anxiety disorders. These antidepressants are usually SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or SNRIs (selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). These medications work to increase the amount of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Because of the brain’s delicate chemistry, it can take up to a month to see results.

Beta-blockers

Unlike antidepressants, beta blockers work with the physical symptoms of anxiety. Typically prescribed for heart conditions, beta blockers reduce the heart rate in stressful situations. This helps to manage the flight-or-flight autonomic response. Because they affect the heart rate, they’re good for acute symptoms of anxiety. They can be used alongside antidepressants to manage both long and short term symptoms.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are a short-term anxiety treatment that help to manage extreme symptoms. They work on the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain to slow down the nervous response. This produces a state of relaxation. Once the most commonly prescribed anti-anxiety medication, benzodiazepines are now considered a controlled substance. Doctors are much more cautious about prescribing them due to their side effects and highly addictive nature.

Work closely with your doctor to come up with a plan and always check with your doctor before stopping medication. Some medication can cause seizures or other severe withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking them abruptly.

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Can anxiety be cured?

Since anxiety is a natural emotion (like stress is a natural reaction), it can’t be cured. But that’s okay. We wouldn’t want to completely get rid of anxiety. Anxiety is the brain’s alarm system, and the emotions are there to keep us safe. However, there are many ways to manage anxiety symptoms and help prevent anxiety from creeping in.

Focusing on becoming resilient and reframing mental health are key to transformation.

How can you manage your anxiety levels on a daily basis?

To manage anxiety daily, it’s important to create a mental health strategy for work, home, social situations, and personal time. Work with your doctor, coach, or mentor to help you if needed. You can try the following stress management exercise:

First, brainstorm and write a list of anxiety-producing thoughts, situations, or feelings — real or imagined — that occur: at work, at home, in social situations, and during personal time.

Then, rate each item on a scale of 1-10 (the higher the number, the higher the anxiety).

Next, arrange the items by rank from lowest to highest.

Then, identify and write down your feelings, anxiety, and discomfort related to the first hierarchy item.

Next, identify and write down unhealthy thoughts, expectations, or ideas related to that first item.

Then, identify and write down alternative and realistic ideas to cope with the uncomfortable feelings and anxiety, like:

Finally, write down how healthy coping is positively affecting your life and encourage yourself with self-awards (like a half-day off to go hiking at your favorite spot).

Repeat this process with every item on your list until you’ve created your mental health strategy.

Some other tips for managing daily anxiety include:

And if all of that is too much right now, you can focus on this simple acronym: GREAT.

Gratitude: Approach each morning and evening with gratitude. Ask yourself: how can I express gratitude today?

Relaxation: Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, positive visualization, body scanning, and meditation.

Acknowledge: Accept and acknowledge your feelings. Change and adjust your expectations and be realistic. (Limit comparisons — what you see on social media often isn’t an accurate picture of what’s going on).

Track your thinking: Track and change your thoughts; pay attention to your thinking patterns. Ask yourself: what’s my purpose? How can I adjust my behaviors and thoughts to manifest that purpose?

Conclusion

Although anxiety can negatively affect all aspects of life, a commitment to resilience, healthy coping mechanisms, and getting treatment when necessary, will pave a new path to mental fitness for anyone ready to tackle their anxiety once and for all.

If you’d like to know more about how we can help you improve your mental well-being, reach out to our team today.

Effective Ways to Manage Evening Anxiety

Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She’s also a psychotherapist, the author of the bestselling book «13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,» and the host of The Verywell Mind Podcast.

Aaron Johnson is a fact checker and expert on qualitative research design and methodology.

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If anxiety is keeping you up at night, you’re not alone. Nighttime anxiety is a problem for many people with anxiety disorders, who find that their evenings are filled with a sense of uneasiness, worry, and apprehension.

Anxiety at night can keep you from sleeping, while lack of sleep can increase your anxiety. Luckily, there are ways to manage your anxiety so you can rest, function the next day, and live a fulfilling life.

Why Anxiety Increases at Night

There’s no one easy explanation as to why anxiety increases at night for some people. Instead, it can be the result of a variety of factors.

One explanation is that when the lights go out and all is quiet, there is less distraction and more opportunity for worry and rumination about your career, finances, or relationships. Difficulty falling asleep may also unleash its own set of worries about how well you’ll be able to function the following day.

Other reasons why anxiety increases at night may include:

Symptoms

Everyone experiences anxiety differently, and symptoms may vary. Symptoms of nighttime anxiety may be similar to those you experience during the day. Or they may be specific to the evening hours.

Impact

Anxiety that strikes in the evening can be incredibly bothersome, as it may take away from your free time, zap your energy, and contribute to sleep issues. Sleep deprivation can have a major impact on your functioning, quality of life, and overall health. Loss of sleep can also trigger anxiety at night, creating a vicious cycle.

Another result of nighttime anxiety is panic attacks or nocturnal panic attacks, which take place during non-REM sleep, primarily in stages 2 and 3. Nocturnal panic attacks can awaken you from sleep and leave you feeling tired throughout the following day or days.

How to Manage Anxiety at Night

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help reduce your nighttime anxiety, allowing for a relaxing evening and restful night’s sleep.

Set an Intention Early

Many of us go from one activity to the next throughout our day without really considering how we are feeling, let alone how we would like to feel. For example, do you ever come home after a long day of work and think to yourself, “I really want to relax and enjoy this evening?”

Most likely you are far too busy or preoccupied to stop and ponder how you want your evening to be. However, by setting an intention early, you are more likely to get the results you want.

If you remind yourself each day that you are determined to have a peaceful evening, you are more likely to actually experience it that way.

Remembering to set an intention is easier when you mark a certain point in your day for it. For example, while driving home from work, you may be going over in your mind all the stress that you went through that day.

At a certain point during your drive home, such as when you drive over a certain bridge or pass a particular landmark, you can set the intention to let go of work stress from that point forward and enjoy the rest of your evening. Another option can be to set an alarm that reminds you to set your intention for a nice evening.

Regardless of what type of prompt works for you, get in the habit of setting your personal objective of how you want to feel each evening.

Learn to Be Present

Along the same lines of not being in touch with how we want to feel, many of us spend much of our time completely unaware or detached from the present moment. By making an effort to be more mindful, you may be better able to enjoy your evening.

Mindfulness can prevent you from going over every worry in your head and allow you to recognize that you do not have to react to every thought that pops into your mind. Mindfulness is a skill that can be learned through activities such as mindfulness meditation.

If mindfulness seems awkward or too time-consuming, simply make an effort to be more aware of life as it is, instead of searching your mind for nervousness and fear. Try to listen closely to your loved ones, enjoy the food you are eating, notice the beauty of the earth—these are all simple ways to push anxiety aside and become more mindful.

Leave Some Extra Transition Time

Transition time is the time that is needed between tasks. Many of us underestimate how much transition time is needed. For instance, your evening may consist of numerous different tasks that you need to do before you go to bed.

Whatever amount of time you have allotted for each task, consider adding a bit more time as a buffer in case the task takes longer than you think. That way you will avoid feeling overwhelmed, trying to cram too much in before bedtime.

Prepare for the Next Day

Many people find it anxiety-provoking to think about all that they need to do the next day. Being prepared is one of the best things to do to avoid this type of anxiety. Get as much ready as you can, like having your clothes picked out, lunches and bags packed, and your alarm clock set. Putting a small amount of effort into preparation can help keep evening anxiety under control.

Create Some Space to Unwind

When everything is done for the night and ready for the next day, you do need some time each evening to simply relax, let go, and re-energize. A few ideas:

Regardless of what brings you serenity, set aside at least 10 minutes of downtime each evening. Doing so allows you to feel calmer and may be the prompt you need to get a good night’s rest.

Establish a Bedtime Routine

Establishing a bedtime routine lets you focus on taking proactive steps for yourself instead of ruminating in your anxiety. Your bedtime routine may include activities such as taking a shower, brushing your teeth, changing into pajamas, reading from an inspirational book, prayer, or listening to music.

Your bedtime routine should be established to help set you up for better rest. Don’t include any activities that may be too overstimulating, such as scrolling through social media or watching TV.

Instead, make your routine calming and quiet, leading up to you falling asleep. This will signal to your brain that it is time to rest and will allow you to go to sleep without an upset and anxious mind.

Treatment

While self-help strategies can go a long way, you may also find it useful to schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional. They can rule out any medical or sleep conditions contributing to your nighttime anxiety. In addition to maintaining good sleep habits, treatment options typically involve psychotherapy, medications, or a combination of both.

Psychotherapy

Research has shown that psychological treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy, can be helpful for treating anxiety.

Medication

A variety of medications can be used in the treatment of anxiety, including:

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calm anxiety at night?

Calming your anxiety at night can take some practice, but it is possible. Start by trying several relaxation techniques, including mindfulness, deep breathing, journaling, or yoga, and see which ones work best for you.

How do you stop panic attacks at night?

Unfortunately, you can’t always stop panic attacks, especially if it’s a nocturnal panic attack that can happen during sleep without warning. However, you can learn to stay relaxed and «talk yourself down» by controlling your breath, practicing positive self-talk, relaxing your muscles, and seeking support from a friend or family member.

Why is anxiety worse at night?

Unfortunately, there is not an easy explanation. Anxiety can become worse at night for a variety of reasons, including rumination, worry over not sleeping, pre-existing anxiety disorders, excessive caffeine during the day, underlying health conditions, or anxiety over the next day.

A Word From Verywell

If your anxiety is making it difficult to function, reach out for professional help. Schedule an appointment with your physician or reach out to a mental health professional. Anxiety is treatable and therapy, medication, or a combination of the two can help you manage your anxiety in a healthy way.

If you or a loved one are struggling with anxiety, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

14 Easy Ways to Stop Feeling So Anxious

How to get control of the anxiety tornado working its way through your body.

Maybe anxiety to you is a worry loop in your head that heckles you as you lie in bed waiting for sleep. Or it’s the crazy-intense jitters that hit right before you’re slated to give a work presentation. Or the way your palms sweat and your stomach lurches when you find yourself at a social event without anyone to chat with.

Everyone experiences anxiety, which psychologists say is just our own perception of worry and stress. No matter what the anxiety stems from or how it manifests, anxious feelings tend to snowball. So it’s always helpful to have a few tricks up your sleeve to get yourself out of panic mode before it gets too intense. With this in mind, we asked psychologists to give us their best advice on how to gain control of the runaway anxiety train fast.

Breathe Anxiety Away

When anxiety activates your fight-or-flight response, you know it; you heart rate accelerates, and you become shaky and flushed. The best way to counteract those panicky feelings is to slow your breathing.

Alicia Clark, PsyD, a Washington, D.C.-based psychologist and author of Hack Your Anxiety: How to Make Anxiety Work for You in Life, Love, and All That You Do, says deep belly breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which runs from your brain to your gut and plays a pivotal role in calming your nervous system. Here’s how: breathe slowly and deeply, all the way down to your belly button, for up to four counts if possible, Clark tells Health. Then hold it for two counts and exhale: 4-3-2-1. Repeat the pattern for a few minutes.

Ride It Like a Wave

Imagine your anxiety is a wave in the ocean. «You don’t just stand tall and fight the wave,» says Clark. «You dive into it so it doesn’t knock you over.» In other words, instead of resisting your anxious feelings, remind yourself that they won’t harm you. Tell yourself you can handle it, she says, then let the wave wash over you. Stressing over your stress can make your anxious feelings even worse, and they’ll last longer, she adds.

Break Big Responsibilities Into Smaller Tasks

People can become so anxious about studying for a test, for example, that they dodge the task altogether. «When we avoid those things, our anxiety actually gets bigger,» Heidi DeLoveh, PhD, a private practice psychologist in Columbus, Ohio, tells Health.

Her advice? Break the activity into smaller pieces or shorter lengths of time. Anxious about driving? Start by just sitting behind the wheel. Test anxiety? Instead of a four-hour marathon study session, work for 10 minutes at a time.

Skip Your Afternoon Starbucks Run

You crave that morning latte, we get it. But going back for another or multiple refills at your office coffee machine isn’t a great idea for managing anxiety. «If you’re anxious, caffeine can be a real anxiety accelerant,» Clark explains. Why’s that? Caffeine has a dose-dependent effect on mood. A little can perk you up—and too much can leave you anxious and irritable. Plus, some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. Stick to one cup a day, maybe two, and watch how it affects you.

Use Your Senses to Center Yourself

People tend to worry about things that haven’t happened yet, like when you’re prepping to speak at a work conference yet the actual event doesn’t start for another hour. Focusing too much on future events can work you into an unnecessary panic.

Instead of allowing your mind to race to the future, try focusing on what’s happening right now, DeLoveh suggests. Do this by training your brain to focus on your five senses. Ask yourself, what do you hear in the room, what do see in front of you? You’re not standing before the microphone; you’re just working on your PowerPoint slides. That five-senses exercise can thrust you back into the moment and «bring that physical piece down a notch,» she says.

Take a Break To Meditate

You probably hear a lot about the powers of meditation. But practicing it really can help you become mindful of how your body is physically reacting to your thoughts, Shreya Hessler, PsyD, owner and founder of The MINDset Center in Bel Air, Maryland, tells Health. That, in turn, allows you to focus on slowing your breathing or relaxing a muscle group, she says, which dials back anxiety.

A 2014 review of 47 randomized trials involving more than 3,300 people suggests that mindfulness meditation can improve anxiety after eight weeks of practice. «Even just doing meditation two to three minutes with a guided app can be a game-changer,» says Hessler, author of Bianca Finds Her Bounce.

Put Your Anxious Thought in a Text

Instead of ruminating over a troubling thought, write it down in a text message you send yourself. You might say something like, «I’m worried about a deadline at work» or «I’m freaking out over a first date planned for tonight.» Then set a reminder to revisit your thought later on.

«If we can actually get it out of our head, it helps the hamster wheel to slow down a bit,» Hessler explains. When it’s actually time to revisit the issue, you’re often in a better place mentally to process how you’re going to problem solve, she says.

Exercise It Out of Your System

Exercise can be a great way to burn off the stress that leads to anxious feelings. Working out boosts levels of endorphins and other mood-boosting brain chemicals, and it helps with sleep. Aerobic exercise also stimulates the production of a protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor).

BDNF is «like a brain fertilizer that bathes our neurons and makes our connections better and faster,» Clark explains. And that’s important, she adds, because a well-functioning brain is better equipped to understand, manage, and moderate emotions.

Remove Yourself From the Anxious Environment

The brain chemical dopamine gets activated when we’re anxious, and that motivates us to take action to avoid a perceived threat, Clark explains. Instead of letting those anxious feelings swell up, channel that energy. Excuse yourself to the restroom to slap some water on your face, or just take a 10-minute walk outside or to another part of the building. Doing something that gets you away from the situation you’re in will help you mentally get away as well.

Do This Muscle-relaxing Technique

Progressive muscle relaxation is one of several mind-body techniques designed to slow your heart rate and lower your blood pressure, which wipes out anxiety. Here’s how to do it: Starting at your toes and ending at your head, or vice versa, tense each muscle group in your body one at a time, and then relax those muscles. «That’s so you can feel the tension and then feel yourself letting go,» DeLoveh says.

Keep Your Hands Busy

Do stress balls and fidget cubes really work to release stress? They can help, psychologists say, unless, of course, those toys become just another distraction. «Some people, if they’re squeezing a stress ball, their concentration is better. They’re giving that nervous energy a place to go,» DeLoveh explains. It’s a good argument to keep on hand some small object to fiddle with or toss around, like a beanbag, rubber ball, or fidget spinner.

Cuddle Your Furry Friend

Who’s the least judgmental member of the family, the one who loves and comforts you even when the Mack truck of anxiety is hitting you hard? Your furball pal, of course. Studies show human-animal interaction reduces self-reported anxiety and decreases heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

«I have patients with pets of all kinds, not just warm, fuzzy ones,» Hessler says. «That connection with another being can just be extraordinary for someone who’s experiencing anxiety, in particular for those who feel more socially anxious,» she adds.

Pick Up Your Knitting Needles

What’s so special about knitting? One theory has it that manipulating needles and yarn distances troubling thoughts and feelings. In a small study of women recovering from anorexia, 74% of participants given knitting lessons reported that the activity provided a welcome distraction. Likewise, 74% said knitting was relaxing and comforting, while 53% said it gave them a sense of pride, satisfaction, and accomplishment.

Limit Your Alcohol Intake

We’re not saying you should skip happy hour; plenty of people drink alcohol to unwind and relax at the end of the day. But do so in moderation. «If you’re going to drink, less is more because too much of it can really give you an anxiety rebound,» says Clark. Plus, an evening of imbibing can mess with your sleep, and quality sleep on the regular helps keep anxiety in check.