People these days tend to be a lot more anxious. The evolution of the society has created an environment where everyday life is becoming more mentally demanding. Don't let anxiety make you feel powerless and alone. This article can help you to limit anxiety's effect on your life. In the throes of an anxiety attack, practice diaphramatic breathing to help you calm down. Place one hand on your stomach and inhale deeply, pushing your hand outward. Hold that breath for several seconds, and exhale slowly. This keeps you from hyperventilating and gives you something besides your panic to focus on. Think happy thoughts. If you have problems falling asleep at night because of anxiety, think about everything good in your life and the positive things you are going to do the next day. While it may seem hard to do at first, the more you do it, the more you will get used to it. Soda is one of the worst things that you can drink during the course of the day ang you should avoid this beverage at all costs. Soda contains a lot of sugar and caffeine that can exacerbate your mood and dehydrate your body of essential nutrients, causing more tension and anxiety. Try to stay busy as much as you can when you are dealing with anxiety. While meditation and deep breathing exercises are a good idea, other things that keep you idle are not good for you. Staying active will keep your mind off of all the things that are creating your feelings of anxiety. Learn to breathe deeply from your diaphragm. When you take deep, regular breaths from your diaphragm, you will increase your calming feelings and begin to relax. Focus on breathing from your midsection, near your belly button. The stomach should extend outwards, if the breath is coming from the right area. Exercise is a great way to reduce your anxiety. When you work up a sweat at the gym or outdoors you just feel better about yourself. The more you get in shape, the less anxiety you're prone to have as well. Consult with a doctor to see if your body can take some exercise, and then, get to it. The best way to deal with anxiety is to learn how to minimize it. Many people do this through deep breathing methods. This is a great way to learn how to control your own emotions and bring a level of balance into your life, while improving your mind. Go outside for one of the best free therapies available for treating anxiety and depression. The sun is a necessary part of any treatment for anxiety. It supplies your body with Vitamin D and also has a positive influence on your brain. Many people become depressed in the winter without the sun, so whenever possible, get outside and enjoy some free therapy. You must realize that anxiety is your mind telling you that you need something. Whether it is something simple like a break, or just the need to talk to a friend or family member, you should address the cause. If your anxiety is creeping up because you need to handle something; handle it. You will thank yourself later. Visualize positive outcomes in whatever situation you are dealing with. You can then take the time to feel better about what is happening to you. Also you can take the time to find out how you make those visualizations a reality by setting goals for how they can happen. Therapy and counseling aren't just for people who have psychological disorders or mental problems. These therapeutic services can help even the most normal and well rounded people deal with their lives better. It is nice to have someone who is unbiased about your life to talk to and help you to work through your issues. Listen to music. However, not just any music will do. The next time you feel your anxiety levels rising, throw on your favorite CD, or playlist. Whether you enjoy the calming sounds of a classical orchestra, or rocking out to 80's hair metal, you will feel your anxiety melt away with each song you know by heart. Before you know it, the anxiety is reduced, if not gone, and your spirits will be invigorated and renewed. Spend less time with people who cause you to feel anxious. Limiting your exposure to people who somehow always seem to make you feel bad is a step forward in reducing your feelings of anxiety. Setting boundaries that are healthy and respectful are a good way to protect you from the anxiety of others. Keep an ongoing anxiety journal. As you progress through your day, and you feel anxiety over certain issues, console yourself with the knowledge that you will be expressing your anxiety through writing. When you take the time to write your worries and fears out, you release them and allow for clearer thinking of the issue. Consider keeping the journal with you for those most difficult times. Try not to self-medicate with alcohol. When you suffer from anxiety, it can be easy to consume alcohol, in order to reduce your symptoms. Using alcohol to control your anxiety levels, however, is a very bad idea. You will build up a tolerance to the alcohol, and you will have to keep increasing your intake. Social anxiety can be hard to overcome. One way to make it less painful is to begin with your hobbies. Figure out what you like to do and find others that like to do it, too. If you like to hike you can join a rock climbing or hiking group. If you knit a lot, there are plenty of other knitters out there! All you have to do is to look for them. With any luck, you now have sufficient information to pursue a life free of anxiety. Use this knowledge to share with friends and family who also have these issues. Imagine how wonderful it would be to help those you know live a more peaceful life, too!