Aaaargh. Everytime i try to sit and read i cannot concentrate and i still feeling very anxious...tight chest, tense, mind going in all directions but the pages of my books. Sounds familiar? it is making me feel so down and guilty. any advice?
i am on a doooooowwwwwn. :-(

I get like this from time to time, I get the feeling that no matter what I read, there's always something else I could/should be reading, and am I wasting time by looking at this paper when I could read another that would be so much more useful and so I get overwhelmed by it and can't concentrate on what's in front of me. Sounds silly, but just approaching each article/book chapter etc one at a time and not thinking of it as the first in a huge pile made me feel calmer. The fact that there will be something useful from each article, some information on methodology, theory, analysis etc also helped. Even if it's just small, you know you will gain something from reading it

i sometimes get physically anxious the night before teaching (which is totally irrational, as I actually feel quite confident about teaching, but still).

for me, sometimes it helps do do something that feels like I am doing something against the anxiety. i.e. i make "calming" herbal teas and add orange-flower essence, and use a lavender-infused pillow, etc. don't know if it really works, but just the "doing something about it" helps already. sometimes, anyway.

any other tips on how to deal with (reading or other-related) anxiety?

I think that is pretty normal to feel anxious from time to time when sitting down to read. For me sometimes the trick is finding a more relaxing working environment--home in my jammies, or with a big cup of coffee at the desk, or the right sort of music...and sometimes its a matter of saying, just one article for the day, or whatever, sometimes the stress can be a signal that you need time away from the studies. Sometimes a day off is the most productive thing you can do for yourself, then when you return you are fresh and rested.

I think that overall getting enough exercise and the right sorts of food help manage anxiety--easier said than done of course! In some people caffeine can fuel anxiety, so if you are drinking lots of caffeine, that could be a culprit.

SLEEP!! Sleep is important! If you are low on sleep, that could also stress your body and bring on anxiety.

Does anyone else get physically exhausted from studying? It seems sort of silly that sitting at a desk all day could do that, but for me, after a long hard applied day, it does! I am sleeping a sound, restful 9 hours a night or so now, which is what my body wants. A couple of weeks ago, I came home and fell asleep at 5:30 in the evening ( sat down for a rest) and did not wake up for six hours!!!!! I was that tired.

And last but not least...I think it is important to remember attention span is good for about 50 minutes and then you need a break. I read somewhere about the need to get up, walk around, even if just to get tea or water or coffee, and take a 10 minute break every hour to maximize your brain's functioning.

Olivia, I know what you mean about studying being exhausting! I need a lot more sleep than normal when I'm reading and thinking a lot, and actually get 'study hangovers' where my head and eyes ache and I'm nauseus. People look at me strangely when I use that phrase but studying's definitely the culprit!

As for anxiety, I try to lay off caffeine, and exercise always disperses nervousness/general misery for me.

Have you tried having a highlighter (not for a borrowed book!) and/or notepad and pen handy? I find that being able to "do something" - highlight, annotate, make notes, write the odd shopping list - whilst reading makes me feel more in control and less passive and confused.

Do you read hard copies? I find reading off the screen a lot more difficult.

I always go for hard copy. It is soooo hard to read on the screen. I like to edit my writing in hard copy too, its too hard and not very effective for me to try to edit on the screen.

Thanks everyone!! I do exercise regularly, don't drink coffee after lunch... I think it can feel very overwelming,and in april i will be half way through, which is an important milestone.
Maybe I need a proper break, have not really had one for ages. A break meaning "forgetting about the phd" for a wee while.
My supervisor described the feeling of always thinking about your phd as "carrying an elephant with you all the time". this is how i feel!