There\u2019s no escaping the fact that we live in stress-inducing times. A global pandemic, loss of jobs, and civil and political unrest\u2014all amid a presidential election year in the US\u2014have set the stage for even the calmest among us to feel a little ill at ease. These challenging times aren\u2019t a prerequisite for anxiety, however. Anxiety can happen to any of us for a variety of reasons. According to the American Psychiatric Association<\/a>, \u201cAnxiety disorders are the most common of mental disorders and affect nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives.\u201d Anxiety may be mild, manifesting as low-grade fear or worry, or it may be severe and totally debilitating. Regardless of the degree, anxiety in all its forms is a chaotic, unhealthy, and unpleasant state that we need to learn to manage.<\/p> In its most basic definition, anxiety is an intense and overreactive fear and worry about daily life and situations. Anxiety is like run-of-the-mill fear amped up on steroids. It has a cascading, snowball-like effect of one fear or worry piling on another, and another until you\u2019re caught up in a full-blown avalanche of panic.<\/p> BLOOM Note > Learn how to recognize teen anxiety and provide support here.<\/a> <\/p> Although anxiety\u2019s roots<\/a> may be due to multiple causative factors, one primary trigger can be due to stress buildup<\/a> triggering the autonomic nervous system\u2019s fight-or-flight response. <\/p> This survival mechanism is a carryover from our primitive ancestors who always had to be on the lookout for attacks of wild animals, enemy tribes, or natural disasters. In those times, fear, worry, and paranoia helped humans survive. <\/p> Our ancestors who were perpetually on-guard, twitchy, and anxious spotted trouble early enough to survive it. Those who weren\u2019t vigilant against perpetual dangers didn\u2019t live to tell the tale or pass their genetic traits on to future generations. We carry this genetic disposition for fear and worry deep within us. Whether we want to admit it or not, deep within, there\u2019s a little scared and shaking prehistoric mammal cowering from danger on the forest floor.<\/p> Although we no longer live in prehistoric times, when a mental or emotional tipping point is reached in our day to day lives, the rattled nervous system still sends the fight\/flight signal throughout the physiology to elevate heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration, release stress hormones, redirect the circulation, and increase perspiration and muscle tension. Hence an imagined fear or worry creates a very tangible expression in mind and body. (1)<\/p> A somewhat new term in wellness circles is self-regulation<\/em>. Essentially, this means that one has control over oneself by oneself<\/em>. In other words, we actively manage our thoughts, our emotions, and behavior to lead toward greater homeostasis and balance. <\/p> Opposed to feeling as if our mental, emotional, and physical health and happiness are predetermined and beyond our control, self-regulation implies that through appropriate lifestyle choices, your mind-body system has an amazing ability to correct itself.<\/p> Self-regulation practices help the mind-body let go of chronic stress, worry, and the debilitating effects of anxiety and panic. They gently coax the nervous system off the ledge and settle it back down to a more nourishing state. Many of these techniques help to stimulate the vagus nerve<\/a>, the primary nerve pathway associated with the parasympathetic, or the rest-and-digest function of the nervous system.<\/p> Your state of mind is deeply intertwined with your breathing. Your mental activity is directly correlated to the speed and rhythm of your breath\u2014an agitated and anxious mind is reflected in rapid and shallow breathing, not unlike a scared forest creature. <\/p> A settled and calm mind, which activates the grow, heal, and restore functions of our nervous system,(2) is mirrored in deep, slow, and steady breathing. Therefore, conscious, deep breathing can be a powerful tool to settle anxious thoughts and emotions. Pranayama<\/em>, or yogic breathing practices contain several techniques that are uniquely suited to restore balance to your nervous systems.<\/p>The Roots of Anxiety<\/h2>
This Background Is Important for Two Reasons.<\/h3>
What Does Self-Regulation mean?<\/h2>
Review each approach below to discover how they can benefit your anxiety management strategy.<\/h2>
1. Breathing Techniques (Pranayama Practice)<\/h3>
2. Meditation<\/h3>
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