Whether you suffer from an anxiety disorder, panic attacks, social anxiety, or are just an uptight person, odds are you can get very stressed out. When people get very stressed and anxious, they often experience tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, increased heart rate, a hard time focusing, tingling, and feeling “out of it.” All of these things make it impossible to function, let alone be productive. Stressful situations often cause these reactions, but these times when you experience anxiety are often the times you need to focus most, so here are a few ways to calm down quickly and get back on track.
Helping your senses calm down is the first step in easing tension. A lot of the time people have sensory overload and that is part of what makes them feel overwhelmed and cause anxiety. If it isn’t the cause of your distress, chances are it can contribute or agitate the situation. Try to find a quiet and dark space, take deep breaths, listen to peaceful music, step outside for fresh air, or close your eyes just to eliminate too much input going into your senses.
Writing down phrases that calm you or having someone you trust say them to you also can help relax. Even simple phrases like “everything is okay,” “everything is going to be fine,” “you are alright,” “you are safe and sound,” etc. can help relax and soothe someone during a panic attack.
Another thing you can do to ease any tension or anxiety is by using essential oils. When someone is experiencing a panic attack or an episode of anxiety, a good way for them to calm down and relax is through the use of various scents. Particularly the smell of eucalyptus or lavender are typically the most helpful and soothe the individual experiencing stress. The use of these fragrances opens up airways and aids with breathing, perfect for someone with a stuffy nose from crying or with tightness in their chest, by easing their ability to breathe you almost immediately can calm them down. The smells also help the situation become manageable, as they help relax your breathing making your heart rate slow down, which will make you relax better. These specific smells also simply ease and comfort people, as lavender and eucalyptus are a relaxing scent. Whether it is oils bought from the convenience store or aromatherapy lotions, these smells open airways, calm down breathing and relax and comfort the individual.
Tingling or shaking is also a common symptom of stress becoming too much. A way to ease this is by fine motor functions and focusing on something enjoyable but delicate or tedious to draw attention away from the stressor and ease the sense of anxiety. Adult coloring books or pages, or just doodling, in general, is a great go to. This will help stop any shaking or regain complete function in your hands and stop any tingling sensations, as well as give anyone suffering from a panic attack a sense of control as they control the image. By regaining control, you will regain your composure and be calmer in no time.
In an intense anxiety attack, a way to calm down is with a cold compress on the back of the neck. This will cool you down as your body gets hot as you get worked up and will soothe the muscle tension in your head and neck region caused by your stress. It will also help ease a headache if you suffer from headaches after you experience a panic attack or anxiety episode.
All of these are some fast acting and simple strategies that can help soothe someone else having a panic attack or help you during one as well. The best thing about this is you can do these things alone to calm yourself down, without being reliant on an additional support system to relax you. You have the power to calm yourself down, comfort yourself, and succeed in life calmly.