Anxiety and stress relief whenever you need it

If you need stress relief, here are a few things to try:

1. Move your body. Engaging in physical activity helps reduce stress levels and can improve your mood. Try the Daily Move in the Calm app for short, gentle movement videos that can help you relax and get out of your head
2. Meditate. While meditation can seem intimidating at first, it's highly effective for your emotional wellbeing and can help you focus your attention and quiet the mind. We recommend starting with the Mindfulness for Beginners course with Jeff Warren, or one of our Quick Meditations, which are only 2 to 3 minutes long.
3. Breathe. Deep breathing exercises, like this or this, can help ground your attention in the present moment, restoring a sense of stability during stressful situations.
4. Listen to music. Music can help quiet the mind and ease tension, helping soothe the day's stressors. We recommend this classical playlist designed to relieve stress.

Stress is an inevitable part of our lives, and understanding its effects on the body is the first step toward managing it. In times of stress, your digestive, immune, cardiovascular, muscular and respiratory systems can all be impacted. From breathing patterns to muscle tension, stomachaches to an increased heart rate, stress can affect you head to toe. Stress and its effect on your body can be mitigated. Movement, breathwork and meditation can help ease your body's response to stress. And creating a regular mindfulness practice can equip you with personalized tools to combat any future stressors.

Social anxiety is much more common than you might realize. It can be caused by a range of factors, such as genetic predisposition, past traumatic experiences, a lack of social support, highly critical self-talk, or perfectionism.

Stress is a very common and human experience. It can be defined as a natural response to a perceived threat, demand, or challenge. It is a physiological and psychological reaction that prepares the body and mind to cope with the situation at hand. While stress is a normal part of life, excessive or chronic stress can be overwhelming and impair your overall well-being.

Anxiety attacks, also known as panic attacks, can be overwhelming experiences. They are brief episodes of intense fear and discomfort. An attack can start quickly and unexpectedly. Symptoms can range from physical to mental to emotional. They include intense feelings of fear, a sense of losing control, a sense of impending doom, a pounding or racing heart, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, trembling or shaking, sweating, hot flashes or chills, nausea, or stomach discomfort.

Anxiety attacks can be intense, distressing, and disruptive. But there are preemptive measures that can be taken. This grounding meditation by Tamara Levitt can help soften the start of a strong wave of emotions. This exercise by Jay Shetty can help stop the thought spirals that could trigger an attack. When in doubt, call out different smells, sounds, and feelings to help steady the breath and bring you back to the present moment.

Calming anxiety requires a highly personal approach. A solid first step is to deepen your understanding of your mind and body, in order to find tools that work best for you. Meditation for beginners, gentle movement, and seeking out the help of a professional are all good ways to start.

There are a variety of factors that go into answering this question. A good starting point is to reflect on what might be causing your anxiety. If your symptoms are physical, carving out 7 minutes of mindful movement could help ease any tightness or jitters living in the body. If your symptoms are more emotional, sitting in stillness as a soundscape plays can help soothe the mind. Reminding yourself to remain gentle and compassionate can also help when your mind or body tries to initially resist these practices, especially if you're just starting out.

Finding the tools that work best for you is highly personal, and can be an ongoing process. Grant yourself the grace to try out new practices. Patience and compassion are essential. A great place to start is building a consistent sleep habit. Sleep Stories can help you fall (and stay!) asleep so that you're primed to take on any surprises the following day. Another effective tool is meditation, which we've made simple and approachable. Jeff Warren's series is a fan favorite.