There is a lot of discussion around anxiety and treatment approaches. Medication is often a first thought, but there are also natural methods worth exploring to find relief.
One of those methods is meditation. It can be a simple but powerful practice to alleviate symptoms and reduce the recurrence of your anxiety.
How Meditation Helps Reduce Anxiety
Anxiety can make your brain feel chaotic and overactive. When your thoughts are racing on a never-ending hamster wheel, it can start to impact all facets of life. The smallest inconvenience or bump in the road can trigger anxiety and induce high levels of stress.
One way to calm the noise and shut off the warning alarms is through meditation practices. They allow you to process the feelings and emotions that are stressing you out and provide some sense of relaxation.
There is science behind the practice as well. When you meditate, it causes a release of serotonin (the calm and happy hormone) and helps restore your system to a neutral state.
Meditation Methods to Manage Anxiety
Many people discount meditation, especially those with anxiety, stating they can’t get their thoughts to slow down enough for it to work. It can be a difficult activity at first, but the more you practice, the more it will become second nature. Try different options to see what suits your needs best and what provides the best outcomes.
Mindfulness Meditation
Anxiety has a knack for spiraling your thoughts to future issues that haven’t occurred yet or sticking to past events that can no longer be changed. Mindfulness meditation helps by bringing your attention to the present moment. It allows you to become more in tune with what your body is feeling at this exact time. It helps you work through your feelings with zero judgment and without getting overwhelmed.
Body Scan Meditation
Body scanning helps to increase your awareness of any physical sensations you’re feeling in the moment when your anxiety is occurring. By increasing this awareness, you can work to release tension in the body. If your anxiety is localized to one location, you can target that area. Running a body scan can help you ground yourself when your anxiety is flaring up.
Guided Visualization
Guided visualization works with mental imagery to take you to a happier place where you can calm your anxiety and ease your mind. Most people have an idea of where they feel at peace, whether it’s a place they’ve been to or somewhere they dream of going. Using this type of imagery can be helpful for those who have a harder time with the standard mindfulness meditation.
Loving-Kindness Meditation
The loving-kindness meditation method focuses on establishing a loving and kind relationship with yourself. Under this method, you practice being compassionate with yourself as you would others. You give yourself grace in times of struggle. By shifting your mindset to something more positive and giving yourself some slack, you can work towards lessening the grip your anxiety has on you.
Breath Awareness Meditation
Breath awareness meditation incorporates something fundamental to us all, which is the act of breathing. Everyone breathes naturally and spends minimal time focusing on each breath. From the time we are born, it becomes a rote task.
With anxiety, breathing can be greatly affected, often making it more shallow and rapid. Depending on your situation, you may or may not even notice it change. This meditation method focuses on your breathing, noticing your breathing pattern and how your body feels when you inhale and exhale.
No matter which method you choose, it can be beneficial for managing your anxiety and improving your overall well-being. If one doesn’t fit, try another. Incorporate multiple. If you need a little extra guidance in your anxiety management then reach out to us today for a free consultation and let’s get started on a plan.
Learn more about anxiety therapy in Colorado.
