Is There an Instant Way to Calm Anxiety for Moms?

Is there an instant way to calm anxiety for Moms? Through four years of therapy I have collected calming strategies for anxiety as a Mom. Here are 10 instant ways to calm Mom anxiety.

Every few months my life seems to fall apart at once. It’s one bad news phone call after an unfortunate email, while my daughters argue and the toddler spills a bag of rice on the floor. I’ll feel the anxiety start to grow in the base of my stomach, up my spine, until my entire body is tingling with nervous energy. Catastrophic thoughts accompany the anxiety. As my patience disappears, my temper flares, and just when I want to crawl into bed to hide — I remember I’m a Mom responsible for three human lives.

The onset of my anxiety is often directly related to my stress level and overstimulation. If there is a lot going on that I cannot control, it’s only a matter of time before I begin to feel anxious. I carry a big bag of tools for coping with my anxiety that I collected during four years of therapy. Sometimes when I can’t find the right tool to fix my problems, my therapist says to practice square breathing. While I slowly breathe in and out, I can calm down enough to focus my energy on what I can actually control.

10 Instant Ways to Calm Mom Anxiety

The fastest way to calm anxiety as a Mom is to STOP, breathe, and assess the situation. Then try one of the stress reducing strategies below (and NEVER hesitate to contact a mental health specialist).

1. Listen to comforting music — if the family is around, maybe it will calm everyone down at once. Bonus points if you know the lyrics and can sing along.
2. Positive self-talk — I talk to myself all day long because self-talk can help shift your thinking when it’s performed correctly.
3. Find the sunshine — the sun can elevate your mood by boosting serotonin levels
4. Give your anxious thoughts a voice — ask yourself, What is making me feel anxious? Anxiety is not bad, it’s actually our brain’s way of protecting us from a potential threat. Then do number 5…
5. Tell someone — sometimes saying your worries out loud helps. My sisters and Mom have a great way of reminding me my thoughts can’t hurt me.
6. Slow movements — yoga is one of my favorite ways to find peace and reset my center when I’m feeling off balance.
7. Breathe in fresh air — there are countless healing benefits of being outdoors
8. Take a hot shower/bath or drink a warm liquid — believe it or not, warm or hot liquids will naturally calm your body when your nervous system is in a stimulant overload.
9. Smell something calming — for me, it’s a deep breath in a clean shirt, but for others it may be lavender, eucalyptus, or even coffee. Scents can actually calm your mind when you inhale/exhale for a few minutes.
10. Progressive muscle relaxation — it may sound weird, but this works. Sit or lay down, then tighten and release your muscles, moving from top (face/jaw) to bottom (toes), one muscle group at a time.

There is NO reason anyone — especially Moms — should suffer in silence. If you are reading this post, or know someone who is struggling, tell her to contact a medical professional. An OB-GYN or primary care doctor can direct you to a mental health specialist or you can search for a therapist on Psychology Today. Don’t be afraid of therapy — it exists for a reason (and that’s to make life easier for you and me!).