8 ways to feel less anxious

According to the Office for National Statistics, the proportion of people reporting high levels of anxiety last year, in 2023, has risen yet again, with more than a quarter of women (27 per cent) reporting high levels of anxiety compared with one in five men.

With no sign of this upward trend abating, we review the experts' opinions on what we can do to feel calmer.

Understand the role of anxiety

By appreciating why we feel anxious, we can perhaps look at it from the angle of negotiating with our anxious brain, says Dr Eric Goodman, clinical psychologist and author of A Compassionate Guide to Living in an Increasingly Anxious World. Here, he explains that rather than feeling there is something 'wrong' with us when we are anxious, anxiety is a 'misunderstood hero' that is simply trying to keep us safe, but sometimes misperceives threats.

We also spoke with Dr Kirren Schnack, who argues that 'the struggle to control or eliminate these feelings tends to exacerbate them. When we practise acceptance, it eases the internal struggle, freeing up mental resources to address our anxiety problems more flexibly, allowing us to respond to anxiety in more adaptive ways.'

Find a supportive community

We all thrive when we feel heard and understood. As Allison Seponara and Taylor Marae, creators of The Anxiety Chicks podcast, explain, when it comes to anxiety the more we can educate ourselves on what works for us, the more we can access the support we need.

Discover the transformative power of therapy

Perhaps you have been considering whether seeing a psychologist or psychotherapist would be helpful for your anxiety? Oliver Seligman shares his journey of finding the right support and the clinical psychologist who helped him recover.

You may find the British Psychological Society's 'Find a Psychologist' helpful.

Research the interventions that could work best for you

A great start is looking at the many therapy options that can help with anxiety. Health psychologist Kal Kseib interviews Professor Paul Gilbert to discuss how compassion focused therapy can be the antidote to constantly criticising our anxious self. He also talks to Dr Richard Schwartz, creator of Internal Family Systems therapy, which examines ways of looking at, and negotiating with, anxious, internal 'parts', and restoring a calm sense of 'self'. Ella Rhodes also hears Cathy Creswell's keynote speech at the BPS' annual conference on how CBT can help anxious children and their parents. 

Make time for mindfulness

Practising mindfulness has been associated with many beneficial outcomes, in particular, reduced anxiety. We look at a review of what just eight weeks of mindful brain training can do. We also review Richard W. Sears' book Myths of Mindfulness; he examines the best approach when it comes to incorporating mindfulness and meditation into your life. Back in 2015, Research psychologist, Ed Shonin talked to Jon Kabat-Zinn about the growing trend for mindfulness in psychology.

Step outdoors

There is a substantial body of research demonstrating the positive benefits of gardening-based activities on wellbeing and mental health including evidence-based psychological health benefits of gardening across the lifespan. Even if you aren't green-fingered, Prof Miles Richardson argues that psychologists need to play a larger role in promoting an increased connection with nature, not only for our own wellbeing, but for our planet's too.

Understand the power of breath

The role of breath-work in easing anxiety and psychological distress can be particularly beneficial. Here, Holly Kahya shares her experiences of the empowerment that yogic breathing practices can bring to clients.

Turn 'why am I anxious?' into 'I'm anxious, what do I need?'

Spending our energies tuning into what will be helpful when we're anxious rather than agonising as to why we're anxious can be much more soothing. In Michael Drayton's book about burnout, he asks us firstly for some self-reflection so we can tune into what may be helpful for our particular personality. 

- Throughout The Psychologist and Research Digest we also look at times in our lives when we may feel more specific anxieties, including… Social anxiety in higher education, Examination stress, Anxiety in sport, Anxiety in pregnancy and the Anxieties of pet ownership.