Just in case you are having a bout of the Sunday Night Scaries staring down tomorrow, or you just enjoy general anxiety like I do, a lil’ reminder…
Our own bodies do a pretty decent job of self-soothing if we learn a few tricks.
I noticed yesterday my blood pressure was rising and today it went through the roof (165/95). Any time my BP spikes, it scares me which makes me more anxious and more triggered and more positive I am about to have a heart attack which isn’t helpful for the aforementioned high BP.
So I did the things this afternoon:
- Took my BP meds of course (I have hereditary high BP).
- Turned off all screens to minimize noise and stimulation, lit a candle, and played soft music. Nonstop screens are stressful! Who knew?
- Drank a bunch of water and ate whole, healthy stuff with no inflammatory foods (no gluten or dairy) so my body could focus on only one problem: bringing down my BP.
- Sat in the grass barefoot and did a 20 minute guided meditation (I use Simple Habit but there are tons of apps). My narrator had me cover my heart with my hands while she repeated the mantra “I am safe, I am calm, I am connected.” Whatever, man. Woo woo stuff works.
- Spent 10 (20?) minutes just breathing: five seconds in through my nose, hold for five, five seconds out through my mouth, hold for five. I did this for who knows how long. CA-RAZY how we can calm down our own central nervous systems with just breathing. Even babies know how to breath! Sheesh!
- Scanned my body for tension. Per ush, it was all in the same places: relax my forehead, relax my eyes, relax my jaw, relax my shoulders, relax my hands. Those areas are as rigid as concrete when I am anxious.
- Took a 30-minute walk while listening to a “soothing story” through my meditation app. Moving your body in ANY way is the #1 way to move stress and anxiety through.
- Cooked dinner because my hands appreciated something to do that didn’t require my thoughts to keep overthinking. Cooking is calming for me. But any routine task here will do the trick.
Brought my BP down to 135/85 which is still not great but it is a world of difference from earlier.
Anxiety entered my personal chat four years ago (yay) and these are my tools. They are not sexy but they work. Even doing half of them will pull me out of the weeds.
Bodies are pretty amazing. We have so much of what we need right inside. In my case, meds help close the gap. You got this, Anxious Ones. Nurture your own little self. Then drink some water and go to bed.
If you need some additional support in this category, I have an entire Me Course (my version of an on-demand e-course) on wellness habits that can be supportive for your physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental health. Check it out here.