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Page 10 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com If you deal with anxiety on a regular basis, medica on doesn't have to be your only treatment. To calm your mind and cut stress, try working these self- care ps into your daily rou ne: Move your body. Exercise is an important part of physical -- and mental -- health. It can ease your feelings of anxiety and boost your sense of well- being. Shoot for three to five 30-minute workout sessions a week. Be sure to choose exercises you enjoy so you look forward to them. Pay a en on to sleep. Both quality and quan ty are important for good sleep. Doctors recommend 8 hours of shut-eye a night. If anxiety is making it hard for you to fall asleep, create a rou ne to help you catch your ZZZs: • Leave screens behind before you hit the hay. • Try to s ck to a schedule. • Be sure your bed is comfy. • Keep your room's temperature on the cool side. Ease up on caffeine and alcohol. Both caffeine, which is an "upper," and alcohol, which is a "downer," can make anxiety kick into overdrive. Cut back or avoid them if you can. Remember, coffee and soda aren't the only things with caffeine. It can also pop up in: • Diet pills • Some headache medicines • Chocolate • Tea Schedule your worry me. It may sound backward to plan to worry, but doctors actually recommend that you pick a me to think about your fears on purpose. Take 30 minutes to iden fy what's bothering you and what you can do about it. Have your "worry session" at the same me every day. Don't dwell on "what-ifs." Focus on what actually makes you anxious. Breathe deep. It sends a message to your brain that you're OK. That helps your mind and body relax. To get the most out of it, lie down on a flat surface and put one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take a slow breath in. Make sure it fills your belly enough that you can feel it rise slightly. Hold it for a second, and then slowly let it out. Be the boss of your thoughts. Try to turn any nega ve thoughts into posi ve ones. Picture yourself facing your fears head-on. The more you do this in your mind, the easier it will be to deal with it when it happens. Tame tense muscles. Relax them with this simple exercise: Choose a muscle group, ghten it for a few seconds, and then let go. Focus on one sec on at a me and work through your whole body. Help out in your community. Spend me doing good things for others. It can help you get out of your head. Volunteer or do other work in your community. Not only will it feel good to give back, you'll make connec ons that can be a support system for you, too. Look for triggers. Think of mes and places where you no ce yourself feeling most anxious. Write them down, if you need to. Look for pa erns and work on ways you can either avoid or confront the feelings of panic and worry. If you know the causes of your anxiety that can help you put your worries into perspec ve. Next me, you'll be be er prepared when it affects you. Tips for Living with Anxiety Stay Balanced and Be Well