You probably know by now that caffeine and alcohol aren’t the best choices for anyone with anxiety or panic disorder. Both caffeine and alcohol can speed up your blood pressure, cause you to feel jittery, and make your anxiety a whole lot worse. Not only should you reduce (or eliminate) caffeine during the day, it’s essential you’re not drinking soft drinks, coffee, or alcohol in the evenings. Try switching to decaf coffee or tea if you like to have hot beverages before settling down for the night.

Having healthy routines each day helps tremendously with mental health issues, including a night-time routine. Start a new routine in the evening that sets you up for a relaxing sleep with lowered anxiety. This might include coloring (there’s so many fun adult coloring books available) or reading while in bed, taking a long, hot bath with Epsom salt and essential oils added to the water, or enjoying some fun TV time with your family. Think of how you like to relax when you’re feeling anxious or panicked and try incorporating that into your night-time routine.

It’s really important that you find activities that are relaxing and help you sleep, but also help with your anxiety. You might love dancing, but if it tends to get you hyped up, it might not be the best choice before you lay down in your bed. Instead, think of more calming activities, whether it’s a walk around the neighborhood with your dog and kids, or doing yoga shortly before you start your evening routine. If the weather is nice, you might want to try “earthing.” Read more here ...