A general term for an emotion that is characterized by feelings of apprehension, tension, fear and worried thoughts, Anxiety is sometimes accompanied by physical changes in the body such as sweating, increased blood pressure, trembling, faster heartbeats, and lightheadedness. [1] People who are subjected to anxiety disorders, more often than not, have recurrent concerns that greatly affect the way they act and feel. There are plenty of conventional methods to makeanxiety go away. The first method is of course, if possible, to remove the reason of the stress! If anxiety becomes serious and blows out of proportion, people usually resort to medical intervention such as psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, psychological counseling, and medication – either in combination or independently.
10 Easy And Natural Home Remedies For Anxiety
There are some simple ways to deal with anxiety, and they can be usually done or found right inside your home. Why not give these a whirl before resorting to anything drastic? There is a good chance that they will mellow you out, especially if you remember to have fun with them:
1. Have a Cup of Tea – Chamomile tea has been a popular method of lowering down levels of anxiety since the 1980s. A clinical study has demonstrated that a cup of chamomile tea has an anxiolytic effect to the nerves. [2] Green tea is equally as popular as chamomile tea in normalizing blood pressure and heart rate. Known to be one of the drinks of choice of Japanese Buddhists to meditate for extended long periods of time, green tea has been found by scientists to be an effective calming agent. [3]
2. Include Exercise Into Your Life’s Routine – Are you getting regular exercise? Be honest. Researchers at Princeton University had recently discovered that exercise produces new neurons and shuts them down when not needed. [4] When anxiety is present, plenty and plenty of brain cells are firing at the same time, causing the brain to feel overwhelmed. These new neurons help release the neurotransmitter GABA, which in turn slows down brain activity, preventing other brain cells from firing along. As a result, the brain during exercise is, more or less, in a peaceful state.
3. Meditate / do “Yogic Breathing” When Feeling Anxious – The ingredients of meditation are proper breathing and a quiet environment. The most highly recommended kind of breathing is doing it yoga style. Yogic breathing nourishes your blood with oxygen, thereby keeping your cells healthy and happy. [5] Yogic breathing is considered useful against stress, food cravings, insomnia, and unhealthy emotions like anger. To do this, inhale via your nose, taking it slow then exhaling through your mouth. You can include this in your morning ritual, or you can do the yogic breathing several times a day, when you are feeling anxious.
4. Water It Up – If you are dehydrated, your mind and body do not function very well under normal conditions. There is double trouble when you are faced with anxiety. Keepa bottle of water in your handbag always. No matter how busy the day is, remember to pause and hydrate yourself. Well hydrated body leads to a well hydrated mind. As a result, you will do better in keeping anxiety level at bay.
5. Grab Something to Eat – Starved people have increased tendency to have little threshold for stress. Hunger is one of the reasons why people cannot think straight and get irritable at the slightest hint of provocation. So before your blood sugar drops too low, grab something to eat. Healthy snacks like a bar of dark chocolate, a cup of walnuts, or a protein bar have a capacity to dilute hunger and sustain it for a longer period [6] rather than the usual bread, cookies, or chips.
6. Eat Healthily and Properly – Start your day with a hearty breakfast. By hearty, it means a combination of complex carbohydrates such as oats, wheat bread and filling protein like eggs. Then as the day goes, try eating lunch and dinner with the right food group at the right time. As much as possible, a larger portion of your meals is dedicated to vegetables, include a slice of fruit in every meal, and stay away from red meat White meat such as chicken and fish, and seafoods are healthier and friendlier to the mind and body.
7. Take a Warm Bath – A long, warm bath is sometimes the best ritual to end the day, and it never fails to induce a relaxing feeling. This is because heat loosens tensions in the muscles and a study suggests that a warmth sensation may change the neuronic circuits [7] that control cognitive function and mood, leading to a happier, more relaxed self.
8. Write Your Anxiety Away – Try the strategy of writing down the anxiety-causing thought, in conventional pen-and-paper method or perhaps in a blog online. The beauty of journaling is you can single out the source of your stress and “release it”. Either you are ranting about a bad hair day at school, or how your boss commands you to do overtime work, at the end of it your journal you have released the stressful thoughts from your system.
9. Go Somewhere Quiet – You do not have to go far. Within the vicinity of your home, find the quietest spot there is and spend time with yourself- alone, without any distractions such as phone, music, etc. Call it your relaxation spot, it can be your study today, and the kitchen tomorrow. If you live in a cramped, tiny place and everything is shared, lie down in a bed, closing down all curtains and turning off the lights. In the dark, lie there for some time spacing out from the worries and anxieties. You might find that some extra sleep will help also.
10. Give Yourself A Break – Had a fight with your partner? A bad day at the office? Common, everyone has at least one not-so-nice day a week and maybe today is that day. Before going home, chance upon a store and wander in the beverage section, perhaps you will find something of interest there. Give yourself a break and enjoy a glass of red wine or a small bottle of your favorite beer at home. Alcohol, when taken in small amounts, has a very nice tranquilizing effect that tells your brain to shut up and just take it easy.
11. (Bonus) Massage – I can’t think of many things more relaxing than to lay down, soft music on, and have expert hands soothing away my troubles. Book yourself a massage. Go on, you’ve earned it. And if you can’t book one, or persuade a loved one to do it, try massaging yourself. It might sound strange if you have never done it, but bear in mind that in ancient arts such as Taoism, self-massage was an important practice for physical and spiritual health.
12. (Another Bonus) – Go to the ocean. If you can do it, go to the beach and walk along the shore. Even if you can’t persuade anyone to go with you, beach walk will do you good: The sound of the ocean has an amazing calming effect. The fresh air and the gentle exercise of walking is sure to invigorate. And there’s just something cool about walking along the beach, feeling the sand sink beneath your feet… you are at the confluence of the four elements, the place where water touches earth, sky and sun. Try it and see if you get a healing effect.
13. (Why stop when you are on a roll…) – Put on your favorite chill-out tunes. Stuck for ideas? Here’s one of my all-time favorites, this will mellow you out, in fact you will fall in love with it. Better than 5 years of therapy in 9 minutes. Just trust me on this one, and let it play: Union Jack – Water Drums
14. (Even more Bonus) – Investigate herbs for anxiety It just so happens that we have another entire page about anxiety from the herbalist’s point of view, with much information – Top 10 Herbs For Anxiety
References:
[1] Perina, Kaja, ed. “What Is Anxiety?” Psych Basics. Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, n.d. Web. 14 July 2013.http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/anxiety
[2] Smucker, Celeste. “Chamomile helps with anxiety, sleeplessness and depression.” Natural News. Natural News Network, 21 Dec. 2011. Web. 14 July 2013. http://www.naturalnews.com/034454_chamomile_anxiety_depression.html
[3] Higashiyama, Akiko, et al. “Effects of l-theanine on attention and reaction time response.” Journal of Functional Foods 3.3 (2013): 171-78. Abstract. Science Direct. Web. 14 July 2013.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464611000351
[4] Reynolds, Gretchen. “How Exercise Can Calm Anxiety.” The New York Times. N.p., 3 July 2013. Web. 14 July 2013.http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/howexercise-can-calm-anxiety/
[5] Weil, Andrew. “The 4-7-8 Breath: Health Benefits & Demonstration.” Videos. Andrew Weil, M.D. Weil Lifestyle, LLC, n.d. Web. 14 July 2013. https://www.drweil.com/videos-features/videos/the-4-7-8-breath-health-benefits-demonstration/
[6] Shaw, Jerry. “Does Anxiety Get Better or Worse With Food?” Demand Media, Inc., 26 Nov. 2010. Web. 14 July 2013.http://www.livestrong.com/article/318586-does-anxiety-get-better-or-worse-with-food/
[7] Lowry, CA, SL Lightman, and DJ Nutt. “That warm fuzzy feeling: brain serotonergic neurons and the regulation of emotion.” Journal of Psychopharmacology 23.4 (2009): 392-400. Abstract. PubMed. Web. 14 July 2013.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19074539
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