If you’re someone that deals with anxiety regularly, you know how debilitating it can be. As soon as you feel an episode coming on, the sensation of impending doom and rapid heart rate grips your body. Although the experience may last for 5 or 10 minutes, it feels like a lifetime.

For readers that are tired of being controlled by these daunting episodes, here are six ways you can regain control and lead an anxiety-free life.

1. Meditation

Meditation gets a bad wrap because it’s often associated with religious underpinnings. However, regular mindfulness practice increases brain matter, decreases the effects of aging, reduces negative emotions and calms anxiety. The next time you have a panic attack or experience unwarranted fear, focus on your breath for five to ten minutes.

2. Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol, when consumed in large amounts, induces anxiety and creates dread in the consumer’s mind. The alcohol enters the bloodstream and decreases the serotonin — a ‘feel-good’ chemical — output of the drinker’s brain. When this happens, sensations of anxiety can loom for hours; even days. When in doubt, put the alcohol down and opt for alcohol-free beverages.

3. CBD Solutions

Finding a Brisbane CBD therapist may be the answer to your anxiety. CBD — medically known as Cannabidiol — has emerged into the market in recent years with great success. Anxiety sufferers know how difficult it can be to manage their symptoms; CBD solves that problem.

The way this is achieved is through the interactions CBD has with serotonin 5-HT and CB1R receptors. These receptors are responsible for sensations of love, peace, calm, happiness, joy and focus throughout the day. When the receptors are not regulated, an individual may feel sadness, doubt, mild depression and anxiety. CBD is, without a doubt, one of the most effective tools for fighting back against panic attacks.

4. Exercise

A smart choice for long-term anxiety reduction is investing in your health. Not only will you look better and feel healthy, having a strong physique works wonders for anxiety.

Researchers explored the lives of individuals who regularly exercised and performed cardiovascular routines. While these people showcased increased muscle mass and above-average circulator efficiency, they also experienced less anxiety. Medical experts believe that the mind of healthy and active individuals have elevated levels of oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine and endorphin.

5. Reduce Your Stimulant Intake

You know those days where you’re running late for work, and you only caught a few hours of sleep? What was the first thing you did before heading out the door? For most of us, it was grabbing an extra-large coffee or energy drink!

While this scenario is perfectly fine on occasion, it shouldn’t become a habit. Stimulants — specifically caffeine — elevate our anxiety level and increase our odds of experiencing a panic attack. The reason this occurs is on account of our body’s natural fight-or-flight response.

In prehistoric times, this response allowed us to fight off predators, stay alive and look for food and shelter. In today’s modern era, this response can cause more harm than good. After consuming too much caffeine, you may experience the following:

• Dread
• Fear
• Cold sweats
• Elevated heart rate
• Increase blood pressure
• Clammy skin

6. Ditch Cigarettes

For years, people believed that lighting up a cigarette was a great way to calm their nerves. In movies, we may see black-and-white films where the main character, right after conquering a difficult task, lights up his favorite brand.

However, the research is in: smoking cigarettes can create unnerving feelings of jitteriness, panic, restlessness and anxiety. If you’re someone who smokes, you know how detrimental it can be for your health. While we’re not here to give you an ear beating about your habits, we want you to realize that anxiety can increase after smoking.

If you’re a person that regularly reaches for a cigarette, but you also suffer from crippling anxiety, make a conscious effort to cut back. It doesn’t have to be overnight; stay slow and steady. Small steps performed daily will steer you toward a smoke-free lifestyle.