How to Manage Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most common experiences there is. Almost everyone feels it at times — the racing thoughts, the tight chest, the sense of being on high alert. If that is you, you are far from alone, and there are practical, gentle things that can help take the edge off.

At Elysian Solara, our world is wellness and recovery, so this guide focuses on everyday, evidence-informed habits that support a calmer nervous system. It is general wellbeing information, not medical advice — and that distinction genuinely matters, so let us start there.

An Important Note First

If anxiety is frequently interfering with your work, relationships, sleep or daily life, please reach out to a doctor or mental health professional. Anxiety is highly treatable, and getting the right support is a sign of strength, not weakness. The tools below can complement professional care, but they are not a substitute for it.

What Anxiety Does in the Body

It helps to understand the mechanism, because it makes anxiety feel less mysterious. Anxiety is largely your body’s “fight or flight” system firing when there is no immediate physical threat. Your sympathetic nervous system switches on: heart rate climbs, breathing quickens, muscles tense, and your mind scans for danger.

The good news is that this system has an off-switch — the parasympathetic, “rest and digest” branch. Most calming techniques work by deliberately nudging your body toward that calmer state.

Everyday Tools That Can Help

Breathe slowly, exhale longer

This is the most direct lever you have. A long, slow exhale signals safety to your nervous system. Try breathing in for four counts and out for six, for a few minutes. It will not erase anxiety, but it can gently bring your body down from a peak.

This is one of the better-evidenced habits on the list. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis of voluntary slow breathing found it consistently raised vagally-mediated heart-rate variability — a marker of the “rest and digest” branch — both during a session and after a course of practice [1]. A separate 2023 meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found structured breathwork was associated with a small-to-medium reduction in self-reported stress compared with control conditions [2]. The authors of that review urge caution about the gap between hype and evidence, and so do we: this is a real but modest effect, not a cure.

Move your body

A walk, a run, strength work — movement gives the physical charge of the stress response somewhere to go. A 2026 umbrella review pooling meta-analyses of randomised trials (79,551 participants) reported that exercise was associated with a moderate reduction in anxiety symptoms across population groups [3]. Encouragingly for anyone who finds the gym daunting, that review found shorter and lower-intensity sessions were most strongly associated with anxiety reduction — so you genuinely do not need intensity to benefit.

Use warmth and relaxation

Many people find heat soothing when they feel wound up. The warmth of a sauna encourages tight muscles to release, and it creates a quiet, screen-free space to slow down. We are not aware of good evidence that sauna use reduces anxiety, and it is not a treatment for an anxiety disorder — but as one part of a wider calm-down routine, a lot of people simply find it settling.

Protect your sleep

Anxiety and poor sleep feed each other. In a prospective study of a general-population sample followed over a year, anxiety predicted new cases of insomnia, and insomnia predicted new episodes of high anxiety — a relationship that appears to run in both directions [4]. Prioritising consistent, quality sleep makes the daytime version of anxiety easier to manage. A calming evening routine — dimmed lights, less screen time, a warm wind-down — supports both at once. Our guide to sauna and sleep goes further into the wind-down side of this.

Watch the stimulants

Caffeine revs up the same alert system anxiety runs on. A 2024 meta-analysis of studies in healthy adults found caffeine intake was associated with an increased risk of anxiety, most markedly at intakes above roughly 400 mg a day [5]. Alcohol is worth watching too — it commonly disrupts sleep quality, which can leave anxiety harder to manage the following day. If you are prone to anxiety, experimenting with less of both is often quietly powerful.

Building a Calm-Down Routine

Individual techniques help in the moment, but a routine helps over time. Pick two or three of the tools above, attach them to a consistent time of day, and let them become automatic — a sequence you do not have to think about is a sequence you will actually keep.

When to Seek Professional Support

Reach out for professional help if anxiety is persistent, feels out of proportion, stops you doing things you want to do, or affects your sleep, health or relationships. Talking therapies are well evidenced: a 2025 meta-analysis of randomised trials spanning three decades found cognitive behavioural therapy produced a moderate benefit for anxiety disorders compared with control conditions [6]. A professional can tailor support to you. You do not have to manage it alone.

The Elysian Solara Take

We cannot promise a sauna will calm anxiety — and we would never claim it. What we can say is that a dedicated space for daily relaxation gives many people a reliable, screen-free place to slow down at the end of the day. The fundamentals above, and professional support where it is needed, are what the evidence actually points to. You can browse the rest of our evidence-led guides in the Wellness Hub.

References

1. Laborde S, Allen MS, Borges U, Dosseville F, Hosang TJ, Iskra M, Mosley E, Salvotti C, Spolverato L, Zammit N, Javelle F (2022). Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: A systematic review and a meta-analysis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 138:104711. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104711 · PMID 35623448
2. Fincham GW, Strauss C, Montero-Marin J, Cavanagh K (2023). Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Scientific Reports 13:432. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y · PMID 36624160
3. Munro NR, Teague S, Somoray K, Simpson A, Budden T, Jackson B, Rebar A, Dimmock J (2026). Effect of exercise on depression and anxiety symptoms: systematic umbrella review with meta-meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2025-110301 · PMID 41667154
4. Jansson-Fröjmark M, Lindblom K (2008). A bidirectional relationship between anxiety and depression, and insomnia? A prospective study in the general population. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 64(4):443–449. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2007.10.016 · PMID 18374745
5. Liu C, Wang L, Zhang C, Hu Z, Tang J, Xue J, Lu W (2024). Caffeine intake and anxiety: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology 15:1270246. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1270246 · PMID 38362247
6. Hofmann SG, Kasch C, Reis A (2025). Effect sizes of randomized-controlled studies of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders over the past 30 years. Clinical Psychology Review 117:102553. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102553 · PMID 39970620

FAQ: Managing Anxiety

What is a quick way to calm anxiety in the moment?

Slow breathing with a longer exhale — in for four, out for six — is one of the most direct ways to nudge your nervous system toward its calmer branch, and it is among the better-evidenced simple techniques [1,2].

Can a sauna help with anxiety?

Some people find the warmth and quiet of a sauna soothing as part of a relaxation routine. There is no good evidence that it reduces anxiety, and it is a complement to, not a replacement for, proper care.

Does exercise really help anxiety?

Pooled evidence from randomised trials links regular exercise to a moderate reduction in anxiety symptoms, and shorter, lower-intensity sessions performed well — so it does not need to be intense [3].

Does caffeine make anxiety worse?

In healthy adults, higher caffeine intake is associated with an increased risk of anxiety, particularly above about 400 mg a day [5]. If you are prone to anxiety, it is worth trialling less.

When should I see a professional?

If anxiety is persistent or interferes with daily life, sleep or relationships, speak with a doctor or mental health professional. Anxiety is highly treatable. If you need support now, Lifeline is available on 13 11 14, 24 hours a day.

Where to Get Help

If any of this has landed close to home, please talk to someone. Your GP is a good first step and can connect you with a mental health professional. If you need to speak with someone now, these Australian services are free, confidential and open around the clock.