A couple posts ago, I wrote about the power of laughter in reducing anxiety. I've thought of another guaranteed anxiety reducer: listening to music.
When I'm really anxious or just having a bad day, I like to turn on some cheesy '80s pop or dance music to take my mind elsewhere. Even though I might not feel like it, I'll even sing along (a great way to reduce that shortness of breath feeling anxiety often brings). My current counselor even told me I should sing in the shower in the morning to "start the day right." I readily admit that I'm not a vocalist, but I do find getting revved up by a favorite song to be a great anxiety buster.
Reducing anxiety essentially is about getting back to living—laughing, singing, and enjoying company. Anxiety robs us of all that. We must take our lives back!
10 comments:
My wife has just discovered the power of a good book in reducing her anxiety. AND it has made her want to get out and live a bit more! I've been using books as a stress buster all my life. It really works!
Btw, comedy books and "feel-good" books work best.
Thanks for sharing, Robert! I suggest uplifting and energizing music, too.
I have to say I agree on this completely.
As a former professional musician, I couldn't agree more about the benefits of good music! Why not put them all together - laughter, good music and good books (not all simultaneously, of course!)?
Great idea, Robert. Sounds like living life instead of living anxiety :)
I hate the shortness of breath feeling, and I TOTALLY AGREE that singing helps to take it away!
Do you feel like your diaphragm doesn't work when the shortness of breath feeling comes?
I get it a LOT, even when I'm not feeling anxious.
Laying on my back helps, too, because it forces my breathing to regulate itself. But the moment I stand up, there I am subconsciously clenching my stomach again.
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I hate that feeling, too! Singing forces you to bring in air, I suppose. I've heard that inproper breathing exacerbates anxiety.
I hate that feeling, too! Singing forces you to bring in air, I suppose. I've heard that inproper breathing exacerbates anxiety.
I hate that feeling, too! Singing forces you to bring in air, I suppose. I've heard that inproper breathing exacerbates anxiety.
I agree about it!
I can not live one day of my life without music, when I'm listening to it I just pretend that I forgot everything related to stressing issues.
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