Are you feeling overwhelmed and struggling to cope with anxiety and panic attacks? Managing anxiety can be challenging for those dealing with stress and worry, but the good news is that there is hope.
Tai Chi classes are best known for their health benefits, such as improving balance, strength, and flexibility. But Tai Chi may also be a way to reduce symptoms of anxiety.
This ancient art form provides practitioners with calming breathing techniques combined with gentle exercises to help alleviate anxiety while deepening self-awareness.
If you want to learn more about how this traditional exercise might improve your quality of life, read on.
What is Tai Chi?
Tai Chi is an ancient form of martial arts that originated in China. It combines deep breathing and slow-moving exercises that help improve balance and coordination. The movements are gentle yet powerful and involve stretches and postures that focus on releasing tension from your body. It has been used for centuries as a way to increase focus, reduce stress levels, and promote well-being. Tai Chi is typically practiced in person. But online Tai Chi classes are also available.
How Tai Chi Helps with Anxiety
The relaxation techniques used during Tai Chi can be incredibly helpful when dealing with anxiety or panic attacks. In fact, according to one study, “Meta-analyses and systematic reviews (of Tai Chi, or Qigong) have shown that these interactions can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders.” This is because Tai Chi helps regulate breathing patterns, making it easier to cope with stressful situations by calming the mind and body.
Focusing on the physical aspects of Tai Chi, such as posture and balance, can help distract from anxious thoughts while still allowing you to remain present in the moment. Practicing Tai Chi regularly helps build self-confidence, which can positively impact feelings of anxiety or panic attacks over time.
What Are Panic Attacks?
Panic attacks are intense episodes of fear or terror that come without warning and can last from minutes to hours, depending on the individual. “Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks),” says mayoclinic.org.
How Tai Chi Helps with Panic Attacks
When someone experiences a panic attack, their body goes into fight or flight mode—their heart rate increases significantly, their breathing becomes shallow and rapid, and their muscles tense up—all physical reactions associated with fear or danger. Tai Chi helps combat these physical reactions by slowing down the heart rate and teaching practitioners how to control their breath to relax during moments of high stress or fear.
Additionally, learning to recognize when your body is going into fight or flight mode allows you to catch yourself before a full-blown panic attack occurs so you can take steps to prevent it from escalating. Practicing Tai Chi regularly will also allow your body and mind to become more familiar with these sensations so that you can better manage them over time without resorting to medication or other more extreme treatments for anxiety disorders or panic attacks.
No matter your experience level – beginner or expert – anyone can benefit from incorporating Tai Chi into their daily routine. As you become more familiar with its movements over time, you will start to notice how it improves both your physical well-being as well as and mental health by helping reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, or panic attacks. Plus – it’s fun! So why not give Tai Chi a try today? Who knows – this could be the first step towards achieving greater mindfulness.
Contact Just Breathe Tai Chi today for more information on Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and virtual Tai Chi classes.