supporting anxiety will help

Buffy shared this list in the December 16 podcast episode, Supporting Anxiety Will Help. Bookmark this page as a practical reference for ways to access your body, support your brain, and tend to practical matters when you need support for your inner world.

1. Prioritize your sleep. Get between 7-9 hours a night if possible.

2. Twisting: while standing with feet planted, twist your upper body in a dynamic

twisting motion from right to left, allowing your arms to swing freely. The

knocking motion can create a sense of freedom.

3. Go to your closet- toss everything that doesn’t fit today. Throw away

underwear and socks that have holes or are torn. Pair down to eight pairs of

each.

4. Elevate your mornings with one calming ritual, void of rush.

5. Visit all your shoes- give away any that you do not wear, even if they were

expensive. Let it go.

6. Shake- the practice of shaking promotes emotional release and restores the

nervous system’s equilibrium.

7. Very day- recognize the vast, bigness of the universe in some way. Consider

the planets, the oceans, the sky- just for a few minutes, feel how your small

story is part of something bigger than you can imagine

8. Practice smiling- the smiling muscles simulate happiness and stimulate the

vagus nerve. It can have positive effects even if it is pretend.

9. Uplevel moments in between. Consider not scrolling when you have an extra

five minutes. Sit and breathe deeply.

10. Remove all uncomfy, scratchy sweaters and give away=- even if they were

gifts or expensive.

11. Sit by running water. (natural source of water is best, but even running bath

water will do). Running water signals safety and connection and helps soothe

anxiety.

12. Take out all the old food, including condiments, in your fridge and throw away.

Clean all the drawers and shelves. Marvel at the clean beauty.

13. Rocking: rocking your whole body can take you out of the freeze state. Stop

drop and rock when you need to.

14. Reduce or eliminate alcohol. We think it is winding us down and destressing,

but it kicks up anxiety and depression considerably.

15. Crawling- it sounds like a funny thing to do, yes. But as you coordinate

opposite sides of your body, it engages both sides of your brain- which helps

to ground you and release unwanted emotions. Low to the ground always

helps with anxiety.

16. Eat food in the freezer or toss. Clean out and make space.

17. Squeeze arms and legs- this is a quick and easy way to ground the nervous

system and bring you back to the present moment.

18. Walk for a few minutes after every meal.

19. Legs up the wall with an eye mask.

20. Boundaries- song- be clear, be kind, and do not try and control how they are

received once they are set.

21. Replace all cleaners in your home with natural cleaners such as vinegar,

baking soda, and essential oils.

22. Tapping – body tapping helps you reconnect to your body in the moment and

calls you back to a sense of peace. It helps with attunement.

23. Uplevel your water intake, and add fresh lemon and electrolytes.

24. Dance- freely – this will help calm the nervous system, energize you, and

bring you back to yourself. It also promotes pleasure.

25. Clean out your podcast feed, and remove those you do not listen to, of

leaving things that will help.

26. Identify 5 things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can

hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you love about yourself.

27. Clean your altar. Dust, reorganize, get rid of anything with negative or

stagnant energy.

28. Polish and clean the shoes you have, and out in fresh shoelaces.

29. Hand on heart- this helps you calm down and creates a sense of trust and

safety within you. Take at least 20 deep breaths here, visualizing green.

30. Cut the dead parts of all your plants off, and compost that material. Make sure

they are waters and in positions where they receive enough light.

31. Singing- When we sing, it stimulates the vagus nerve and helps settle the

nervous system. It also promotes relaxation. I always sing with my kids on the

way to school, because this is often when they are the most anxious.

32. Aromatherapy – using pure essential oils, use a diffuser, smell from the bottle,

or put actual oil on the feet or stomach, temples or wrists, or even the third

eye center. Breathe deeply, and lest the scent transport you to a place of

calm.

33. Massage your feet- this will help settle your nervous system, and you can

couple this activity with essential oils and prior to your practice of legs up the

wall.

34. Visualize and unwanted experience, situation, place or person. Begin to

breathe deeply. Push your arms forward, imagining you are pushing that

unwanted thing away from your field. Repeat as needed.

35. Slow neck circles- this will help relieve tension and calm you down.

36. Sweep your home. While sweeping the dust and dirt, also imagine you are

sweeping the negative and stagnant energy right out of your space, leaving

things open, airy, and light.

37. Yawning- Yawing helps promote relaxation and it regulates the brain’s temp.

38. Hot water- soaking in hot water helps relax and calm you, and relieves stiff,

sore muscles, and will also promote good sleep.

39. Cold exposure- you can alternate this with hot water, for polarity therapy. Cold

exposure is great for blood flow, immune system support, depression, anxiety,

and overall well-being.

40. Talk to a trusted friend. Vent, share, scream, and cry, But then also know

when to get quiet and still.

41. Pets- coregulating with animals is so helpful for stimulating the vagus nerve

and calming things down. It enhances a sense of safety and emotional

regulation.

42. If you are feeling stuck, just do one thing. Feed yourself, take a shower, or call

someone. One thing.

43. Jaw massage- we hold a lot here in the face, massage the jaw line can help

drain anxiety and soften the face.

44. Social media detox- turn off apps on your phone that keep you hooked and

pick up a real book.

45. Even when it is cold, bundle up and take a long walk. It will do you wonders.

46. Write a handwritten letter to your younger self. Show compassion,

forgiveness, and empathy.

47. Wall sits- sit down close to the wall and push your back and your butt strongly

against the wall for thirty seconds at a time, relax, then repeat. This reboots

your system and creates a sense of grounding and safety.

48. Call someone who needs you. Listen to them and their story, holding the

space with breath and light, and compassion.

49. Lie down and put an ice pack on your face. This will be calming and will

stimulate the vagus nerve, signaling your nervous system to settle.

50. Walk around your home, toss any broken toys, keys that do not fit anywhere,

and anything that is unfinished that you will never get to. DO this in every

room, taking a trash bag with you.

51. Find a person and hug them. Stay in a tight hug for at least 30 seconds. This

will promote relaxation, lower blood pressure, and boost the immune system.

It also releases oxytocin. Soooo good.

52. Make a simple, warm food like oatmeal or quinoa. Sit down with no

electronics, eat slowly and thoughtfully.

53. Identify anchors- naming anchors that evoke feelings of safety and

connection will help to reduce anxiety. Who are the safe people? What are

the safe ways you find comfort? Where are the safe places? When do you

feel safe and connected? Write it down so you can return to these when you

need to.

54. Stand up. matching your breath with your arms, inhale the arms high

overhead, as you exhale, press your arms down towards the floor. Repeat,

slowly and methodically, until calm and regulated.

55. Coloring: get a new pack of markers or crayons. Buy a coloring book of your

liking. and put some soothing music on. Color to create calm, peace, and

comfort.

56. Sighing- making loud, audible sighing sounds will help. It cues the nervous

system to relax, in the same way singing can do.

57. Make some food for someone else- there is someone you know who is

struggling. Think about a warming food you could make that would feed them

well and go get the ingredients. Also buy a container that they will not need to

wash and return. Make a handmade card and deliver it to their front porch.

You will feel better and so will they.

58. Laughter- try and laugh- even if it is a little forced. Look for a laughter yoga

class online and practice even if it feels silly. There is incredible medicine in

laughter.

59. brain stem connection: place your pointer and middle fingers at the back of

your head near the base of the skull. Massage in a circle, applying light

pressure. Do this for a couple of minutes. This will reduce stress and promote

calm.

60. Shared storytelling: this one is especially great for children – but is also good

for anyone. Someone starts the story, creating a visual world and introduces

characters. Then another person adds on, keeping the same line of thought.

Go back to the original person and continue to build until the story comes to a

natural end. Such a beautiful way to create art, but also to build connection

and remember how intertwined we all are.

61. Add magnesium to your supplement routine. This will help will immunity and

sleep.

62. Humming- as we have learned, when we engage the vocal cords the vagus

nerve is stimulated, and humming is a simple practice to help calm us down.

63. Oh- the same thing with gargling- do this daily. Super simple and easy way to

promote calm and peace.

64. Phones away- turn off your devices at least an hour before bed and store

them away from your bed (preferably in a different room_) while you sleep.

65. Box breath- this is a great breath and a simple one. My son even learned this

in his kindergarten class. He still uses this now when he gets worried. So, you

can use your finger to draw a box while you breathe---Inhale for 4 (or 6 or 8,

depending) hold for four, exhale for four, hold the out breath for four. Repeat,

each time building a box with the breath. Inhale for a count, hold for a count,

exhale for a count, hold for a count. Repeat until regulated. I like this one for

kids, too, because the visual of the drawing the box is helpful for them to stay

with it.

66. Early morning sun exposure- boosts mood, lowers stress, supports high

quality sleep, and regulates cortisol. Boom- all you gotta do is sit on the porch

in the first sun of the day with your coffee or tea- and voila- support your

health immensely.

67. Massage the third eye center- on the edges of the brows. While breathing

deeply for one or two minutes. So good. So calming. Easy peasy.

68. Weight- weighted sandbags- weighted eye pillows, weighted blankets- lying

under weight will relax your whole body and help you feel safe and calm.

69. Ritual and Repetition- have certain things you do daily that serve your in

terms of supportive consistency. For example- maybe every morning you light

a candle to remember to look for beauty. Or you read a poem by the fire. Or

you stand out on the cold porch while the dog pees- taking ten deep breaths

of cold air to remember the gift of being alive today. Something simple like

that.

70. Adding more of these nutrients to your diet will help support your nervous

system:

71. Magnesium (which I said earlier)- found in spinach, almonds, and pumpkin

seeds.

72. Vitamin A (found in kale, sweet potatoes, and carrots)

73. Vitamin B complex 9found in whole grains, legumes, and dark leafy greens)

74. Vitamin C (found in citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers)

75. Potassium (found in bananas, oranges, and potatoes)