Millennials Who Felt Constantly Anxious Growing Up Usually Struggled With These 8 Things
nensuria | Canva According to the American Psychological Association (APA), millennials experience more stress and are less able to manage it than any other generation. More than half of us admit to having lain awake at night during the past month from stress.
Not surprisingly, millennials are also more anxious than older Americans. The APA reports that 12 percent of millennials have a diagnosed anxiety disorder — almost twice the percentage of Boomers. Another APA report found 35% of millennials said they’d received help from a mental health professional, while a 2014 American College Health Association (ACHA) assessment found that anxiety regularly afflicts 61 percent of college students.
Anxiety not only harms our well-being but also sabotages our productivity. The ACHA assessment found that the top two tolls on students’ academic performance were stress and anxiety. Two-thirds of millennials attribute declining work performance to anxiety.
Sources of millennial anxiety may include a tough job market and student debt, as well as psychological causes I’ve covered previously, such as ambition obsession, career crises, and choice overload. But even our day-to-day behaviors can incite anxiety.
Millennials who felt constantly anxious growing up usually struggled with these 8 things:
1. Bad sleep habits
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Perhaps the most prevalent contributor to anxiety is poor sleep. A study found that lack of sleep can play a significant role in excessive worrying. Common causes of insufficient sleep include going to bed at different times, not making sleep a priority, and spending time on phones or laptops right before bed. Instead, form a long, boring nighttime routine free from technology, keep a journal by your bed to write down thoughts that keep you awake, and exercise during the day to wear out your body.
2. Skipping meals
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Eating consistently regulates not only our metabolism and insulin levels but also our mental stability. Delaying eating or skipping meals can cause unsteady blood sugar levels. Imbalanced blood sugar levels can cause shakiness, dizziness, confusion, and difficulty speaking, which are also anxiety symptoms.
Dehydration has a similar effect, according to research. Because food and water are biological needs, anxiety naturally follows hunger and thirst. Instead, eat meals regularly. Keep granola bars or nuts at your desk or in your purse. Bring a water bottle to work and sip it throughout the day. Have a glass of water right when you wake up and before you go to sleep.
3. Drinking coffee
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Drinking coffee makes us more alert and, in many cases, helps us perform better on short-term tasks. But it can also make people jittery, irritable, and nervous, especially if they’re already predisposed to anxiety.
Research showed sensitivity to caffeine is, in fact, heightened in people with panic disorder and social phobia, and caffeine can provoke panic attacks in some individuals. Caffeine is also a diuretic, which can cause dehydration, an anxiety trigger established above. Instead, try weaning off coffee by switching to just one cup a day, decaf or black tea. If you feel calmer and more in control after a couple of weeks without it, commit to quitting and pull out all the stops.
4. Sitting too long
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America’s surge of anxiety symptoms parallels our increasingly sedentary lifestyles. But, until studies on sedentary behavior, it was unclear whether the two were actually linked. After a lengthy analysis, researchers found that the risk of anxiety increases as sedentary behavior increases — and, specifically, sitting time spikes one’s likelihood of experiencing anxiety.
Instead, If you work at a desk all day, you’re not doomed. Get up and walk around every ninety minutes. Offset your sitting time with regular exercise, which one study suggested halves your risk of anxiety and depression.
5. Screen time
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A survey showed that Millennials spend over 5 hours a day on their phones. Of course, technology vastly improves our lives in innumerable ways. But too much of it makes us anxious. Screen-based entertainment increases central nervous system arousal, which can amplify anxiety. Social media is similarly associated with low moods and depression.
Instead: Next time you’re waiting or have nothing to do, leave your phone in your pocket or purse. Relinquish it as a means of alleviating boredom and instead use it consciously as needed for its useful functions.
6. Not clocking out
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According to data from the Forbes Work State of Mind Project, millennials become anxious and irritated when work intrudes on their personal lives. But our bad work-life balance is our own choosing. Many millennials feel productivity shouldn't be measured by the number of hours at work, but by the output of the work performed. The reality is, even after we leave the office, we’re still at work.
Instead, we can still be ambitious, work long hours, and impress our bosses without sacrificing psychological health and personal boundaries. So clock out: In your calendar, schedule a defined, consistent time at night to stop working. When time’s up, mark that task complete and go take care of yourself.
7. Binge watching
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You may think snuggling up on the couch and watching a movie will help you unwind, but research disproves this trend. In one study, participants felt more depressed and anxious after watching just two hours of TV than those who didn’t. Another study found that those with anxiety and depression spend significantly more time on the computer and watching television. While resting reduces anxiety in the short term, research reveals that its effect is short-lived, particularly compared with exercise.
Instead, do anything but watch TV when you’re done with work. Go on a walk, grab drinks, knit, work, draw, write, sit in your room and look at the wall, call your mom, actually cook dinner, build something, play badminton.
8. Hanging out with anxious people
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You might feel like you’ve found someone you can vent to who understands you, but studies show that ruminating on anxiety often makes it worse. Furthermore, participating in “intergroup anxiety“ increases one’s anxious behaviors.
Instead: Seek out people who level your mood. After you hang out with someone, ask yourself if you feel stable and well—or if you’re hyped up and on edge. It’s easy to spend less time with certain people once you’ve decided they’re bad for your health.
If the annoyance, pain, and performance impairment of day-to-day anxiety aren’t enough to quit these bad habits, perhaps this is: Research showed anxiety is implicated in heart disease, migraines, chronic respiratory disorders, and gastrointestinal conditions.
Despite our youth, chronic anxiety is not sustainable. By swapping out these daily practices, we can improve our moods and our lives one habit at a time.
Caroline Beaton is a freelance journalist covering health, modern psychology, and culture.
