Anxious For No Reason? Proven Tips To Help You Relax And Feel Better

Medically reviewed by April Justice, LICSW
Updated April 16, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team

Are you feeling anxious or worried, but have no reason to? Anxiety disorders can be a regular source of stress and often have a straining effect on mental health. To manage the symptoms associated with anxiety, various lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, coping strategies, and therapy can be helpful. A convenient way to get the professional anxiety guidance you deserve may be to connect with a licensed therapist through an online therapy platform.

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You don’t have to navigate anxiety alone

Why do I feel anxious?

Anxiety typically occurs when the sympathetic nervous system is activated due to perceived danger, causing a fight-or-flight response. To feel anxious during stressful life events can be normal, but long-term feelings of anxiety or frequent panic attacks could be the result of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), free-floating anxiety, or other disorders that may require treatment.

Anxiety can be a normal part of life, but it may be time to consult with a specialist when it starts to affect your daily life and activities. Several warning signs can indicate a disorder.

Mental and physical symptoms

The following are some common emotional and physical symptoms of anxiety:

  • Worrying excessively and obsessing over things that cannot be controlled
  • Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Restlessness or irritability
  • Feeling fatigued
  • Moderate to extreme physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomachaches, and nausea
  • Intense fear in response to particular people or situations
  • Avoidance of activities previously enjoyed

Consulting with a professional about generalized anxiety as the symptoms occur can be the first step toward taking control of your mental well-being.

Understand your anxiety

Learning from your anxiety can be critical. Understanding your personal triggers and developing relaxation techniques can make a huge difference. 

First, you may want to focus on identifying situations that trigger anxiety. Then you can work to understand them and the reasoning behind your anxious responses. In addition, knowing which situations make your anxiety worse can help you better prepare for them.

Additionally, utilizing exercises such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, visualization, mindfulness activities, and journaling when you’re presented with one of your anxiety triggers can positively affect your health.

Each strategy may allow your body to relax and stay focused on the present rather than worrying about what might come in the future.

With intentional practice and perseverance, these stress-combating techniques may dramatically ease anxious energy and reduce symptoms, from physical symptoms, such as lack of sleep or difficulty breathing, to mental and emotional challenges, such as trouble concentrating or a tendency to feel overwhelmed.

Practice mindfulness meditation

Engaging in mindfulness meditation can be an excellent way to reduce anxiety and improve your overall well-being. Practicing this ancient form of self-care can clear the mind of distracting thoughts and bring a sense of clarity and focus to our everyday lives.

Mindfulness meditation generally encourages us to observe our emotions, thoughts, and sensations without judgment. Learning to connect with ourselves on a deeper level may enable us to identify what makes us feel happy, anxious, or overwhelmed. 
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This awareness can help us gain better insight into our behavior and empower us to take the necessary steps toward cultivating greater balance in all aspects of life. You can get started today by taking a few moments to sit quietly and observe your breathing. You may be amazed at what you can learn about yourself.

Exercise regularly to release endorphins

Exercise can be essential to a healthy lifestyle as it typically has numerous physical and mental benefits. One of the immediate effects you can get from regular activity may be the release of endorphins. These hormones usually cause an emotional reaction in your body that often includes an improved mood, reduced stress, and an enhanced sense of well-being.

Endorphin levels tend to increase after intense physical activity, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Still, you don't necessarily need strenuous daily workouts. Just a 30-minute walk or light jog can help you get your dose of feel-good endorphins and reduce stress hormones. 

Not only can you reap the physical benefits of exercise, but mentally, the positive energy and improved mood can combat symptoms associated with anxiety.

Through regular exercise, individuals living with anxiety are likely to experience decreased fear or panic, potentially enabling them to lead a more balanced life.

Connect with others who have an anxiety disorder

During times of intense anxiety, it may be beneficial to seek connection with support groups. Connecting with others experiencing similar issues can reduce feelings of isolation and give us a valuable understanding that we are not alone.

People in those settings often have insight, compassion, and perspective into their unique situation, which can be incredibly helpful.

You might reach out in appropriate settings, such as community centers, mental health agencies, or churches, to locate connection opportunities near you through social media groups..

Make healthy lifestyle changes

While it can be tempting to look for miracle solutions that promise quick results when it comes to feeling better, the reality is that the best way to improve overall wellness is often by making gradual and holistic lifestyle changes.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting enough sleep are usually two important aspects of any healthy routine. In addition, aiming for at least seven hours of quality, restful sleep each night is typically recommended as part of a healthy lifestyle.

You may also want to focus on incorporating nutrient-rich foods with minimal saturated fat into your diet, nourishing your body with essential vitamins and minerals.

Such nutritional changes often take time and dedication, but can help you feel strong, energized, and more alert in the long run.

Find positive coping strategies

Finding positive ways to cope with stress, sadness, and other emotions can be extremely helpful in treating anxiety and managing our mental health. Writing, painting, and listening to music are just a few activities that can be both calming and invigorating.

  • Writing can help us express ourselves on paper, potentially clarifying our feelings and gaining a fresh perspective.
  • Painting is another creative outlet through which we can explore different textures, colors, shapes, and ideas.
  • Music can motivate us with upbeat rhythms or soothe us with soft melodies.

These activities can provide benefits like reduced stress levels and improved mood when practiced regularly.

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You don’t have to navigate anxiety alone

Benefits of therapy

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are normally the most common mental illness in the United States, potentially affecting 40 million adults aged 18 and older. However, some people may not know why they feel anxious. Through therapy, people with anxiety may uncover anxiety triggers and learn to manage their symptoms more effectively.

Therapy sessions can take place in person or online. If you experience severe anxiety, you may find it more comfortable and less intimidating to attend therapy from the comfort of your own living room or another familiar location. In addition, online therapy platforms typically make it quick and easy to connect with a licensed therapist who has experience working with people who have experienced similar challenges.

Therapy can help you understand your anxiety

If you experience anxiety, it can feel like your mind is constantly racing, and you may feel as if you have no control over your thoughts. This can be extremely frustrating when you’re trying to navigate day-to-day life.

One of the benefits of therapy may be that it can help you identify unhelpful thinking patterns and learn what things trigger feelings of anxiety. With this knowledge, you can begin to take control of your anxiety and start living the life you want to live. 

Therapy can help you develop coping mechanisms 

No one may be perfect, and there will likely always be times when your anxiety gets the best of you. That may be why it can be important to have coping mechanisms in place for when these moments occur.

Therapy can help you develop healthy, effective coping mechanisms to manage your anxiety when it does flare up. 

Therapy can improve your relationships

Anxiety can affect your relationships with friends, family, and romantic partners. If you're constantly feeling anxious, it can be challenging to maintain healthy communication and connect with others on a deeper level.

Through therapy, you can learn how to manage your anxiety in relationships to have more fulfilling connections with the people in your life. 

Therapy can enhance other areas of your life

Therapy may not just be a tool to manage mental health. It can be utilized as an empowering agent for achieving personal growth in many different aspects of life.

Whether you're having trouble managing stress at the workplace or need help with academic performance, therapy can offer strategies and solutions for success!

Is therapy effective for anxiety?

Recent scientific evidence has highlighted the numerous potential benefits of therapy as a strategy for managing and overcoming anxiety.

Studies have demonstrated that individuals with social anxiety can learn to become more socially confident and less self-conscious when engaging in cognitive-behavioral therapy. At the same time, those with obsessive-compulsive disorder may reduce intrusive thoughts and compulsions through exposure-based treatments.

Moreover, a growing research database suggests that psychotherapy may even be more effective than medication in reducing symptoms of anxiety.

In addition, studies have shown that both in-person and online therapy tend to have the same efficacy rate.

By creating an open dialogue between clinician and patient, talk therapy can help people recognize their problematic thought patterns and feelings while understanding how they can positively reinforce healthy behaviors and thus lead to improved mental health outcomes.

Takeaway

Anxiety doesn’t have to negatively influence your life if you consciously develop and practice healthy coping strategies. Being in tune with your emotions and learning to relax can be vital in managing your anxiety.

  • Regular exercise can release stress-relieving endorphins, which can, in turn, reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety.
  • Connecting with others can be beneficial for working on self-esteem, letting go of fear and shame, finding support and companionship, and learning new ways to develop strength and resilience.
  • Creating better lifestyle habits, such as getting adequate sleep and eating a balanced diet that nourishes rather than depletes the body’s energy reserves, can improve mental well-being.
  • Finding positive coping strategies like writing, painting, or listening to music that calms you down when feeling overwhelmed can alleviate anxiety symptoms when they arise.

If you find yourself feeling anxious for no reason, seeking the help of a licensed mental health professional via in-person or online therapy can also be a vital tool in your journey toward anxiety relief and improved mental health. A therapist may be able to help you discover factors that worsen anxiety symptoms. Take the first step toward anxiety relief and reach out to BetterHelp today. 

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