Hello all you lovely people! As mentioned before, the focus of March is peace and calmness. The opposite of calm is anxious. Anxiety brings turmoil to our calmness and inner peace sometimes. It can make us feel uneasy, have panic attacks, get nauseous, ect… But it is something that can be overcome, and you can learn tricks and tips that can help you stay calm during anxious situations. One trick is ice. There have been studies that show ice helps get the body out of fight or flight mode and ground you. Not only that but it also forces neurotransmitters to refocus. Today we will be teaching you how to use this information to help you with your anxiety or during anxious times. And all you need is a few ice cubes, it’s simple and beneficial for your life!
There are many ways you can use ice to calm anxiety, but we will teach you four ways you can use the ice method and one bonus way.
ICE WATER- For this way, you will need a medium sized bowl with ice water. You will then, dunk you face into the bowl for a few seconds and repeat two-three times. You might have seen this way on Tiktok a few months ago. It works great but it is hard to do when you're out of the house or on the go.
SUCKING ON ICE: Holding an ice cube to the top of your mouth and sucking on it is another way to use the ice method. This one is good because you can do it in more places than at home. If you have an iced drink, or you're at a restaurant with access to ice, you can take an ice cubes and do this method when you start to feel anxious. If you have a close friend, it might be beneficial to tell them about this method, so they can help you find an ice cube available since you might be distracted when you need it.
CONTACT WITH THE SKIN: This way will vary. Do the way that works best for you. You can either hold the ice cube in your hands, slide it against your arms and legs, or rub it against your chest. All of these will have the same effects regarding calming your fight or flight response.
COLD COMPRESS: This is similar to the contact with skin but instead you can use an ice pack or cold compress. The best way to do this way is to hold the compress to your chest and take slow and deep breaths. This might be hard to do outside of a home or apartment, but it can still be done. There are instant cold compresses at stores like target that you can keep with you just in case. These don't require a freezer to make them cold.
COLD SHOWERS: This isn't exactly an ice trick, but a cold shower can have the same grounding effects as the ice cubes. If you are at home or an area that has a shower available, you can take a cold shower to help get you out of a panic attack and ground you out. Obviously, you can't do this on the go or out of the house, but it is good to know in case you need a way and you have a shower available.
It is good to know different methods to calm yourself. Wether it is a stressful day or a panic attack, using the ice method can jolt you out of that fight or flight, ground you, and force you to refocus. Have a wonderful rest of your day!
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