The tingling sensation in your stomach, the racing heart, the increased breathing, and the sweaty palms are things you might feel when you are worried or anxious.
These are some of the symptoms of anxiety. Anxiousness is a familiar feeling in our daily life. One might feel anxious when they are about to experience something new or something they are scared of.
Being anxious comes from the flight and fight reactions of our brains. There are many ways on how to reduce anxiety naturally.
Taking deep breaths or meditating will help you feel relaxed when anxious. But it becomes an issue if anxiety turns into an anxiety disorder. When anxiety symptoms prevail for a longer period of time, it’s an indication that you might want to consult a doctor.
Before that, let’s understand what anxiety is and how to reduce anxiety naturally.
What is anxiety?
The feeling of anxiety is very normal. People may feel anxiety when they are under stress. Anxiety is a feeling of fear when we try something new or don’t know what will happen.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), anxiety means fear accompanied by tension, worry, and increased heart and blood pressure.
When you go for your interview, your feeling before entering the office is anxiety. It is just one example of being anxious. Many more incidents can make you nervous and anxious.
So being anxious is a healthy emotion, and there are natural ways to stop anxiety. So when does anxiety become an issue? If the feelings of anxiety prevail for more than six months, then there may be a chance that one might be undergoing anxiety disorder.
Keep reading to learn about anxiety disorder and how to reduce anxiety naturally.
Also Read: 10 Short Term Mental Health Goals That Will Change Your Life
What is anxiety disorder?
Anxiety disorder includes the feelings one undergoes while being anxious in severe form. Anxiety disorders cause constant fear that it starts affecting a person’s life. People with anxiety disorder can make one avoid any gatherings or social interaction, even work.
Anxiety symptoms include panic, sleeping problems, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, excessive fear of something or any situation, stress, and depression.
There are many medications available to reduce the effects of anxiety. But there are times when you don’t want to rely entirely on medications and search for ways on how to reduce anxiety naturally.
Don’t worry; you are at the right place. We will help you learn simple yet effective ways on how to reduce anxiety naturally.
15 Ways On how to reduce anxiety naturally
If you googled ‘How can I treat anxiety naturally?” you have landed on the right page. Here we have 15 ways on how to reduce anxiety naturally that will help you.
1. Enough Sleep
Having a proper sleep schedule is one of the natural ways to stop anxiety. Sleep is an essential requirement for good mental health. People with an anxiety disorder may have insomnia because of all the worry and stress. Lack of sleep can affect emotional health.
It is hard to sleep with anxiety, but try to incorporate good sleeping habits, it will take time, but you’ll see the results. Good sleeping habits will help you combat feelings of anxiety. Sleep helps relax your mind and is good for your health.
2. Meditate
Meditation can help relax the negative thought process and clear your thinking. Anxiety causes a rush of emotions; meditating can help regulate these emotions and make you feel better. Different types of meditation techniques can help reduce anxiety.
Yoga is also a great way to relax and control your anxious thoughts. It is said that sometimes meditation can increase anxiety because our minds may produce negative thoughts. But guided meditation can help us understand our anxious thoughts. While meditating, we face our ideas and understand what is true and irrational.
3. A balanced diet
Food affects our mood to a great extent. Food can make you happy or stressed. Having a properly balanced diet may help reduce anxiety. Unhealthy foods can cause low blood sugar levels, dehydration, fatigue, etc., which affects the mood and causes discomfort.
Including food rich in protein, carbohydrates, Vitamin C, Omega-3, etc., may help produce hormones like serotonin or dopamine that help lift the mood and reduce stress and anxiety. Start having green leafy vegetables, chicken, fish, etc., for all the nutrition.
4. Deep Breathing
The first thing you’ll notice whenever someone is anxious is fast breathing. Fast breathing causes increased blood pressure and may cause a panic attack. It is essential to learn breathing exercises which will be very helpful in reducing anxiety.
If you feel anxious, try taking in slow deep breaths. This will help you slowly relax, distract you from your anxious thoughts, and calm you down.
5. Caffeine Intake
Large populations are addicted to caffeine intake to feel active. Around 80% of people in the US consume caffeine. Caffeine causes mental health issues when taken at high rates. The side effects of caffeine can increase the risks of anxiety disorders.
Try limiting caffeine intake if you see that your anxiety symptoms are getting worse. Don’t cut caffeine all at once from your diet; you might experience withdrawal symptoms which is again a source of anxiety. Taking small amounts of caffeine is not harmful.
6. Exercise
Staying active and exercising is one of the great natural ways to stop anxiety.
Exercising helps the brain produce anti-anxiety neurochemicals like serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and endocannabinoids. It helps in regulating mood and reduces stress and anxiety.
You can incorporate different exercises in your life according to your preference.
Also Read: 11 Mental Health Skill Building Activities
7. Chamomile tea
Research has proved that chamomile tea helps reduce generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Chamomile acts as a tranquilizer and has the effect of a sedative. It induces sleep by calming your mind. Chamomile tea contains apigenin antioxidant that stimulates the brain’s receptors, which helps decrease anxiety.
8. Animals
Animals are also great stress relievers; spending time with them is one of the most effective natural remedies to stop anxiety. They give companionship and love, the first thing one needs while undergoing anxiety. Spending time with animals can help in reducing stress hormones.
You can spend time with dogs, cats, or any kind of animal that you love. People also spend time with insects like crickets, which are great stress relievers, especially for older people.
9. Aromatherapy
If you are searching for natural ways to stop anxiety, try aromatherapy.
It helps reduce anxiety and is a great way of healing anxiety disorders. People have used aromatherapy for a very long time.
Aromatherapy includes using different essential oils like bergamot, lavender, clary sage, grapefruit, and ylang-ylang, which help calm the mind and body and promote better mental health.
Using aromatherapy, one can increase their physical and emotional health. In aromatherapy, the essential oils are extracted by the plants, inhaled, or used in a warm bath or diffuser.
Aromatherapy relaxes you, helps you have a good sleep schedule, lifts your mood, and controls your heart rate and blood pressure.
10. Laugh
It is hard to laugh while someone is undergoing anxiety. But laughter is the best medicine and is one of the effective natural ways to stop anxiety. When something stressful comes up, and you cannot do anything about it, try taking your mind off it rather than sitting and worrying about it.
Laugh with friends or watch a comedy movie; give yourself a break. Laughter helps control the stress hormones and helps us think clearly.
After your stress is reduced, you’ll see that you have a better solution to your problems.
11. Stress Relieving activities
Another best natural ways to stop anxiety is engaging in stress-relieving activities that can help you when you are getting anxious. Some of them are:
1. Using a weighted blanket
These have become very popular among people who have anxiety. The blanket should be 10% of the user’s weight which is seen to calm the body and mind. Using these blankets has helped people have improved sleep and better mental health.
2. Using stress reliever toys
There are various toys like fidget spinners and stress balls that one can use to reduce anxiety because they help distract from negative thoughts for the moment. It gives a satisfying feeling too.
3. Doodling
Another natural remedy to stop anxiety is drawing, doodling, and coloring, which are therapeutic ways to deal with anxiety. These activities release dopamine and serotonin in our brain, which helps relax and lift our mood, reducing stress.
12. Avoid Alcohol
People usually consume alcohol because of its sedative nature, which helps reduce anxious thoughts and feelings. But drinking alcohol will only help temporarily, causing long-term health issues.
Even if they have a sedative nature, they increase anxiety symptoms. Alcohol also disrupts a person’s sleeping schedule, which is the leading cause of anxiety. Try limiting your alcohol intake; initially, it may cause stress, but slowly, you will feel better.
Also read: Winnie The Pooh Characters And Their Mental Disorders
13. Outdoors
Spending time with nature is also one of the best natural remedies to stop anxiety. The green color of nature tends to calm our minds and reduce stress. Fresh cold air also helps reduce anxiety symptoms and enables you to avoid anxiety attacks.
Nature reduces the stress hormones released when we are anxious, so when you feel that you’re going to have an anxiety attack, try taking a walk outside to calm yourself down with a friend or family member.
14. Journaling
Writing your emotions is also a great way to reduce anxiety and express your feelings. Writing down your emotions helps you understand them and regulates your reaction toward them. Journaling is very therapeutic.
Give at least 10 to 15 minutes to write down what you feel when you are anxious, your fears, and how you think you can control them. Doing this will help you be more aware of your feelings and reduce stress or anxiety attacks.
Also Read: Mental Health Awareness Quiz
15. A to-do list
Anxious people tend to get stressed when they have a lot of things to do. The best way to calm down in such a situation is to list items that must be done. You should complete important work, and then the rest should be scheduled.
Making a to-do list will help in organizing your work. It will keep you stress-free and enable you to complete your work on time. It will help you keep track of your deadlines.
When To Seek Help
Anxiety is a normal feeling in our day-to-day life. It helps us improve our work by creating healthy fears in our minds. But if these feelings persist for a long time, it is a sign of anxiety disorder. These were some of the ways on how to reduce anxiety naturally. But it is vital to remember that if the symptoms worsen, you must seek help from a professional.
Different methods of treatment are available which can help overcome anxiety. Please do not ignore your symptoms, or they will worsen and cause discomfort. Different psychiatrists or therapists can help you overcome stress and anxiety by planning proper medication and therapy sessions.
Also Read: Top 22 Mental Health Awareness Blogs
Conclusion:
These were some ways on how to reduce anxiety naturally. Don’t worry if you are anxious because it’s a normal feeling that the brain generates when we experience something new or are scared about something. It is a healthy emotion that helps us increase productivity and motivates us to experience new things.
We must be cautious about the symptoms prevailing for over six months, which may indicate an anxiety disorder. You can find various are available that can reduce anxiety. Specific changes in life and healthy habits can also help in regulating stress. Be consistent with them and take your time. You will feel better.
Various anxiety-reducing exercises can also help you reduce stress and calm yourself down. Click here to know more.
If you see that symptoms are getting worse, consult a doctor and get proper treatment.
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