The Funny Thing About Anxiety
Anxiety can sneak up on you even when you’re generally happy. It often shows up as pressure in your chest, shallow breathing, a racing heart, or scattered thoughts. Regardless of the cause or how it makes you feel, there are time-tested tools and techniques that can help restore your inner sense of calm.
“After the birth of my fourth child, I was feeling anxious, and it was hard for me to do the things I wanted to do,” says Michelle C., a registered nurse living in Clearfield, PA. “I was breastfeeding my new baby and didn’t want to take any medications, so I looked for natural remedies. Making a point to laugh with my kids every day and doing light yoga stretches helped me feel a little calmer each day.”
What Home Remedies Work for Anxiety?
While anxiety might sometimes motivate you to get things done, most people don’t want to feel anxious and stressed. It can take a toll on your health, as anxiety is associated with higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
Fortunately, many natural solutions are practical and easy to fit into your life. Here are some of the most helpful ways to deal with anxiety that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.
Eat Healthy
The food you eat has a tremendous impact on how you feel mentally and physically. Eating processed foods or skipping meals can cause your blood sugar levels to become inconsistent, leading to anxiety symptoms like fatigue, nervousness, irritability, and shakiness. Instead, eat nutritious, whole foods at regular intervals — every three or so hours. This can ease anxious feelings and boost your overall well-being and happiness.
Switch to a Plant-Based Diet
Eating a plant-based diet is incredible for both your physical and mental health. Feel-good foods like avocados and walnuts are rich in nutrients like B6 and B12, which release “happy hormones” such as serotonin and dopamine, boosting your mood. Foods rich in magnesium, like spinach, Swiss chard, legumes, nuts, and seeds, help people feel calmer.
Eat Probiotic-Rich, Fermented Foods
Eating fermented foods high in probiotics, such as kimchee and sauerkraut, can benefit your gut flora. A healthy gut microbiome has a direct link to mental wellness and can reduce social anxiety among other benefits.
Reduce Caffeine
If you’ve ever suspected that your morning coffee exacerbates your anxiety and makes you feel more jittery, your suspicions are correct. Caffeine consumption can increase stress hormones in your body, making you more agitated and irritable. It also inhibits the calming neurotransmitter GABA, which normally helps you relax. Low GABA levels are associated with anxiety attacks.
Avoid Sugar
Most of us love a little sweet treat from time to time. However, if you’re trying to combat anxiety, it’s best to eat sweets in moderation or eliminate them altogether. Excess sugar consumption can bring feelings of irritability, worry, and sadness. The “high” feeling you get from eating sugar is always temporary and can lead to a crash, making anxiety feel even more intense. Sugar is also known to weaken your body’s response to stress and lower your immunity.
Make Lifestyle Changes
Your lifestyle has a major impact on how you feel, including your feelings of happiness, joy, or stress and anxiety. Making healthy lifestyle choices — like getting enough sleep, engaging in hobbies that bring you joy, and moving your body each day — will help you feel your best and replace anxiety with calm, centered clarity.
Get Active!
Exercise is great for your physical health and equally beneficial for your mental health. Physical activity releases endorphins that make you feel good and is one of the most powerful tools for managing anxiety and stress. Even one exercise session can help reduce anxiety for hours afterward. If you’re new to exercise, start small — aim for at least 15 minutes a day, four days a week. Engage in any physical activity you enjoy, such as gardening or hiking. Yoga, with its focus on breath and mindfulness, is particularly effective at reducing anxiety.
Meditate to Calm Your Mind
When you’re anxious, you’re often not in the present moment. Meditation brings you into the present, which can ease your mind. It’s a proven method for reducing psychological stress, including anxiety. There are many types of meditation, such as body scan, mindfulness, and mantra meditation. Generally, it involves sitting quietly and focusing on your breath or a simple phrase (mantra) to settle your mind. Start by sitting in a quiet room and focusing on your breathing for five minutes without interruption, gradually extending the time.
Try Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is an ancient practice that uses essential oils for various health concerns, including anxiety. Essential oils are concentrated floral and plant parts that offer physiological benefits. Apart from smelling lovely, essential oils are effective tools for managing daily stress and anxiety. Use them topically on the skin or diffuse the scent in your home. Lavender oil, for example, interacts with neuroreceptors in the brain similarly to some anti-anxiety medications. Bergamot and lemongrass are also well-known for reducing anxiety when used as essential oils.
Take Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral found naturally in the body, but many people are deficient in this essential nutrient. It helps your brain reduce stress and anxiety, ensuring the body’s “fight-or-flight” response works effectively. Many people worry about getting enough calcium, but more people are deficient in magnesium than calcium. Nearly two-thirds of people worldwide do not consume the recommended daily allowance of magnesium. Fortunately, a magnesium deficiency can be easily corrected by eating foods rich in the mineral, such as leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and seeds, or by taking dietary supplements.
Spend Time With Pets
If you have a pet, you know that the human-animal bond is a source of unrivaled love and companionship. Research shows that spending time with pets decreases stress hormones, lowers blood pressure, boosts your mood, and reduces loneliness. In a recent survey, 74 percent of pet owners reported mental health improvements when spending time with their pets. Even if your preferred pet is an insect, it can have a positive effect on depression and cognitive functioning.
Quit Alcohol & Smoking
Using alcohol and smoking to cope with anxiety is not a good idea and can lead to more issues. Nicotine in tobacco can increase anxiety levels, and alcohol depresses the part of the brain associated with inhibition. Excessive drinking can make you feel more anxious. Avoiding alcohol and quitting smoking can significantly improve your overall health and well-being.
Herbal Supplements for Anxiety
Herbal remedies can provide extra support for daily stress and anxiety. Here are some supplements backed by scientific evidence showing they can lift mood and bring calm.
Ashwagandha
A staple of Ayurvedic medicine, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has a wide range of benefits, including reducing the body’s reaction to stress and improving energy. It is perhaps best known for promoting normal levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, thereby increasing feelings of calm.
Tulsi
Tulsi, also called “holy basil,” can bring comfort to those with daily stress and anxiety. Many people using it report significant improvements in their feelings of stress and sleep issues. It can also improve energy levels and lessen forgetfulness. Tulsi tea is a popular way to bring calm to your day and keep hormone levels balanced. Others prefer a supplement, such as an organic tulsi extract. For optimal results, take supplements or drink tulsi tea twice a day.
Valerian
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is commonly used as a sleep aid. Since sleep issues and anxiety go hand-in-hand, many people use valerian to promote feelings of ease, as it has a calming effect on the central nervous system. People taking valerian for four weeks reported feeling less stressed and experienced greater mental and psychological well-being. Taking the herb an hour before bed can lead to better sleep quality and less daily anxiety.
Passionflower
Native Americans have used passionflower as a mild calming agent for centuries. Today, passionflower is available as a dietary supplement that can help with anxiety and sleep issues. Scientific evidence supports its effectiveness. Patients who drank passionflower tea before a surgical procedure reported less anxiety than those who received a placebo. Passionflower may also improve memory. Some people prefer a stand-alone supplement, while others opt for a combination of effective calming, mood-supporting herbs and nutrients, like Stress Relief.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm, a member of the mint family, is regarded as a calming herb. Humans have used it since the Middle Ages to reduce anxiety and stress and improve sleep. When combined with valerian, it can help reduce anxiety, specifically irritability and nervousness. As a bonus, 81 percent of people who took both lemon balm and valerian reported improved sleep.
Full-Spectrum Hemp
Hemp is an incredible plant full of hundreds of health-giving phytochemicals and nutrients, including the popular cannabidiol (CBD). Hemp is Cannabis sativa that has been bred to contain less than 0.3 percent THC, the substance known to give the “high” feeling
