How to Create a Balanced Lifestyle That Reduces Anxiety: 4 Proven Tips

In our last article, we explored how understanding your anxious mind can help you figure out how to manage it. As you know, feeling anxious is something we all experience at times, but when that anxiety starts taking over, it can feel isolating and overwhelming. Whether it's constant worry, a racing mind, or physical symptoms like a tight chest or restless nights, anxiety can disrupt your life in ways that are hard to manage alone. 

But you’re not alone—there are effective strategies that can help you take control and find relief, which will impact you and those around you in a positive way. In this article, we’ll walk through some of the best, most approachable ways to manage anxiety so that you can feel more grounded and at peace, especially in lieu of the holidays coming up. 

Instead of just managing anxiety in the moment, you can work on building a lifestyle that helps prevent those anxious feelings from arising in the first place. By making small, intentional changes to your daily habits, you can create an environment that naturally reduces anxiety and keeps you feeling more balanced and at ease long-term.

Setting Boundaries 

Reducing the amount of social obligations and extracurricular activities you are a part of can be a great way to reduce anxious feelings. Reclaiming your time and saying “no” can be especially difficult for the people pleasers of the world, however, continually saying “yes” may be hurting you more than you realize. 

Learn to set healthy boundaries. Start saying "no" to extra responsibilities, carve out more time for self-care, and please start making your children take on more responsibility (Things may not be as “good” as when you do it, but it’ll be fine, I promise). You can significantly reduce feelings of overwhelm and anxiety by giving yourself permission to prioritize your well-being and maintain balance in your life. 

Staying Active 

We hit on this in the previous anxiety article as well, but that’s because it truly is so important. The importance of staying active is not about the way you look, it’s about increasing the biological responses to movement. 

Physical activity triggers the release of endorphins, often referred to as "feel-good" hormones, which naturally reduce stress and anxiety levels. It can also boost serotonin and dopamine which enhance your mood. It can also help the brain better cope with stress and can offer a sense of calm after activity, and it improves your sleep quality, which is essential for your mental health. The weather is finally starting to cool off in Texas, so get outside and get your daily walk in. Even if it’s just 10 minutes your body, and mind, will thank you. 

Eating a Balanced Diet 

Eating a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of whole foods—like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats—can have a big impact on your mental health. Avoiding excessive caffeine, sugar, and processed foods can also prevent mood swings and reduce anxiety. 

I know it sounds way too simple, so let’s dive a bit deeper. Eating processed foods can cause blood sugar spikes which can lead to irritability, mood swings, and anxiety as your body tries to regulate its energy levels. 

Processed foods can also impact your gut health due to a lack of fiber and nutritional value. An unhealthy gut can lead to inflammation which disrupts the regulation of serotonin and other important neurotransmitters that are associated with anxiety. 

Prioritizing Your Sleep 

There are different theories on why people need sleep, the most popular ones are that we need sufficient sleep to help prepare  for the stresses of our daily lives. If we aren’t getting sleep, we aren’t able to cope, which can lead to anxiety. 

Establishing good sleep hygiene can help increase your ability to sleep and reduce your anxiety. Things like having regular bedtimes, regular wake up times, creating a peaceful sleep environment, and having a relaxing bedtime routine can help increase your sleep hygiene. 

Sometimes struggling to stay asleep can be the issue. Waking up a few times in the night is completely normal, and typically worsens as we age. However, if you’re staying up for extended periods of time it’s best to get out of bed and “reset.” It doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to go back to sleep, but keeping the habit of only sleeping while in bed can remind your body what it’s supposed to be doing and reduce the psychological reinforcements of sleeplessness. 

Once you’re up and waiting to get sleepy again try meditating, reading, or doing relaxation techniques. Do not scroll on your phone or watch tv as the stimulation from the light can interrupt your sleep-wake cycle. Don’t let waking up in the middle of the night impact how you handle your next day. Keep your routine, take naps, and take part in some physical activity to wear yourself out. 

As you learn to create a lifestyle that reduces anxiety, remember that it takes time to do so. Give yourself grace, and if it ever feels like anxiety is taking over please don’t hesitate to find help.