Self-care for anxiety
In this course, you’ll discover what anxiety is, how it affects your body, and how Lungy may be able to help you.
This short course is designed to help you manage mild anxiety symptoms from time-to-time. If you’re struggling, always seek help from a medical professional.
What is anxiety?
"We all experience anxiety from time to time - it is a side effect of living in an uncertain world. We can’t know the future or what will happen in our lives, and this can make the world seem unpredictable and scary. Our minds will still try to prepare us for things we are worried about, by running through future, imagined scenarios that may never happen. Just by thinking about them, these scenarios can feel very likely, threatening and real. But, because these situations are imaginary in the first place, we can never actually act out we can’t take action and learn from them, and we never resolve the uncertainty. So, we get stuck in a loop of negative thoughts about the future and what could happen, which we experience as anxiety.
Your response to anxiety will be unique to you. We may experience anxiety as a panicky feeling, irritability or a sense of dread. Our minds can race and loop over thoughts, running through different scenarios and jumping to worst-case scenarios. We may also notice physical symptoms like sweating, our heart racing or feeling light-headed – we may worry that these symptoms are a sign that something is physically very wrong with us. In the moment, these symptoms can be overwhelming and pretty unpleasant, making us avoid anxiety-inducing situations in the future.
Anxiety can restrict what you do. For example, you may not attend an important job interview or avoid public speaking at all costs, because of a previous time it went badly. In this module, we’ll learn some ways to manage anxiety, but it’s important to recognise when we may need professional support. While experiencing these anxious feelings occasionally is very normal, if you're feeling intense out-of-control worry for more than 2 weeks, or if your anxious feelings are getting in the way of your everyday life, then you should seek help and guidance from a medical professional.
How do our bodies respond to anxiety?
A few thousand years ago there were lots of real dangers in our environment. We may be out hunting and come across a lion or an angry gorilla - every day was potentially threatening and carried genuine risk. Our modern world is dramatically different, and in most parts of the world, we live safer and longer lives. But, our bodies and minds haven't yet had time to evolve to this modern life, and we still have a sensitive and powerful way to respond to threats - the activation of our sympathetic nervous system, or 'fight-or-flight' response.
When we perceive a threat the sympathetic nervous system is activated. This releases fast-acting hormones into our bloodstream from a small organ just above the kidneys, called the adrenal gland. This causes a number of rapid changes in our bodies which prepares us to take immediate action - our hearts beat faster and our breathing tubes expand to supply our muscles with oxygen. Our breathing becomes faster and shallower, and our blood vessels constrict to get blood back to our heart. We may feel a sense of dread and a feeling that if we don't take action immediately, that something bad will happen.
This fight or flight response explains the symptoms we feel when we are anxious. Our heart beats fast, we may feel tingly or light-headed from fast breathing and our hands may feel cold and clammy from blood vessels narrowing. There is nothing physically wrong with us, our bodies are just being primed to take action, but we may feel something is very wrong. The symptoms feel extreme and real because we evolved to deal with very real threats - like that angry gorilla! Crucially, the response is the same, whether the threat is real and in front of us, or imaginary.
If our fight or flight response is triggered by a very real modern stressor, like taking an exam, it might help boost our performance by increasing our focus and problem solving capabilities. Once our brains recognise the threat is over, for example once the exam finishes, our bodies release different hormones to help us recover and return to our normal state in about 20 minutes.
However, if we have anxiety, we may stay on high alert for much longer, as our brains are not able to process that the threat is over, or that it was not threatening in the first place. Long term over-activation of our fight or flight response can cause us to experience physical symptoms such as trouble falling asleep, digestive problems and struggling to concentrate.
So, what causes anxiety in the first place and how does this link to breathing exercises - we'll find out!
What causes anxiety?
The way each of us respond to the feeling of anxiety is complex and unique. It will be influenced by our genes, our state of mind and really everything that has happened in our lives up until that point. When we slow down and identify what is causing our anxious feelings it can help us understand and accept what we can’t control, and take positive steps to manage the things we can control. Accepting ourselves and the fact that anxiety is a natural response to living in our world is a crucial part of this process. In fact, we might be pleasantly surprised by all of the things we can do to feel better.
Sometimes we can identify more recent challenging life events that are causing our anxiety – we may feel worried about money, where we are living, or feel stressed at work. Some of us are particularly sensitive to changes in our day-to-day life like changing jobs or moving. While feeling anxious about these changes is normal and can help us manage new demands, if our anxious thoughts do not fade as we adapt and learn over time, this can become a problem.
It can be difficult to manage broader changes in the world too - the ways we work, make friends, learn and date are all changing, which can create uncertainty and doubt, and make us feel anxious. For example, some of us may feel overwhelmed by constant communication, which can make it hard to separate our personal and professional lives and to switch off. Social media gives us a window into the unrealistic and seemingly perfect lives other people present, which can fuel unhelpful comparisons and make us feel insecure about our own lives.
How does the way we think contribute to anxiety?
While some of us are able to cope with our constantly changing lives and the modern world, it can feel overwhelming and induce anxiety for others. Experiencing the exact same situation might be anxiety-inducing for one person, and energising and exciting for another, depending on their life experiences, coping strategies, and most importantly, the way they think.
Anxiety can be thought of as a learned response - we’re more likely to worry about situations that have made us feel threatened in the past. These situations are usually not truly life-threatening, but our minds can build them into scenarios that feel very important, immediate and worth worrying about.
Sometimes we can feel anxious without anything specific causing it - we might be worried about lots of different things all at once, jumping from one thing to the next in ways that feel overwhelming and confusing - this is sometimes called having “racing thoughts”. Our minds are very powerful and in a way they are malfunctioning when we experience these anxious thoughts - they are going into overdrive trying to protect us from harm by imagining everything that could go wrong. This blur of worries can be very unpleasant and make us feel like we have lost control, as it’s impossible to deal with all of our worries, all at once.
Other ways of thinking can feed into our anxiety, for example, we may notice ourselves constantly fixating on worst-case scenarios. This is called “catastrophising” and it can cause us to get lost and tangled in worries about things that are unlikely to happen. When we use our energy catastrophising, it can distract us from things in our lives that do require our attention. Maybe we are so worried about failing an exam that we aren’t able to prepare and study properly, which can negatively impact our performance.
Now that we understand some of the factors that cause anxiety, let’s explore a few simple strategies to help us take control and feel better!
Self-care for anxiety
When we are experiencing anxiety, we can feel like we are controlled and debilitated by our worries. We may also feel ashamed or guilty about how we have been feeling. Sharing how we are feeling is very important, as it can help us make space to normalise, connect with, and reason through our worries. The simple act of explaining our worries, and being listened to, can help them feel less heavy and confusing.
We can connect and share in many ways, from simply talking to a friend or family member, or something more formal, like joining a support group, or speaking to a therapist.
Checking in with someone we trust can help strengthen our relationship and help us feel accepted and appreciated. When we share and verbalise our anxious thoughts and feelings, it can also help us process whether they are reasonable or not, and help us take a more problem-focused approach. We can start small - if meeting up with someone feels overwhelming, a text or call can help us connect too.
Another option is finding a local support group for anxiety. Here you can connect with other people who have a shared experience and understanding of the challenges of living with anxiety. Alternatively, you could check out which charities offer support via phone in your area, which you may feel more comfortable with.
Speaking with a therapist trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can also be very helpful, if it is an option for you. CBT encourages us to identify, fully consider, and challenge anxious thoughts, such as worrying about threatening, but highly unlikely future events. With work and time, CBT can help us understand our worries, and reframe them in a more realistic, positive and problem-focused way. This can empower us to make healthy changes in our lives, and equip us with skills for confronting anxiety-inducing situations in the future.
If you don’t feel ready to share with someone else, keeping a diary or journal can help us understand what is contributing to our anxiety, and help us reason through our thoughts at a time when we are feeling less overwhelmed. For example, we can note down how we feel and what is happening around us when we get anxious. Afterwards, when we are feeling more calm, we can logically reason through our anxious thoughts individually, which may help them feel less threatening and more manageable. Additionally, noting down positive things - what we are grateful for and things that have gone well in our day - can help us recognise our achievements and cut through the noise of self-doubt and perfectionism.
Talk to someone you trust
When we are experiencing anxiety, we can feel like we are controlled and debilitated by our worries. We may also feel ashamed or guilty about how we have been feeling. Sharing how we are feeling is very important, as it can help us make space to normalise, connect with, and reason through our worries. The simple act of explaining our worries, and being listened to, can help them feel less heavy and confusing.
We can connect and share in many ways, from simply talking to a friend or family member, or something more formal, like joining a support group, or speaking to a therapist.
Checking in with someone we trust can help strengthen our relationship and help us feel accepted and appreciated. When we share and verbalise our anxious thoughts and feelings, it can also help us process whether they are reasonable or not, and help us take a more problem-focused approach. We can start small - if meeting up with someone feels overwhelming, a text or call can help us connect too.
Another option is finding a local support group for anxiety. Here you can connect with other people who have a shared experience and understanding of the challenges of living with anxiety. Alternatively, you could check out which charities offer support via phone in your area, which you may feel more comfortable with.
Speaking with a therapist trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can also be very helpful, if it is an option for you. CBT encourages us to identify, fully consider, and challenge anxious thoughts, such as worrying about threatening, but highly unlikely future events. With work and time, CBT can help us understand our worries, and reframe them in a more realistic, positive and problem-focused way. This can empower us to make healthy changes in our lives, and equip us with skills for confronting anxiety-inducing situations in the future.
If you don’t feel ready to share with someone else, keeping a diary or journal can help us understand what is contributing to our anxiety, and help us reason through our thoughts at a time when we are feeling less overwhelmed. For example, we can note down how we feel and what is happening around us when we get anxious. Afterwards, when we are feeling more calm, we can logically reason through our anxious thoughts individually, which may help them feel less threatening and more manageable. Additionally, noting down positive things - what we are grateful for and things that have gone well in our day - can help us recognise our achievements and cut through the noise of self-doubt and perfectionism.
Take care of your physical health
It’s important to think about our general mental and physical health too. The burden of experiencing and managing other mental health problems, such as depression, or a physical health condition, can trigger anxiety. Some health conditions including thyroid issues, certain vitamin deficiencies and irritable bowel syndrome can also be mistaken for anxiety. Even some common medications, such as decongestants and some inhalers used for asthma, can impact our bodies’ anxiety response. If you suspect any medication you are taking is causing you to feel anxious, you should discuss it with your pharmacist or doctor.
There are lots of things that many of us do regularly, without knowing the impact they can have on our mental health. Many of us drink caffeine in coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks, which can make us feel more anxious. It might be surprising to learn that our blood sugar levels can also impact anxiety – if we experience extreme highs and lows in our blood sugar, either from not eating regularly enough or consuming foods and drinks high in sugar, it can make us feel anxious too. Cutting back on sugar and caffeine, and ensuring we eat regular, healthy meals can help.
Although most of us know alcohol is bad for our physical health, many people do not realise the impact drinking can have on our mental health. Alcohol can make us feel more relaxed temporarily, but over time it can worsen how we feel and feed into anxious thoughts and feelings. Using alcohol or drugs to cope with our anxious feelings can be particularly harmful if it delays us seeing a medical professional and getting support.
When we get a restful night of sleep, it allows our minds to process the things that have happened to us, and enables us to approach the next day with the energy to manage challenging thoughts and feelings, including anxiety. It can be difficult to switch off, get to sleep, and stay asleep, if we experience anxiety. Reducing alcohol, caffeine, smoking and vaping can strengthen our brain’s signals for us to rest, and help us get more high-quality sleep. We can try creating a more peaceful environment before bed too - spending just 5 or 10 minutes reading before bed instead of using our phones or watching TV may help. Research also suggests that sticking to a specific bed time (including weekends, unfortunately!) can help improve our sleep.
We all know exercise is good for us, and it has even more powerful benefits if we are living with anxiety.
When we experience looping and overwhelming anxious thoughts, moving our bodies can act as a distraction, shifting our focus away from our worries. Being active also increases the levels of important mood-boosting chemicals in our brains, called serotonin and GABA. In particular, when our heart rate increases during aerobic exercise such as walking or jogging, the levels of a special brain chemical, called BDNF, increase. This chemical is incredibly important, as it can help shape and adapt our brains to meet the demands and challenges in our lives, including anxiety-inducing situations.
Despite the many benefits of exercise for anxiety, many of us struggle to incorporate activity into our days. This is because the parts of our brains responsible for making long-term, rational decisions can be silenced by the distracting noise of anxiety. Thankfully, when we exercise regularly, the rational part of our brain can take charge again, and speak over our anxious brain. This is great news, as when our rational brain is in charge, it is much easier to make healthy lifestyle choices, like exercising more.
So, where should we start? We should focus on finding ways of moving our bodies that are fun and sustainable. Lower intensity activities like stretching or making a daily step goal are both good options that are unlikely to lead to injuries. \n \nYou don’t need any fancy equipment or to spend any money - walking is very underrated, and starting with a 10 minute walk outside each day, at a pace that feels good for you, can make a big difference. If you feel more comfortable exercising at home, using a fitness app, or finding an online video workout you enjoy may be helpful.
Eventually, we may be able to work up to more intense forms of exercise, such as strength training, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or sprinting. These intense bursts of exercise cause our muscles to tighten and relax. When our muscles relax, our mind closely follows and calms down too.
It’s important to make sure any increases in your activity, whether in terms of volume or intensity, are gradual, and that you include rest time every week - this will reduce your chances of picking up an injury, and help you stay consistent.
How is Lungy designed to help
It can be hard to know which healthy changes to make, and where to start - that’s where Lungy comes in! Lungy is designed to help with anxious feelings, and offers lots of achievable breathing exercises in a supportive and fun environment. Let’s explore how it works!\
Our bodies are breathing all day, every day, mostly without us noticing or having to think about it. But breathing is an incredibly special and unique function in our bodies - if we wish, we can take control and change how we breathe through the power of our thoughts alone. We can blow up balloons, sing, play instruments and much more. We can use this control over our breathing to powerful effect by doing breathing exercises.
Lungy can guide us through breathing exercises - the process of completely filling and emptying our lungs through deep, measured breaths in through our nose – hold – and out slowly through our mouths. Breathing exercises are particularly helpful if we are feeling anxious, as it can disrupt the cycle of anxious thoughts and feelings by putting the brakes on our bodies’ fight or flight response.
Each deep, gentle exhalation activates the branch of our nervous system devoted to relaxation, and turns down our heart rate and breathing rate. When we induce a state of physical calm, our thoughts and feelings closely follow, which can reduce our feelings of anxiety. Fortunately, these changes may help us sidestep using unhelpful behaviour to manage our anxious feelings.
Breathing exercises may alleviate anxious feelings in another way - by helping us reconnect with our bodies and minds in the present moment. One of the challenging parts of anxiety is fixating on things that went wrong in the past, and worries about imagined and threatening future scenarios. We can connect with the present by focusing on Lungy’s peaceful sounds and realising the power of our breath to scatter nebula particles or act as the wind blowing dandelions. Little achievements, like completing one breathing exercise in our day can help us feel more in control.
Amidst our busy and stressful lives, Lungy may help us refocus on sensations in the present moment and feel more calm, whether we are at home, work, or elsewhere. Over time, we can build our confidence and ability to face feared situations and thoughts, which can help us to challenge ourselves and thrive.
