It’s normal to experience some anxiety throughout life. Being busy all the time is to blame for it.
However, not all anxiety is negative. It helps you weigh the risks, keeps you organized and prepared, and makes you aware of potential danger. But when anxiety starts to occur on a daily basis, it’s time to take action before it gets worse.
Uncontrolled anxiety may significantly lower your quality of life. Try the suggestions below to regain control.
Your body’s natural reaction to stress is anxiety. It’s a sensation of anxiety or worry that may be brought on by a number of variables, including heredity, the environment, and even brain chemistry, according to researchers.
Typical signs of anxiety include:
- higher heart rate
- quickly breathing
- restlessness
- difficulty concentrating
It’s crucial to remember that worry can manifest itself differently for various people. While one individual could feel that their tummy is going to start to flutter, another person could experience panic attacks, nightmares, or terrible thoughts.
Having said that, there is a distinction between normal anxiety and anxiety disorders. It’s one thing to feel anxious about something new or stressful. Still, it can become a disorder if your anxiety becomes unmanageable or excessive to the point where it interferes with your quality of life.
Anxiety disorders can manifest as:
- Panic disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Anxiety phobia
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Social anxiety disorder
There are many different approaches to curing anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular form of treatment that gives patients techniques to manage their anxiety when it manifests.
Additionally, some drugs, such as sedatives and antidepressants, can regulate brain chemistry and lessen anxiety attacks. Even the most severe symptoms might be prevented by them.
But there are both small and significant natural methods that may help manage anxiety if you want to take a more holistic approach.
You can change your eating, sleeping, and exercise routines. You could also give something completely novel a try, like meditation or aromatherapy. Everybody can find a natural way to help reduce anxiety, regardless of their lifestyle requirements.
1. Keep moving.
Regular exercise can significantly improve your mental health in addition to your physical health.
According to Trusted Source, those with anxiety disorders who reported engaging in a lot of physical activity were better able to fend off the onset of anxiety symptoms.
There are several potential causes for this. Your focus can be drawn from an anxiety-inducing situation by engaging in physical activity.
Additionally, increasing your heart rate alters the chemistry of your brain to make room for anti-anxiety neurochemicals like:
- Brain-derived
- Neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
- Endocannabinoids
- Serotonin all has a role to play.
The American Psychological Association (APA) claims that regular exercise improves focus and willpower, which helps lessen some anxiety symptoms.
This is mainly a matter of personal preference when it comes to the type of exercise. Running or a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class are your best bets if you want to truly raise your heart rate.
But if you want to start out with something a little less strenuous, exercises like Pilates and yoga might also be equally good for your mental health.
2. Abstain from drinking
Since alcohol is a natural sedative, it may initially help to ease the discomfort. However, research reveals a connection between anxiety and alcohol use, with alcohol use disorders (AUD) and anxiety disorders frequently co-occurring.
Review of 2017, reducing alcohol use can help with anxiety and sadness, according to a dependable source that examined 63 separate studies.
Drinking too much can upset the neurotransmitter balance that is necessary for good mental health. This interference causes an imbalance that could result in specific anxiety symptoms.
Early sobriety may temporarily increase anxiety, but over time, it can decrease.
Additionally, it’s been demonstrated that alcohol interferes with sleep homeostasis, which prevents your body from falling asleep on its own. And as we’ll see later, getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for battling anxiety.
3. Take into account giving up smoking.
Smokers frequently light up a cigarette when under pressure. However, smoking when you’re stressed is a temporary fix that could make anxiety worse over time, similar to drinking alcohol.
According to research Trusted Source: Your risk of later developing an anxiety disorder increases the earlier in life you start smoking. Additionally, studies suggest that the chemicals in cigarette smoke, such as nicotine, change the brain’s anxiety-related neural pathways.
There are several methods to start quitting if that’s what you want to do. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), finding a secure replacement for cigarettes, such as toothpicks, is advised.
To establish a space that supports your smoke-free lifestyle, you might also adopt behaviors that distract you. Additionally, you can create a strategy with the help of a support network that can offer anything from motivation to diversions.
4. Reduce caffeine consumption.
Caffeine is not your friend if you suffer from persistent anxiety. If you’re uneasy, caffeine may make you jittery and agitated, neither of which is helpful.
Caffeine may contribute to or exacerbate anxiety disorders, according to research. For those who suffer from panic disorder, it might also trigger panic attacks. Caffeine withdrawal can considerably reduce anxiety symptoms in some people.
Due to its capacity to change brain chemistry, coffee and anxiety are frequently associated, much like alcohol and alcoholism.
For instance, according to a 2008 study by Trusted Source, caffeine boosts alertness by inhibiting the brain chemical adenosine, which causes fatigue, and simultaneously induces the production of adrenalin.
All things considered, most people can safely consume a modest amount of caffeine.
However, if you want to reduce or stop consuming caffeine altogether, you should start by gradually cutting back on your daily intake.
Start substituting water for these drinks to quench your thirst. This will not only fulfill your body’s demand for liquid, but it will also help you stay hydrated and flush caffeine from your system.
Caffeine use can be reduced gradually over a few weeks to help break the habit without causing withdrawal symptoms in the body.
5. Make getting a good night’s sleep a top priority.
Numerous studies have shown that getting enough sleep is crucial for maintaining excellent mental health.
The CDC advises adults to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every day, despite a 2012 poll finding that nearly a third of adults sleep for less than 6 hours at night.
You can prioritize your sleep by:
- Avoiding caffeine; heavy meals; nicotine before bedtime.
- keeping your room dark and cold.
- Going to sleep at the same time every night.
- Only sleeping at night when you’re sleepy not reading
- Watching television.
- Using your phone, tablet, or computer in bed.
- Not tossing and turning in your bed.
6. Practice mindfulness and meditation.
Full awareness of the present moment, which involves observing all thoughts without judgment, is one of the fundamental objectives of meditation. Your capacity to deliberately endure all thoughts and feelings will grow as a result, which might bring you a feeling of peace and satisfaction.
Meditation, a key component of CBT, is believed to reduce stress and anxiety.
30 minutes a day of meditation, according to John Hopkins research, may reduce some anxiety symptoms and have antidepressant effects.
How to practice meditation
Nine styles of meditation are in demand:
- Mindfulness meditation with a higher power
- Transcendental meditation
- Movement meditation
- Focused meditation
- Mantras.
- Gradually calming
- Practicing
- Loving-kindness
- Visualization
The most common type of meditation is typically mindfulness meditation. You can practice mindful meditation by closing your eyes, taking a few deep breaths, and focusing on the things that come to mind. You do not judge them or interact with them. You simply watch them and note any trends as you go.
7. Consume a healthy diet.
Some people may experience mood changes as a result of low blood sugar, dehydration, or chemicals included in processed foods such as artificial flavorings, artificial colorings, and preservatives. A high-sugar diet may also affect mood.
Check your eating habits if your anxiety gets worse after eating. Drink plenty of water, steer clear of processed foods, and consume a balanced diet high in lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables.
8. Make use of deep inhalations.
Breathing quickly and shallowly is typical of nervousness. It might cause a rapid heartbeat, lightheadedness, dizziness, or even a panic attack.
Deep breathing techniques, which involve intentionally taking slow, even breaths, can help to reestablish healthy breathing patterns and lessen anxiety.
9. Examine aromatherapy.
Humans have utilized aromatherapy as a holistic therapeutic method for thousands of years. The technique promotes the health and well-being of the mind, body, and spirit by utilizing natural plant extracts and essential oils. Its objective is to improve mental and emotional well-being.
The natural plant extracts essential oils can be inhaled straight away, applied to a warm bath, or used in a diffuser. One recommendation for aromatherapy is:
- Reduce heart rate
- Blood pressure
- Help you unwind
- Aid in sleep.
Following are some essential oils that are thought to reduce anxiety:
- Clary sage
- Lavender
- Bergamot
- Ylang ylang citrus
10. Have some chamomile tea.
A typical home cure to soothe frazzled nerves and encourage sleep is a cup of chamomile tea.
According to a 2014 study by Trusted Source, chamomile may also be a potent ally in the fight against GAD. In comparison to individuals who received a placebo, the study indicated that those who took German chamomile capsules (220 mg up to five times daily) saw a higher decrease in test results that evaluate anxiety symptoms.
In a different 2005 study, it was discovered that chamomile extract promoted sleep in rats who had sleep disturbances. Researchers think the tea’s ability to bind to benzodiazepine receptors and exert hypnotic effects similar to those of benzodiazepines may make it act like a benzodiazepine.
Takeaway
The suggestions above might help you feel less worried.
Keep in mind that while home remedies may reduce anxiety, they shouldn’t be used in place of professional assistance. Therapy or prescription medication may be necessary to treat increased anxiety. Discuss your worries with your doctor.
