Try these tips to manage stress and anxiety

Dealing with feelings of anxiety can be difficult, but implementing new strategies and reaching out for support is always a great place to start. Lifehack recently offered readers some tips on how to stop feeling anxious and regain peace of mind. 

Here are four things they suggest:

1. Adjust your diet

Sugary foods, processed foods, alcohol, caffeine and artificial sweeteners make anxiety worse. Try anxiety-reducing foods like dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, fatty fish, eggs, turmeric and more. 

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2. Hydration is key

Research suggests that even mild dehydration can worsen anxiety. 

3. Incorporate mindfulness into your daily life

Meditation and diaphragmatic breathing are just two better-known examples of mindfulness techniques. Lifehack suggests a practice called five things, based upon our five senses and focusing the mind on each one individually.

READ MORE | 'Overthinking thrives off chaos': Psychotherapist shares helpful ways to beat those bad thoughts

4. Exercise regularly 

Thirty minutes of exercise three to five days a week can significantly reduce anxiety. One study found that exercise was equally as effective as medication in treating symptoms of anxiety.