How to Calm Your Anxiety, From a Neuroscientist | The Way We Work, a TED series

Many individuals experience physical symptoms, such as sweaty palms and stomach unease, upon encountering ambiguous professional communications, like an unexpected email from a supervisor. Global anxiety levels, encompassing both clinical diagnoses and everyday worry, have significantly escalated in recent years, particularly within the workplace environment. While often viewed negatively, anxiety serves as a crucial, evolutionarily developed mechanism designed to promote survival by signaling potential dangers.

The issue arises when the intensity of individual and collective anxiety surpasses appropriate levels. Too much of this protective mechanism becomes harmful rather than helpful. The proposed strategy involves employing science-based tools to reduce this heightened volume, returning anxiety to its functional, protective state. Both effective methods necessitate a conscious connection with the physical body to initiate this regulation process.

Too much of even a potentially good thing like anxiety is bad.

The first powerful tool available for immediate anxiety mitigation is breathwork, specifically focusing on slow, deep inhalation and exhalation patterns. This simple practice directly stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the body's natural mechanism for de-stressing and returning to equilibrium. This physiological response offers rapid calming effects when stress levels spike.

A highly recommended method is boxed breathing, which involves a precise four-part cycle to regulate the breath. This technique is discreet enough to be utilized during challenging conversations without drawing external attention. Practitioners across various disciplines, from ancient monks to contemporary meditators, have long recognized and utilized this method for mental stabilization.

The second essential tool involves moving the body, which generates immediate positive shifts in mood state through biochemical processes occurring within the brain. Every instance of physical movement triggers the release of several beneficial neurochemicals that directly influence emotional regulation and reward pathways.

These compounds work synergistically to both elevate positive feelings and actively diminish negative ones. Movement can be conceptualized as delivering a beneficial chemical infusion directly to the brain. Practical application in a stressful work scenario might involve taking a brief walk around the office perimeter or engaging in ten minutes of vigorous activity at home, such as dancing.

Every single time you move your body, it's like giving yourself a wonderful bubble bath of neurochemicals, for your brain.

Empirical evidence supports these actions; studies confirm that only ten minutes of walking is required to achieve measurable mood-boosting effects. A practical demonstration involving university students showed that a movement session incorporating elements of kickboxing, dance, yoga, and martial arts, paired with positive affirmations, significantly decreased anxiety scores to normal levels.

Once the body connection is established and anxiety volume is reduced, two significant positive outcomes emerge. Primarily, the individual gains the clarity necessary to evaluate the precise source of the anxiety when a stressor, like a demanding email, arrives. This allows for the utilization of anxiety as intended: a warning system to identify potential dangers requiring creative and effective resolution.

Secondly, recognizing anxiety signals facilitates improved communication with colleagues and supervisors. When not trapped in fight-or-flight mode, requesting guidance on project prioritization or seeking advice on skill gaps feels substantially less threatening. This self-awareness regarding internal states fosters a powerful sense of empathy toward others exhibiting similar signs of stress.