{"id":136856,"date":"2021-02-02T07:13:39","date_gmt":"2021-02-02T15:13:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/?p=136856"},"modified":"2021-11-03T02:07:36","modified_gmt":"2021-11-03T09:07:36","slug":"55-tips-to-help-you-deal-with-anxiety-based-on-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/blog\/55-tips-to-help-you-deal-with-anxiety-based-on-science\/","title":{"rendered":"55 Tips To Help You Deal With Anxiety, Based On Science"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article is for informational purposes only. None of the information here should be taken as medical advice. If you suspect you may have an anxiety disorder, seek medical help. <\/em>You may try the complementary approaches listed below if you and your doctor determine that they could be appropriate for you. Discuss the strategies listed here with your doctor.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a>Lifestyle<\/span><\/h2>\n

<\/a>Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy<\/span><\/h3>\n

Cognitive-behavioral therapy can improve anxiety disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social phobia, especially if combined with medication [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Different forms of behavioral therapy, such as in-person, internet-based, and self-guided, are a part of standard care for anxiety \u2014 consult with a healthcare professional about your options [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

<\/a>Mindfulness<\/span><\/h3>\n

Research suggests that mindfulness is the only form of meditation<\/a> that reliably improves anxiety [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Mindfulness meditation reduced stress<\/a> and anxiety with similar effectiveness to cognitive-behavioral therapy in several studies [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

<\/a>Applied Relaxation<\/span><\/h3>\n

Applied relaxation techniques can reduce general anxiety, excessive worry, and tension. The improvements may be maintained for up to one year after initial treatment [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

A study reported that computer-delivered applied relaxation can be as effective as therapist-guided applied relaxation in reducing emotional stress and improving relaxation [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

<\/a>Yoga<\/span><\/h3>\n

A large body of evidence supports the benefits of yoga<\/a> in reducing anxiety [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

<\/a>Exercise<\/span><\/h3>\n

People who exercise<\/a> regularly experience lower levels of neuroticism, anxiety, and depression, while lack of regular physical activity has been associated with an increased risk of anxiety [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Aerobic exercise may be most effective at reducing anxiety in both healthy people and those diagnosed with disorders such as generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and PTSD [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

<\/a>Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Training<\/span><\/h3>\n

A lower heart rate variability from a normal \u201cbaseline\u201d heart rate<\/a> indicates a dominance of the \u201cfight-or-flight\u201d (sympathetic<\/em>) nervous system, which is associated with increased stress and many forms of anxiety [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n

A handful of studies have shown that heart rate variability biofeedback training can reduce overall anxiety and perceived stress [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n