Does Christmas time cause anxious feelings for you? Does it make you want to hide, skip events or make excuses?

Or if it’s not Christmas, it’s other special events or family time that might be tied to past trauma or difficult memories.

So what are the best ways to deal with anxiety at this time of year?

Practices to reduce anxiety

• Drinking magnesium powder or taking magnesium tablets can reduce feelings of fear and panic

• Take a natural stress and worry tablet such as Ashwagandha

• Taking Seremind to manage restlessness and reoccurring thoughts accompanying anxious moods

• Diffuse lavender essential oil in your bedroom at night to help get a good nights sleep

• Eating bananas or pumpkin seeds - food rich in potassium - helps reduce stress and anxiety

• Rescue Remedy stress chewy tablets or spray is very effective prior to a stressful event

• Meditate every day – either use an app or play a CD or Spotify with calming music playing. Stop your thinking; count or repeat a mantra

• Lay down and stop what you are doing. Feel the anxiety.

• Shake it off. When anxious I often feel it in my hands. They hurt with nervousness and it helps if I shake it out

• Deal with the triggers that are causing your anxiety

• Remove yourself from any situations that you are not comfortable in

• Ensure you are getting sufficient sleep

• Eat gluten-free and avoid or reduce the amount of caffeine such as coffee drinks – adds to my anxiety

• Eat clean - increase fruit and vegetables. Reduce trans fats, sugars, dairy, wheat products

• Forgive yourself

• Repeat the mantra - this too shall pass

• Imagine yourself as a five-year-old and give yourself a hug

• Set goals – start small don’t get overwhelmed

• Have a fight playlist – play encouraging, powerful songs (like songs good for breakups)

• Face fears – increase your self-confidence, increase pride, increase risk-taking, overcome things and you will be proud of your independence and your power

• See a clinical psychologist. Talk over the phone or book in to seeing someone who can help

• Journal your worries out

What do you do to reduce your anxious moments? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.