If you’re struggling with anxiety after a long winter, you’re not alone. For many people, the slightly warmer weather and longer days can make us feel anxious for no reason. However, there are several potential causes for your anxiety symptoms and techniques you can use to ease them.
Why am I feeling anxious for no reason?
It’s understandable to feel down or irritable during this time of the year. Unfortunately, colder months mean less exposure to sunlight, less fresh air and exercise, and fewer social events allowing for connection with people.
These reasons alone can make us feel lethargic, restless, exhausted, and disconnected from people who fill us with a sense of love and purpose. Some of these issues will remedy as spring progresses and the temperatures continue to rise peop
Ways to ease symptoms now
It is essential to have a handful of activities or techniques to use to ease anxiety symptoms. Here are some ways to reduce anxiety today:
- Bundle up and soak up the sun:
- I know it’s cold! But even 5-10 minutes of sun exposure can help boost your mood and well-being. So put on your warm coat and walk around the block when the sun is out to improve your day.
- Laugh more:
- Laughing boosts mood and a sense of hope, even during difficult times. So put on your favorite movie or show, play your favorite song and dance, or look at something that makes you smile — like family photos or puppies!
- Create indoor events with friends and family:
- Whether it’s a theme dinner night, game night, movie night, or playdates for the kids, there are ways to create social events even during these cold months.
- Put a message in your group chats, or check with your family about starting a weekly or monthly get-together. Setting up rhythms is a way to give us something to look forward to while ensuring social interaction.
- Even if you are an introvert, social connection is integral to the human experience and mental well-being. For example, if your social meter runs out quickly, put a time limit on the interaction. Ask a friend for coffee, but only for an hour. Predetermining the event time can uphold your boundaries while still feeling connected.
- Move your body:
- When it’s too cold to spend time outside, prioritizing exercise is hard, despite knowing how important it is to our positive mental health. One trick to getting more activity while staying inside is putting on a show and walking or jogging in place while you watch it. You can also stretch or massage your legs to get the blood flowing.
- Declutter your space:
- Over the holidays, we can accumulate a lot of stuff! It’s easy for once-organized spaces to feel crowded and overwhelming. Taking time to organize, clean, and declutter your home can lead to a sense of calm, peace, and control over your environment.
- Sometimes our anxiety can be caused by an inner dissonance between what we want to be doing and what actions we are or aren’t doing. New years resolutions tend to die off around February and March, but the goals we set for ourselves still live inside us.
- Create a new routine or habit:
- Creating systems and routines based on our goals can create results without overthinking what it takes to achieve what we want. Revisit your goals for the year, and define what habits or routines you can set that will naturally lead to progress in those areas. This action step can lessen the feeling of anxiety.
If your anxiety is interfering with your daily life, seek professional help
Suffering from anxiety can be overwhelming. What can be even more frustrating is when you are unsure of its cause. A natural and healthy response is to rely on friends, family members, and even blog posts for support.
However, if these feelings last longer than a week or two, they could indicate something more than the blues. For example, seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and allergies are two possible explanations for feeling this way.
Allergies are known to cause intense physical reactions, including exhaustion, headaches, congestion, and even depression.
SAD is thought to result from a biochemical imbalance due to shorter days and less sunlight in our local environment. For more information about SAD, visit the Mayo Clinic’s website which goes into more detail about this disorder.
If you’ve been feeling anxious for no reason and you’re unsure how to resolve your symptoms, professional help can help identify the cause and create a plan for relief. A qualified therapist or doctor can provide a tailored plan, like specific relaxation techniques, new lifestyle recommendations, and ultimately guide you toward long-term solutions.
Moving forward for a great Spring
With all we touched on, it’s clear that feeling anxiety for no reason may actually have one or multiple causes. Remember, there is no need to suffer alone.
Whether due to allergies, seasonal affective disorder, or just tired of being at home, we can learn to cope with these feelings healthily by shifting our perspective through action steps.
If you need more help or your anxiety is becoming too much to bear on your own, help is a phone call away. Get started here or contact us to schedule an appointment to begin your healing journey today.
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This was a great article! It provided a few different strategies to help someone who is feeling anxious for no reason. It was easy to understand and the tips provided were practical and helpful. Thanks for writing this article! You can also check this blog post How To Stop Being Anxious And Calm Down Quickly for more information.