Anxiety is something that affects many people when dealing with daily stressors such as work, school, and social relationships. Even though it can be unavoidable at times, I’ve found a few methods to deal with these forms of anxiety, in addition to the usual advice of taking a bath or binge-watching Netflix. Below are the best tricks that have worked for me; maybe one of these will be the key to maintaining your stress-related anxiety as well!
1. Limit caffeine
This first tip was key for getting my anxiety under control. Some people can have multiple coffees before lunch and feel great, but this has never worked for me. Rather than encouraging focus and productivity, it leaves me feeling more anxious and distracted than I would be without caffeine. Instead of starting my day with a ton of caffeine, I will opt for a green tea – this has just enough to wake me up without triggering anxiety.
2. L-Theanine
L-Theanine is an amino acid that is found naturally in green and black tea, and it has been shown to help with nervous system function, providing benefits such as better mental focus, improved sleep, and increased cognitive performance (medicalnewstoday.com). When first hearing about this supplement, I was skeptical. However, after trying it for myself, I have personally found that it helps me remain focused while completing school work, without my anxiety becoming a distraction. I’m not totally sure whether this is a case of a placebo effect, but if you’re interested in a natural supplement that may improve your functionality when dealing with stress and anxiety, this may be a good option to try.
3. Regulate your sleep cycle
Getting regular sleep is key to improving almost every aspect of your life, mental health included. While it can be hard as a student to find time to get 7-8 hours of rest a night, you will feel so much better if you do. Something I’ve started doing recently is waking up a couple hours earlier than I normally would to finish any assignments that I would usually stay up late to finish. By going to sleep early and getting a fresh start in the morning, I get more rest and feel much more focused when getting back to it in the morning.
4. Be proactive about eliminating the causes of your anxiety
Sometimes, trying methods such as these aren’t always enough to get your anxiety under control. Planning ahead to leave adequate time to finish all tasks can diminish work-related anxiety and may give you extra time to catch up on rest or get some exercise in. Being proactive can sometimes seem difficult when you have a lot of responsibilities to complete, but starting small with a to-do list can work wonders to improve your outlook.
These are a few tips that have helped my personal struggle with school-related anxiety, and chances are at least one of these may help you too. However, it is always best to get evaluated by a professional if you have serious mental health struggles – further insight could be the key to really making a change in the status of your mental health.