Some anxiety-easing tips from your resident Briggs-ISTP Libra

I’ve had a few panic attacks and sleepless nights in my life and these times aren’t an exception. So I’d like to share what I use to naturally prevent and stop most anxiety. I don’t mean to come across as a know-it-all but I have researched and used everything I’m suggesting and I genuinely hope some of these ideas can help someone who needs them. Because anxiety is just unnecessary and painful.

-Exercise every day. Even if you’re starting to feel anxiety during the evening, put on a goofy aerobics video and get your heart rate up to feel better. Go outside for a walk (6 ft away from strangers) every day if you still can. Take off your shoes and put your feet on the earth and center yourself. If you can’t get outside, open a window and sit in the sunlight for ten minutes. Sunlight is so important for balancing our hormones.

-Breathing and meditation are important, but of course during extreme anxiety and racing thoughts this is harder. I try to do it daily when I’m still calm in order to allow my thoughts to sort themselves out before I reach a panicky point. I put 3-5 drops of essential oil like lavender or ylang ylang in a bowl of hot water in my room while I meditate or use affirmations.

-Avoid the news and social media. Chances are it’s going to hurt you more than help, especially if you’re a sensitive type.

-Green tea during the day, Passionflower tea at night. Both are known for their anxiety-calming properties. Walnuts are known to have a calming effect too. Also pack in LOTS of different colors of veggies and fruits. These will naturally make your body more calm because you’re helping your body produce all the right hormones and giving your cells the things they need to function. Eat less animal products because these can make moods uneven. The good thing about being home more is that it’s easier to focus on diet. I try to eat using Dr. Greger’s “Daily Dozen”. He has a free app for it too.

A diet habit of mine: I eat a chunk of red cabbage (I just chop a section right off the head and munch on it raw) and a handful of raw parsley every day without fail. I try very hard for a serving of berries, too. That way, I know I at least got in some greens, an all-important serving of cruciferous vegetable and a very healthy fruit, no matter what else I eat that day.

-Sometimes taking control of your immune system can help you feel better. Raw crushed garlic (crush and let sit for 15 minutes then eat with olive oil and bread), raw or cooked mushrooms, amla (Indian gooseberry) powder, probiotics, prebiotics, red cabbage, 30 minutes of exercise, vitamin C, vitamin D, hibiscus and green tea, turmeric with black pepper in water are all proven immunity boosters.

-Drink a lot of water because even slight dehydration can depress mood.

At night when you’re nervous:

-Take a hot shower. Scientists have proven that warm water activates the same part of our brain that activates from hugs and human touch. If you’re overwhelmed, just cry it out in the shower too. A lot of times the easiest way to dump negative and oppressive feelings is through a good cry. Rinse with cold water afterwards to help readjust your temperature or else you might get cold later.

-Stay warm. Being cold is an added stressor on the body. Put on socks/slippers and full clothing if you’re walking around the house. It will send a signal to your brain that you are safe.

- watch monthly tarot card readings on YouTube as you fall asleep. Type in, for example, “Libra March 2020” and find readers who you like. The sound of women’s voices and cards shuffling is so relaxing and it usually helps me fall asleep. Another idea is ASMR videos.

-My go-to app for relaxing music and meditations is Calm. It’s about $ 50 a year but they have amazing focus/relaxation music that I use while working to block out noise or while trying to sleep. They have nice sleep stories and guided meditations as well. I use it every day. One song called “Milky Way” is an hour long and is SO uplifting and calming... if I’m nervous while trying to sleep I listen to it because it puts everything in perspective again.

- If you’re struggling with insomnia, don’t stay in bed. Get up, have a snack (I like sweet things because they calm me) and sit in a different room like the living room until you’re sleepy and fall asleep there. Sometimes the most important thing is changing scenery in order to get rid of the energy that’s bothering you.

-Watch fun shows like Sex and the City, Buffy, Bridget Jones etc. Sometimes it’s best to remind yourself how fun and carefree life can be. That or read some raunchy romance ebooks. For men, I think the best bet is video games or action movies.

-Call up your most happy-go-lucky friend or relative. They will make your seriousness seem out of place, which is a good thing. They probably aren’t talking a whole lot about death and danger either, which is good for the soul.

-Take a look at your kids or any kids around you. They’re fine, they’re happy so you can be too.

-Affirmations like “My family is safe and they will be fine” and “I’m so healthy” and “If I get Covid, It won’t barely even touch me” are good to ease fears.

-Get out a simple and fun game like UNO or a quiz game that makes you laugh and play with family.

-Chat with an older person who has seen everything and is resistant to fear. Their relaxed perspective can rub off on you. Another option is a friend who has more wisdom than you and acts like a protective older sister or brother.

I hope this helps someone! Any suggestions, questions or specific problems, let me know🤗

Posted by Devil

Wow I love this video, will definitely use it. Will be useful in a panic attack because it focuses the mind and body completely

Wow, my ex husband used to have a lot anxiety like you described.

He is an ISTJ..

What are your chart placements? Do all Libras have high anxiety?

Posted by WateryGem

Wow, my ex husband used to have a lot anxiety like you described.

He is an ISTJ..

What are your chart placements? Do all Libras have high anxiety?

So I think Libras are likely to have anxiety because we’re pretty detail-oriented people. So when other people are brushing off stuff we started weighing and researching it as soon as we heard about it. Also our balancing act usually comes in the form of swinging from one extreme to the next extreme. I can say that I am simultaneously one of the most mentally calm and physically anxious people I know. Many Libras I know are like this too. We can drive a car through fire without shuddering but we pay for it later. I do think that Libras born in the later half of the month typically have anxiety worse, though. We’re usually more intellectual and less extroverted than early Libras. I blame the extra deepness on the fact that we’re closer to Scorpio season. My chart is Rising Sag, Moon Cap, Venus Virgo, Mars Aries, Mercury Libra, Jupiter Gemini, Saturn Sag