Blog — anxiety

Lack of Sleep and Anxiety 0

There’s a chicken and egg relationship between anxiety and sleep deprivation. Both impact the other. It may be difficult to tell which came first, but they create a cycle and downward spiral.

Many people who have experienced anxiety will tell you that their sleep is disturbed by a mind that won’t shut down. Some have trouble falling asleep, some wake up and can’t go back to sleep, some suffer both sleep disturbances.

But it isn’t just that the anxiety makes it more difficult to sleep, the difficulty sleeping also potentially makes anxiety worse.

Recent research suggests that brain chemical and functional changes associated with sleep deprivation create an increase in anxiety.

Is Caffeine Amping up Your Anxiety? 0

Caffeine is a stimulant. For many people, eating or drinking caffeine when they are anxious, or have a tendency to get anxious, is like throwing oil on fire. It can make the stress and anxiety much worse, much bigger.

Click the Read More button to learn about:

• Anxiety-Related Negative Side-Effects of Coffee and Caffeine
• Sleep, Insomnia, and Coffee or Other Caffeine Sources
• How Long Do the Effects of Caffeine Last?
• 15 Caffeine Sources
• Does Decaf Have Caffeine?
• 8 Ways to Cut Back on Caffeine

Try is Not a 4-Letter Word 0

I get it that many people say that try is a bad thing—that you shouldn’t say you will try to do something. I hate that advice!

I’ve had many anxiety clients who have had it drilled into them by their parents or others with a mantra of “Don’t say you’ll try!”

I see this anti-trying ideology as illogical and damaging. It destroys self-confidence.

A side effect of the trying-is-bad philosophy is that many people who adopt it are riddled with anxiety that stifles them from trying to achieve, trying new things, trying things that haven’t resulted in declared successes in the past . . .. And if they do try, they are drained by anxiety that accompanies the trying.

Trying is a good thing

How to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone 0

Fear getting in the way of you stepping out and reaching your goals?

Learning how to stretch your comfort zone can help.

Fear and anxiety can restrict and constrict your life if they hold you back from doing things outside your comfort zone. This post can help you learn how to stretch your comfort zone and expand your life.

Click Read More to learn:

• What is a Comfort Zone?
• The connection between Fear, Anxiety and Your Comfort Zone
• 5 Fear Truths from Dr. Susan Jeffers
• Tips for stretching your comfort zone
• Steps for your own Comfort Zone Challenge

April Anxiety Tip#1: Stress Happens 0

Ironies of ironies. On the morning I planned to publish my first post in my “April Anxiety Challenge” my suddenly non-responsive computer gave me anxiety.

The good news is I got a chance to practice what I preach. My anti-anxiety skills helped me calm down, clear my head, and find a solution.

Stress happens. It happens every day in ways small and large.

There are going to be problems arise throughout each day. The question isn’t whether there will be problems. The question is: how will you respond to the problems?

April Anxiety Challenge 3

Anxiety can suck the life out of life. It seems to me that we are experiencing an anxiety epidemic. You probably see it (and maybe feel it) too.

One of my many specialties as a counselor and hypnotherapist is anxiety. I've helped tons of people overcome all sorts of levels of anxiety—from everyday types of stress to "I can't leave my house" anxiety.

I have a unique perspective and insights into anxiety because of the work I have done with clients, and also because of my own experiences overcoming fear, anxiety, and even panic.