Anxiety triggers the sympathetic nervous system, which is the “fight-or-flight” system of our body that tells us to be on high alert so we can face a threat in our environment. This system is highly adaptive when you have a time-limited, acute stressor, like encountering a bear in the jungle. Since few of our TFA placements are in regions where bears are prevalent, this fight-or-flight response is rarely adaptive in our modern world, but our bodies haven’t caught up to the reality of the new types of stresses that we face (deadlines, pressure, classroom management woes, worry, etc.). So when our anxiety becomes chronic and this “fight-or-flight” system is constantly in the “on” position, it can wreak havoc on your body, like raising your blood pressure, lowering your immune system response and making you more susceptible to illness. This system was not designed to stay “on” all the time.
To counteract this effect, you want to try to trigger the relaxation response (aka, the parasympathetic nervous system). Using these techniques will lower your heart rate, decrease your blood pressure, and bring your stressed body back to equilibrium. Here are a few ways you can do this:
1. Deep breathing—this technique is best done sitting in a quiet place for a few minutes breathing deeply with your diaphragm, the muscle that sits beneath your lungs. You activate the diaphragm by feeling your belly expand when you inhale, and then contract when you exhale. You can inhale to a slow count of three or four, and then exhale the same number of seconds. Check out thisvideo to learn how to do this technique.
2. Meditation—this is an ancient technique that originated in the East thousands of years ago. Find a quiet spot, either sitting in a chair or cross-legged on the ground. Close your eyes and do a quick body scan, noticing the physical sensations of your body making contact with the chair or floor. Then direct your attention to your breath, noticing where the air passes over your nostrils as you inhale and exhale. Soon enough, a thought will arise and your mind will wander. This is OK, as this is just what the mind does. Just notice that your attention wandered and gently bring your focus back to the breath. Do this again and again, as often as needed. You can start with meditating 5 minutes, and then slowly work your way up to 30 minutes or more. Check out mypost from last year to learn more about mindfulness and meditation.
3. Imagery—this is the equivalent of finding your “happy place.” Just visualize a place or a person or an imaginary world that makes you happy and calm. The trick with this technique is that you want to visualize as much detail as you can, trying to conjure up the experience of all 5 senses.
4. Self-soothing activities—this can be any activity that chills you out and can be highly individualized. For some taking a long, hot bath is soothing. Calm music can trigger a relaxation response. Some people like the repetitive motion of knitting. The list here is endless, so just experiment with whatever is calming for you.
5. Distraction—finding activities to take your mind off of stress for a little while can be very useful. Catching up on your favorite show on Netflix is a favorite for many. Going to the gym to exercise for a bit can help too (exercise provides a ton of benefit for managing stress). Immerse yourself in the latest vampire novel. You don’t want to use distraction so much that you avoid confronting your stress entirely. But on occasion, distraction can take the edge off a stressful experience, providing some temporary relief.
6. Social support—think back to a time you took a load off by venting to a friend about a stressful experience, and how good you felt afterward. Just talking about your stress can counteract the effect of it. So next time you’re feeling your anxiety on the rise, call up a friend and invite them to coffee (decaf, of course).
Use these techniques whenever you feel the toll of stress and anxiety on your body. Use these techniques before bed if you’re having difficulty initiating sleep. Heck, use these techniques on a daily basis, fitting them into your routine, and you may find that your overall stress levels go down, making you more effective while at work.
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