Article: Don't let stress pile up in your life. Manage your stress by engaging in activities each day that help you relieve stress. This can include yoga, meditation, exercise, writing, drawing, or anything that you find helpful in relieving stress. One excellent way to manage stress is to get plenty of sleep, around 7 to 8 hours. This can help you handle the stresses of daily life. Practicing relaxation helps you cope with stress and anxiety on a daily basis and can help prevent anxiety over the long-term. To practice muscle relaxation, lie down and relax your body. Tense and then release one muscle group at a time. Start with your right hand and forearm by making a fist, and then relaxing. Move to your upper right arm, left arm, then your face, jaw, neck, shoulders, chest, hips, right and left legs and feet. Take your time and feel yourself let go of any tension within your body. After experiencing a panic attack, some people develop a fear of panic attacks themselves. This can lead to avoiding situations that might induce panic. You can lessen the fear the more you expose yourself to symptoms. If you have persistent panic attacks, you might try to recognize the unique body signals related to your panic attacks, such a tightness in the throat or shortness of breath. When you notice these signs, remind yourself that no physical danger will actually come from a panic attack. Practice holding your breath, shallow breathing, or shaking your head from side to side. Mimic the symptoms you experience and do them in your own control. Recognize that you are okay and no harm will come to you. Do this in a controlled setting, so that if it happens uncontrolled, it won't be as fearful. While exercise helps your overall health, it is closely related to helping you handle panic attacks. Since panic attacks are tied to physiological effects related to heart function-- like a rise in blood pressure or decreased oxygen-- working on your cardiovascular health can reduce the effects panic attacks have on your body. Go for a run or a hike, take a dance class, or try martial arts. Do things that you find fun and get you moving! Try not to use nicotine products or caffeine, especially in situations where you have had panic attacks in the past. Stimulants speed up many of your physiological processes, which could make a panic attack more likely. They may also make it harder to calm down from a panic attack. For example, if you've had panic attacks before and are someone who is typically anxious meeting new people, think about skipping that cup of coffee before going on a blind date. If you're experiencing mild anxiety (not a full blown panic attack) the herbal supplements chamomile and valerian root have been shown to relieve mild anxiety to some degree. Be sure to check for any medication interactions before taking them and always follow the packaged instructions. There are also other supplements available that can reduce the effects of stress and anxiety. These include: Magnesium. Check with your doctor to see if you have a magnesium deficiency, which may be making it harder for your body to deal with past stresses. Omega-3 fatty acids. You can take a supplement, like flax seed oil. Omega-3s have been shown to reduce anxiety. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). If you're deficient in this acid, which is a neurotransmitter, you may have trouble calming your nerves, get headaches, and experience palpitations, among other things. Take 500 to 1000mg of GABA a day or eat more broccoli, citrus, bananas, or nuts.

What is a summary?
Manage your stress. Practice progressive muscle relaxation. Expose yourself to panic symptoms. Get plenty of exercise. Avoid stimulants. Consider an herbal treatment or supplement.