VIDEO: Having a Meltdown? Here Are 6 Ways to Ease Anxiety—Fast

When your mind starts racing and your body feels tight—almost paralyzed—and you don’t have a second or the willpower to figure out what to do next: That’s anxiety.

Whether you’re feeling on edge about your work or relationship status, or just stressing over who’s going to get killed off on Game of Thrones next, the struggle of panicking over the big and the little things in life is real. It might seem easier said than done, but there are a few helpful tricks to letting anxiety melt away. When you feel it coming on, have no fear—press play to catch wellness coach Jennifer Partridge’s genius tips on how to realign.

1. Acceptance

In order to brush anxiety off, you first have to acknowledge that it’s there. Don’t beat yourself up for feeling afraid of that’s beyond your control—it’s only human. Feel the fear, then you’ll be able to gather up the strength to let it go.

2. Breath of fire

In the midst of a panic attack, the breath can become shallow. To re-oxygenate the body and brain, try this form of power breathing. Used in Kundalini yoga to energize, strengthen, and cleanse while also inducing a sense of calm, practicing the “breath of fire” can clear your head and help the body to relax, too. Just inhale and exhale from the belly and through the nose, deeply and rapidly, for two to three minutes.

3. Dance party

Yup, having a momentary freak-out is a great excuse to dance your heart out—an easy and fun way to have a release and boost endorphins. And turning on that catchy new Carly Rae Jepsen single, or any other upbeat music, can improve your mood.

4. Tea time

If slowing down is what feels more right, then do that. But when you’re fired up, getting into lotus pose for a full-on meditation might be the last thing you want to do. Instead, try sitting down with a cup of tea. Enjoying something as simple as that can be just as meditative.

5. Play

A lot of times, the source of anxiety is a feeling of a lack of time. Guess what? You can always make time. When you feel overwhelmed with pressure to figure something out and get it done, drop it and just do you. Be kind to yourself and do something that makes you happy (going out for tacos, binge-watching a show on Netflix, hiking—your choice!). Then you can return to the issue at hand with a new perspective.

6. Sleep

We’re not saying that you need to crawl into bed, shut out the world, and wallow in misery, but sometimes rest is just what you need to recharge and reset. Partridge suggests drawing a bath with lavender and chamomile, then slipping on an eye pillow to relax the temples and settle down all that brain activity. (We’re feeling blissful just thinking about it.) Come morning it’ll be a new day with a clean slate.

Video credits

Produced and Directed by: Liza Glucoft

Director of Photography: Naeem Munaf

Editor: Stephanie Provence