9 Best Anxiety Activities to Try Today
9 Best Anxiety Activities to Try Today
Takeaway: While there’s no quick formula to make worry and stress disappear for good, coping skills can help make it all a bit easier to manage. In this post, you’ll learn:
9 of my favorite activities to relieve anxiety,
Common signs to consider seeking professional help for anxiety, and
How therapy can help with anxiety.
If you struggle with anxiety, you're not alone. According to the World Health Organization, anxiety is the most common mental health disorder, affecting 301 million people worldwide.
But you don't have to have a formal diagnosis to feel anxious or stressed from time to time. Regardless, these feelings can range anywhere from mildly uncomfortable to overwhelming and overbearing, so it makes sense that you're looking for a way to keep them at bay.
As a clinical psychologist, I encourage my clients to turn toward their feelings and dive deep in order to better understand them. At the same time, it's not always realistic to be in your feelings 24/7. These strategies can help relieve stress, which is a crucial part of managing anxiety.
Let's dive in!
Who are these anxiety activities for?
These activities are for anyone who's looking for tips to manage stress at home in easy, accessible ways. They aren't meant to replace getting support from medical or mental health professionals. Most importantly, they aren't a replacement for getting help if you're in a crisis.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs urgent support, please contact 988 or visit your local crisis center or emergency room.
How can activities for anxiety help?
Each of these tips can help reduce stress in different ways. Under each tip, I'll give a little insight into how they can be a supportive part of your self-care routine.
Generally speaking, though, anxiety and stress reduction strategies may help by:
Regulating your nervous system
Grounding you in the present moment
Identifying and accepting your emotions
...and more.
A clinical psychologist's 9 favorite activities to relieve anxiety
When it comes to stress management, it's important to find what works for you. However, if you're not sure where to start or want a few new tools to add to your toolkit, these activities for anxiety can help.
1. Learn about anxiety
There's a reason people say that knowledge is power. Learning more about anxiety can give you helpful insight into the mechanisms behind it, the mental and physical effects of high stress levels, and how stress and anxiety show up in your life. This can help you feel more confident and empowered in managing your stress and anxiety.
Books, worksheets (check out this one on the cycle of anxiety), podcasts, blog posts, and even social media content can give you tons of useful information about stress and anxiety.
2. Get creative
Art can be a fun, soothing stress-relief activity. No, you don't have to be "artistic" to enjoy the benefits. Making art can help anyone get present, process emotions, and express themselves in a unique way.
This study shows how effective art therapy can be for managing stress levels. While formal art therapy is a great option, you can also get a dose of this at home. Break out your favorite adult coloring book, paint along to an instructional YouTube video, or simply doodle with a pen on plain paper. Challenge yourself to be open to wherever your creative instrument takes you.
3. Try progressive muscle relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is a strategy that can help you become more aware of how you hold stress in your physical body, and then release that stress. In addition to relieving stress in your day-to-day life, it can also be especially useful in getting a good night's sleep.
Check out this resource from the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs to learn more about how it works and how to actually do it.
4. Engage in physical exercise
Moving your body can be a great way to get out of your head. It doesn't have to be anything too strenuous (although it can be, if intense exercises like CrossFit or long-distance running is your thing).
Even gentle movement like stretching, yoga, or walking can all give you both physical and mental health benefits. You can get creative with it, too. Get in on the pickleball craze, go bowling, or have a living room dance party with your friends!
5. Just breathe
Breathing exercises are another key way to manage anxiety. The breath can be a powerful way to reconnect with your physical body (AKA cutting the overthinking spiral) and even regulate your nervous system.
There are tons of different breathing exercises out there, but I'm a fan of the 4-7-8 breath. This involves inhaling for four seconds, holding it for seven seconds, and exhaling for eight seconds. Making your exhale longer than your inhale can help slow your heart rate and stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps your body switch out of fight-or-flight mode.
6. Connect with nature
Getting a dose of the outdoors can have an incredibly calming effect. This article from Harvard Medical School references a study which found taking just a 20-minute nature break can help reduce stress hormone levels.
Customizing this to your needs is key. You can take a walk on a nature trail a few times a week after work, or take your lunch break in the park with a coworker. Consider a hike or something more intensive if you're feeling adventurous, but no need to go above and beyond if not.
7. Try something new
Switching up your routine can be a fun activity to reduce anxiety. The challenge of trying to learn a new (enjoyable) activity is one way to take your mind off stressful situations, even if only temporarily.
This could range from learning a new board game with your friends to signing up for your first adult dance class, or anything in between.
8. Find social connection
Whether it's talking to a trusted friend, confiding in your partner, or even joining an online support group, spending time with other people can help ease your stress.
It can feel intimidating to talk about your emotions, but expressing yourself is a crucial part of releasing pent-up feelings. While it's important to have an arsenal of coping strategies you can use on your own, you shouldn't have to navigate stress by yourself all the time.
9. Let yourself feel it
Like I said before, I believe that it's vital to turn toward your feelings—even (and especially) the uncomfortable ones. It's natural to push negative emotions away, but this only intensifies them in the long run. Plus, it can make them bubble up in unexpected ways.
Carving out quiet time (or even time with a loved one) to truly let yourself feel your feelings is vital in learning how to manage stress and anxiety. You'll build resilience and learn how to let emotions come up—and how to let them go.
When fun activities to reduce anxiety aren't enough
While these stress relieving activities are a great starting point, they aren't a replacement for formal anxiety treatment.
Here are some signs that it's time to consider professional help (like working with a therapist).
Your emotions feel out of control.
You constantly feel tense.
You can't remember the last time you felt truly relaxed.
You have a hard time controlling your worry.
You notice feeling frozen, distracted, or your mind goes blank.
You spend a lot of energy trying to control your thoughts.
You feel constantly depleted, drained, and exhausted.
While at-home anxiety activities can still be a helpful part of your day-to-day stress management, I recommend seeking support if any of the above statements resonate with you.
Connect with a therapist for in-depth anxiety support.
If you feel this way, you're not alone. As a therapist for anxiety, I help people like you find true, lasting relief from anxiety symptoms through in-depth therapy.
By diving deep into your thoughts, emotions, and life experiences, we can find the root of your anxiety and gain a comprehensive understanding of how anxiety affects you. From here, you can make impactful changes that allow you to actually relax and enjoy your life.
Ready to get started? If you are located in Virginia, Washington DC or Washington state - I'm here for you. Hi, I am Dr. Ann Krajewski, Licensed Clinical Psychologist. Connect with me today for your free consultation. I look forward to meeting you!
