One of the most common mental health problems is anxiety and while most of you might not think of it as a huge problem, it can prove to be very harmful. Anxiety is excessive worry about day to day happenings. And it’s common nowadays because of the chaotic world we live in. Being a little anxious can be good as it shows that you are careful, however, the level of anxiety shouldn’t exceed to a dangerous level.

Most people who suffer from anxiety prefer taking antidepressants in order to cope with their anxiety. It does work, however, excessive use can be very harmful. Guess what, people do end up using an excessive amount of antidepressants because they think that doing so will help them in getting rid off the anxiety completely.

This is a huge misconception as antidepressants only give temporary results. After all, they have drugs in them and each and every drug can prove to be addictive if used regularly. So, a desperate measure turns into an addiction which is even more harmful than the disease itself.

Another reason for the same is that people don’t know the natural ways of reducing anxiety. So, here are 5 natural ways to reduce your anxiety level:

Hit The Gym

You might be thinking that the trouble of getting up and going to the gym will only cause even more anxiety. Well, you might be right, however, the moment you get out of the gym, you’ll feel that you don’t have even a single ounce of anxiety in you. Trust me, it works and you’ll be astonished by the results.

Put That Glass/Bottle/Mug Down

Alcohol, a thing many people think is their friend as it calms you down for some time, however, not when the buzz goes away. As soon as the effects of alcohol fade away, your anxiety will come right back at you and it might be even more intense than it was before. So, alcohol is a bad idea… get rid of it.

Quit It Already

Yes, I’m talking about smoking. Just like alcohol, many people use cigarettes as stress relievers. And while I do agree that they calm your nerves for some time, they do something bad as well. As soon the calming effect will go away, you’ll start feeling stressed and anxious again. That’s how people get addicted to nicotine. Also, researchers say that the sooner you start smoking, the more is the chance of you getting anxiety disorder later in your life.

Sleepy Sleepy!!

A night of good eight-hour sleep is very important for mental health. One of the most common symptoms of anxiety is insomnia (difficulty in going to sleep and staying asleep). This is because you are worried before you go to bed. Just do what I used to do… write down all your worries on a peice of paper before going to sleep and keep a definite time of going to sleep every day. Trust me, doing this will help in a lot of ways.

Breath In… Breathe Out

That’s right, start meditating. Meditation has proved to be a life-changing practice for many people who suffer from anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. Just sid down on a yoga mat, cross your legs, erase all your worries, think of your happy place, and… breathe in… breath out. Keep doing this until you feel calm and composed. And unlike alcohol and nicotine, this one has a long-lasting result. Just make a habit of repeating this daily.

Conclusion

Even I suffered from anxiety once in my life and doing these five things really helped me. I am posting this article so that it can help those who might need them. Anxiety can prove to be horrible and I feel that nobody should suffer from such a problem. Life is beautiful and you have so much to live for. So, you shouldn’t waste it worrying about things and trust me, some of those things don’t even matter. It’s your life and it’s your right to stay happy.