Everyone gets anxious from time to time, but chronic anxiety can have a major negative impact on your life. Finding constructive ways to deal with severe anxiety can help you manage your condition better and lead your life with a more positive mindset. Any of these four methods may be effective in calming your anxiety.

Practice Healthy Breathing and Meditation

The way that you breathe often plays a role in how your body reacts to stress. It’s important to remember to breathe deeply on a regular basis and avoid taking shallow breaths that can cause tension throughout your body as much as possible. Attending a meditation class or learning how to meditate effectively on your own by reading books, watching videos or listening to audio recordings can help facilitate better breathing patterns and put your body and mind at greater ease.

Give up Control

Having control over your life is a good thing in most cases, but your anxiety may be caused by you wanting to control things too much. Learning how to relinquish some control and allowing things to happen as they’re supposed to can be effective in calming many of your worries. Matters related to work, housing and even your health can’t always be controlled by you, and learning how to let events surrounding these issues unfold on their own can actually give you a greater sense of freedom. Giving up control might also mean letting some trusted people make certain decisions that will affect your life without your input.

Seek Counseling

Many mental health specialists provide counseling for anxiety and depression, and going to one of these professionals can help you manage your worries better. This person will help you identify triggers that cause your anxiety and give you the tools for overcoming it. Cognitive behavioral therapy and other methods may also be used to help you adopt a healthier mindset.

Improve Your Diet

What you eat and drink can also play a major role in how you feel and might be contributing to your anxiety. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages are known to contribute to feelings of anxiety and should be avoided. Some of the best foods to eat to treat chronic anxiety include berries, oranges and spinach. Even oysters and sardines are often good for alleviating anxiety. Eating a small amount of dark chocolate can also help you calm your nerves.

Learning how to control your anxiety better can improve your life in many ways. By trying different methods to alleviate your anxiety, you’ll have an easier time finding what works the best for you so that you can start living a better life.