Tips for Easing Anxiety: How to Shift into a Peaceful State

Tips for Easing Anxiety: How to Shift into a Peaceful State

By Vanessa Whitnell, M.ED, LCPC, CADC

In my previous blog, What is Anxiety?, I covered the various types of anxiety disorders and associated symptoms. Now we will dive more deeply into Polyvagal Theory, which states that we have control over making our bodies feel more relaxed by stimulating our vagus nerve.  Using a variety of techniques, this tells our brains to “calm down!” and help shift into a peaceful state.

Polyvagal Theory, which was developed by Stephen Porges, PhD, explores how our autonomic nervous system (the system for regulating our heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and breathing) impacts our ability to function in day to day life. 

According to the Polyvagal Institute, here are some techniques to activate your vagus nerve and help you shift into a peaceful state:

1. Deep breathing: if you exhale for longer than you inhale, your brain will soon realize that there is no “threat.” Try counting your breaths: inhale for 3 seconds, pause, exhale for 5 seconds, pause, and repeat. Notice your belly expand as you inhale and contract as you exhale. Giving your mind something to focus on (like counting your breaths and noticing your belly move) will distract you from whatever you were worrying about.
2. Mindful meditation: to bring yourself out of a thinking spiral, put your attention on specific and tangible things around you. Can you identify 3 things in the room that are the color blue? What are 3 different sounds you hear? Does your shirt feel slightly different than your pants? What are the different flavors and textures of the food you are eating? Try practicing mindful meditation for 5-10 minutes on a daily basis and see if your overall anxiety levels decrease. Bonus points if you add deep breathing into the routine!
3. Social Connection: spending quality time with the people (and pets!) that you love will release “feel good” neurotransmitters. Still feeling stressed? Give your pet a hug or ask your loved one to hold your hand. Take some deep breaths and practice mindfulness by noticing how soft your pet feels or what your loved one’s perfume or cologne smells like.
4. Physical Activity: this one might be harder to do if you’re sitting in the middle of a classroom or in a crowded place, but doing some form of exercise on a daily basis will help to expel pent up energy that needs to be released. Do you need to get rid of some body tension right now? Try doing 20 jumping jacks or running in place really fast for a few seconds. Take some deep breaths and notice how you feel after.
5. Yoga: not enough good things can be said about yoga! It combines all 4 of the previous suggestions into 1 practice! Plus, “certain yoga poses, like the downward dog or bridge pose, can stimulate the vagus nerve to promote relaxation and emotional regulation,” (Polyvagal Institute, n.d.).

We at Counseling Works are here to help! If you think you or your loved one could benefit from some individualized treatment for your anxiety, we have several therapists who specialize in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Schedule an appointment today!

Reference:

What is polyvagal theory. Polyvagal Institute. (n.d.). https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheory