Today's world is fast-paced and constantly moving. Jobs used to be something to which you would commute, spend between 8am-5pm there and go home to your family. But thanks to the advances in technology, you can now take work with you, wherever you choose to go. Instead of working from your company's headquarters, many workers all over the world are working from office spaces, hotel rooms, coffee shops or the comfort of their own homes.
While this may seem nice and relaxing, it can also feel extremely overwhelming. It's even more difficult for you to find that balance between work and personal life. The body, brain and nervous system can easily fall into survival mode, which can bring on feelings of anxiety, stress, hyperactivity and tension.
Learning how to calm your nerves and reduce your stress is essential for your overall mental health and wellness. Thankfully, there are a lot of tools that you can use to help your body and mind feel safe, calm and grounded. These are five tools to soothe your nervous system.
1. Deep Breathing
When you're feeling anxious or stressed, your breathing pattern can get thrown out of whack. You can slow down your breathing and help to return it to a state of normalcy by focusing and taking a few long, slow, and deep breaths. The act of deep breathing can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, or the body's rest and digestive state, which can help reduce your heart rate, lower your blood pressure and ease any tension you're experiencing. There are many different breathing techniques out there, so try a few out and see what method works best for you!
2. Body Scans
Body scans are another great method to help you bring yourself back to the present moment. This anxiety prevents you from being able to live in the present moment. The 5-4-3-2-1 method focuses on identifying 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 that you smell and 1 that you taste. This is a great way to bring your body and mind back to the present moment to help keep you grounded.
3. Move Your Body
Moving your body is typically associated with benefits for your physical health. But moving your body can also help to release tension and stress, improve mood levels and regulate the nervous system. Moving your body can be done in a variety of ways. You don't have to spend hours at the gym or run for miles on end. Find ways to move your body that work for you and that you actually enjoy doing, like going for a walk outside, attending a class at the gym, running on a treadmill, dancing, yoga or stretching.
4. Connect With Others
Connection is just as important as other basic human needs. Humans are wired to connect with others. In times of stress, it may feel like it's easier to isolate or withdraw from others, but this can actually lead to worsened symptoms. Instead, try to lean on those connections that you have with loved ones during this time. Those supportive and safe connections that you have can actually help to regulate your nervous system. Your loved one's calm presence can help you feel safe, secure and settled.
5. Seek Additional Support
Regulating and soothing your nervous system can take time. If you've tried out a few of these techniques and you're still not feeling like your normal self, it may be time to reach out to a mental health professional for additional support. A therapist will be able to help you get to the root cause of your heightened senses so that you can work to better manage everything and feel like you're in control again. Reach out today to get started with anxiety or spiritual counseling.