Destressing Tips for Any Scenario

IT CAN COME WITHOUT WARNING—OR REASON. Suddenly you’re woozy with dread, your breath gets short and quick, and your heart thrums in your ears like a low-flying helicopter.

Anxiety. Panic. The mean reds. Whatever you call it, everyone suffers that queasy, uneasy feeling of angst and trepidation at some point in life. Since the turn of the millennium, anxiety has surpassed depression as the most prominent mental-health issue in America, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. And while just 18 percent of adults suffer a serious anxiety disorder, freak-outs become universal when specific stresslaced situations flood the nervous system with hormones like cortisol, triggering the “flight or fight” response.

The roots of anxiety are complex—from genetics and brain disorders to overprotective upbringings by high-strung parents—and episodes of dread are further compounded by today’s frenetic pace and economic uncertainty. Add in the vagaries of the digital age, and the loss of real-life bonds to socialmedia relationships that are quantified with “likes” and “shares,” feelings of unease can skyrocket off the charts.

However unavoidable these bouts of nerves are, we don’t have to succumb to them. Experts insist there are natural remedies for the cold sweats that don’t require wolfing down chocolate or swilling boxes of wine for comfort.

The first step is to realize that “much of anxiety is the tendency to equate uncertainty with bad outcomes,” notes Robert L. Leahy, PhD, the director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy and author of The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You (Harmony, 2005). “You can never be certain. Almost everything you do every day you do with uncertainty.” Once we accept that we will never have complete guarantees in life, we can begin to create a toolbox of natural de-stressors—from practicing mindfulness to something as simple as sipping hot tea.

Here, we pair those common worry triggers with strategies for dealing with them, so that before your next anxiety attack spins into a nauseating tizzy, you’ll be armed and ready. of Scotch or a good massage.” The breath, which oxygenates the blood and signals the brain to calm down, creates a physiological response in the body that naturally decreases stress and anxiety. “Deep breathing can lower your blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels,” adds Dr. Vranich. TECHNIQUE: Celebrity physician Andrew Weil, MD, advocates a breathing technique he calls the 4-7-8 breath. Described as a “natural tranquilizer for the nervous system,” the 4-7-8 breath helps to reduce tension in the body. To perform it, inhale through your nose for a count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Now let it out slowly through your mouth for a count of eight. Repeat five to 20 times. EXTRA POWER TOOL: While you probably don’t want to practice full-on meditation while driving, “listening to meditation apps like Calm (calm.com) or Headspace

The roots of anxiety are (headspace.com), which have libraries of 10-minute complex—from genetics meditation lessons and and brain disorders to practice sessions, can further promote mindfulness and overprotective upbringings prevent anxiety from taking by high-strung parents— over,” says Peter Fiasca, PhD, author, editor and and episodes of dread are the producer-director of further compounded by Classical Pilates Technique video programming. today’s frenetic pace and “Meditation can have a economic uncertainty. generalized full-spectrum effect on anxiety reduction,” he notes. PARENTAL PANIC SCENARIO: You’re freaking out because you’re going to your parents’ (or worse, your in-laws’) for the long Thanksgiving weekend. This is a double whammy since overprotective parents often are the root cause of heightened anxiety in their offspring. TOP TOOL: Dietary changes. When you have time to prepare for an upcoming emotional minefield, consider tweaking your diet. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids may ease anxiety symptoms by lowering levels of stress chemicals such as adrenaline and cortisol. TECHNIQUE: If you feel an anxiety attack coming, grab a quick snack such as a handful of walnuts, suggests Drew Ramsey, MD, coauthor of The Happiness Diet (Rodale, 2012). Seeds and fatty fish, such as tuna and salmon, are other great sources of omega-3 fatty acids, or take fish oil supplements (look for ones that provide 2,000 mg a day). A 2005 Israeli study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience found that students given omega-3 supplements had markedly less anxiety before an exam than students taking a placebo. EXTRA POWER TOOLS: Eating eggs for breakfast can also help ward off worry, says Dr. Ramsey. They’re packed with choline, a deficit of which has been linked to increased anxiety. And who knows? If you cook eggs for the whole family, maybe they’ll chill out, too.

HUNG UP

SCENARIO: You’re driving and late to work (or picking up your kids) for the second time in a row when you get stuck in an epic traffic jam—a situation over which you have no control. The feeling of being trapped in your vehicle, a common phobia, escalates with the added risk of arriving disastrously tardy again.

TOP TOOL: Deep breathing. “Changing the way you breathe will lower stress levels in minutes,” says Belisa Vranich, PsyD, a clinical psychologist, breath coach and the author of Breathe: The Simple, Revolutionary 14-Day Program to Improve Your Mental and Physical Health (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2016). “It works faster than a Valium, a double shot

HIGH ANXIETY. . WHEN TO CALL A PRO

Everyone experiences stress once in a while, but there’s a difference between the occasional freak-out and struggling with persistent, lifelong anxiety. Here are some things to consider when contemplating prescription treatment or professional therapy.

BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR SYMPTOMS. “If your anxiety is interfering with your sleep, eating, work, relationships or ability to travel and do everyday activities, you may need professional help,” says Robert L. Leahy, PhD.

DON’T WAIT. If any of the above symptoms last for four weeks or more, see someone, adds Dr. Leahy, who suggests finding therapist recommendations at cognitive-therapy websites academyofct.org and abct.org. “Unfortunately, people often wait between five and 10 years before seeking help.”

FIND A PROFESSIONAL WITHOUT ADDING MORE ANXIETY. If you have social anxiety and hate talking on the phone to schedule appointments, consider an online scheduler like ZocDoc. You can enter your insurance info, find doctors in your area who accept it and schedule an appointment online.

PERFORMANCE ANXIETY

SCENARIO: You have to give a big speech before all the bigwigs at your company and are developing full-blown stage fright. The good news? You’re not alone. The 2016 Chapman University Survey on American Fears found found public speaking to be America’s top phobia. Equally nerve-wracking: asking the boss for a raise. Researchers say fear of rejection and insecurities about negotiation skills keep countless employees from requesting their due.

TOP TOOL: Essential oils, especially lavender. “I always use essential oils before public-speaking events to calm my nerves and help me focus,” says Heather Edwards, LMHC, BCC, NCC, a psychotherapist and board-certified coach. “Oils with lavender, Roman chamomile, and tree or grass oils like spruce and vetiver have both calming and grounding properties.” A 2010 study in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology found that dental patients were less anxious if the waiting room was scented with lavender oil, and in a Florida study published in Holistic Nursing Practice in 2009, students who inhaled lavender oil before an exam had less anxiety.

TECHNIQUE: Just one drop of pure essential oil on your hands or feet can have an instant effect, says Edwards. You can reapply every 20 minutes or so.

EXTRA POWER TOOL: “Sometimes I put a drop in my seltzer water for flavor and an extra boost of those calming properties,” adds Edwards, who cautions: “Always make sure your oils are pure and safe for internal consumption.”

CAN I GET A REFUND.

SCENARIO: You finally decided to take the plunge and sign up for that online art class, but you’re afraid your sketches aren’t up to par. Your self-doubt is compounded by social anxiety—a leeriness of new people and strange situations. Fears of humiliation loom.

TOP TOOL: Exercise, especially Pilates and yoga. Physical activity directly reduces the flight-orfight hormone cortisol, explains Jaimie PerlaFurst, MSW, a former social worker. “When confronted with a stressful situation, our bodies release a wave of stress hormones to prime them to fight or flee. Exercise relieves that excess energy and tension.” Moreover, physical exercise increases strength and releases endorphins—both potent confidence-builders.

TECHNIQUE: “While many modes of physical exercise can dispel anxiety, Pilates and yoga in particular has an incredible way of bringing people’s focus to their bodies through gentle stretching, gradual conditioning and integrating the breath,” notes Perla-Furst. “Pilates can be incredibly powerful in providing a place for the body to relax, rejuvenate and release tension.” So if you have an intimidating new class or encounter coming up, definitely squeeze in a workout beforehand. “It will help center your mind and body,” says Perla-Furst.

EXTRA POWER TOOL: Even if you don’t have time for a full workout right before that new endeavor, a quick online class at home can work wonders, releasing the calming neurotransmitter GABA, along with mood-boosting serotonin.

SCENARIO: You’ve finally landed an in-person interview for the job you’ve been dreaming of. But it feels as if your nerves are going to take over and ruin your chance to show who you really are.

TOP TOOL: Chamomile. Yes, it might sound like hippy dippy baloney. But compounds (apigenin and luteolin) in this daisy-like plant promote relaxation by actually binding to the same brain receptors as drugs like Valium. A 2009 study at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center found that patients with generalized anxiety disorder who took chamomile supplements for eight weeks had a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms compared to patients who were given a placebo.

TECHNIQUE: Brew up a pot of chamomile tea the night before your interview or audition. It will calm your nerves, settle your stomach and promote more sound sleep to boot. And don’t be afraid to use extra teabags. You can never overdo it! Chamomile can also be taken as a supplement, with capsules usually containing 1.2 percent apigenin, along with dried chamomile flowers. Mom was right. Have a nice cup of tea!

EXTRA POWER TOOL: Drink a cup of green tea 30 minutes before your meeting. A 2006 study in the Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy shows that the amino acid L-theanine, present in green tea, can stimulate the brain’s alpha waves, resulting in a more relaxed state without drowsiness.

THE WHAT-IF DISEASE

SCENARIO: An upcoming medical procedure (Lasik? Root canal?) has you fretting in trepidation. Fear of doctors, needles and blood may even cause you to avoid important steps necessary to maintain your health, job or well-being. These squeamish terrors haunt many of us and are often passed down in families.

TOP TOOL: Walk—preferably in nature. “Walking is great for fighting anxiety,” says Perla-Furst. “Walking gets your heart pumping, which increases the breath, bringing more oxygen to the brain. It also activates soothing neurons in the brain.” In general, 20 minutes will produce the desired state of relaxation and return your mind to a more rational place where you’ll recall that millions of people have survived these medical ordeals before you—and lived to tell about them.

TECHNIQUE: Head into the woods. In a 2009 review published in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, Japanese researchers found that people who walked through the woods (an activity they call shinrin-yoku, literally a “forest bath”) had lower stress hormone levels after their walk than those who took a comparable walk in an urban area. If you're stuck in a city, take your stroll in a park or quiet tree-lined street.

EXTRA POWER TOOL: For a bonus hit of bliss, pet an animal, encourages Edwards. Research from the journal Anxiety, Stress, & Coping in 2003 confirms the angst-reducing effect of communing with fourlegged friends. H

MORE TOOLS FOR COGNITIVE COPING

Although medications such as Lexapro and Xanax can be helpful for generalized anxiety disorders, “pills don't teach you skills,” insists Robert L. Leahy, PhD. If your fidget spinner isn’t doing the trick, here’s a short list of his exercises for vanquishing panic.

• Specify exactly what you think is going to happen. For example, “I will be humiliated by strangers at the party,” or

“I will get fired.” • Remember how many times you have been wrong in the past. • Think of the worst outcome, best outcome and most likely outcome that you could expect. • Try doing the thing that makes you anxious—and do it over and over again.

For example, touch the object that is

“contaminated,” talk to a stranger, or ride the elevator up and down 20 times. • Use the boredom technique. Repeat your anxious thought for 20 minutes very slowly. For example, I could get fired. Repeat this until you’re bored listening to yourself. • Compartmentalize your anxious thoughts.

Acknowledge that you have these thoughts, put them in a bottle on a shelf, and focus on productive activities even if you’re anxious doing them. Focus on goals, not anxiety. • Treat your anxious thoughts like background noise or telemarketing calls you “decline” to answer.