A Few Natural Remedies for Anxiety You Should Know
It’s a known fact, almost everyone has experienced anxiety at one point in their lives. It’s happened before and it will happen again. Whether it’s anxiety because of an upcoming job interview or something as simple as stressing about passing an exam, anxiety is normal. Of course, there are cases where anxiety such as from a divorce, the loss of a job, or the passing of a loved one, that can get out of hand. However, it’s also important to note that anxiety isn’t always a bad thing. After all, being anxious lets you know when danger abounds, keeps you organized and prepared, and helps you to calculate the risks of anything you’re thinking about doing.
It’s important to note that anxiety itself comes in a few different forms. There is mild anxiety that you get over pretty quickly, then there is generalized anxiety disorder and then the ones listed below.
- Social anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety attacks
- Phobias
Many people suffer from some form of anxiety. However, when anxiety becomes something that you struggle with in your everyday life when it becomes a disorder that you just can’t shake, then it’s time to get the help you need. The best way to deal with an anxiety disorder or daily anxiety is by contacting your primary care provider for an appointment so that he can diagnose and see if there is another underlying cause for your issue. Most of us, however, do everything we can to stay away from mood-altering prescription drugs and others as well. That is where the natural remedies for anxiety come in. Luckily, many people don’t have to use the prescription anxiety treatments, because there are a few natural remedies that have been proven to work just as well, without that side effects that concern us all.
In this blog, we’re going to go into the signs and symptoms that you might have anxiety and then go into some of the natural remedies you can use to treat that anxiety as well. If you are ready to get started, let’s delve further into this blog on anxiety, what you should know, and relevant remedies as well.
Signs and Symptoms that You Might have Anxiety
Mild anxiety is usually easily treated, it’s when you get into having an anxiety disorder that you have to be super careful and make sure to get help. With that in mind, let’s list and talk about a few of the signs and symptoms that you might have an anxiety disorder that needs to be treated, either naturally or by seeing your primary health care physician.
Excessive Worrying
One of the most common signs and symptoms that you have an anxiety disorder is that you excessively worry about everything. This isn’t worrying about really major things that are cause to worry, but worrying about little everyday problems and blowing them totally out of proportion to what the problem really is. If the excessive worrying continues for over six months and is affecting your everyday life, then you might need help managing it.
Feelings of Agitation
If you constantly feel agitated and have the following symptoms, you may have anxiety that needs to be dealt with.
- A rapid heartbeat
- Shaking
- Dry mouth
- Sweating
Feelings of Restlessness
Extreme feelings of restlessness are also common when you have anxiety. Symptoms include feeling on edge all of the time or being unable to sit still and having to be constantly on the move. Feelings of restlessness alone are not enough to say that you have an anxiety disorder, but when combined with other symptoms, it becomes a distinct possibility.
Other Signs and Symptoms You Might have an Anxiety Disorder
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating on even the smallest tasks
- Being irritable for absolutely no reason
- Tense muscles
- Trouble falling asleep
- Trouble with staying asleep
- Having panic attacks
- Avoiding social situations whenever and however possible
- Having irrational fears of everyday things
If you have any of the symptoms above, then you may want to schedule a checkup with your healthcare provider. There are many different ways to deal with anxiety, even anxiety disorders. Now, that we know the symptoms and signs that you should be on the lookout for, let’s move on to the natural remedies and tips that are out there to help you treat it.
Natural Remedies for Anxiety to Try
It’s important to note at this point in our blog that severe anxiety may not respond to natural remedies and tips. However, if your anxiety is mild, it is possible to relieve the symptoms without turning to drugs or therapy. Try the following remedies first, then talk to your primary doctor if the symptoms don’t get better or start to get worse.
Try Some Chamomile Tea
If you have the jitters and feel a panic attack or a bout with anxiety coming on, try drinking a cup of chamomile tea. The chamomile in the tea is said to have relaxing and calming properties, which will help you to relax and see things in a different light. It is said to have mood-boosting properties as well, to make you feel better. So, if you’ve had a particularly hard day and the week is starting to get to you, try a hot mug of Chamomile to help the stress go away. Green tea or some other herbal teas are also said to have a relaxing effect, so the choice of which you drink is totally up to you.
Try Meditation
Many people don’t believe that meditation is good for the body and soul, but studies have shown that practicing meditation for at least five to 10 minutes, twice a day can only help your body and soul, but help you relax and halt the danger of an anxiety attack as well.
Stay Active/Get Some Exercise
We already know that regular exercise and staying active is great for your mood and your overall health. However, studies show that it might help to drop your anxiety levels as well. The great thing about it is that it’s not just a short-term fix. People who were more active and exercised every day, reported that they felt less anxiety for hours afterward.
Lay Down the Tobacco
While many people with anxiety feel that smoking helps to cure that anxiety, that’s simply not true. Research shows that the earlier the age is that you start smoking, the more likely you are to end up developing an anxiety order later on in life. Besides, smoking is just a temporary fix for anxiety and won’t do anything to help you in the long-term.
Stop Drinking
Just like smoking, drinking alcohol is only a temporary fix that can lead to many more problems than you had before. Another problem with drinking is that if you rely on it for very long to treat the symptoms of your anxiety, you’ll soon end up with an alcohol addiction that will cause you even more problems that you don’t want to deal with.
Stop with the Caffeine
For avid coffee drinkers, this is going to be a tough one. However, caffeine leads to the jitters and that can lead to anxiety. While you may not want to give up the caffeine in your life if it calms down your anxiety, it is well-worth doing without it or at least cutting down until you’re feeling better, don’t you think?
Get Enough Sleep
Anxiety is only compounded by not getting the required amount of sleep that you need to happy, healthy, and functioning well. Insomnia is a common symptom of anxiety. There are quite a few remedies out there to ensure that you can sleep the night through, without staying awake worrying yourself sick.
Eat a Healthy Diet
There are some chemicals in foods that cause mood changes in certain people. It’s best to eat a healthy diet all of the time, free of sugar and chemicals that could affect your mood. You can find out more online or at your doctor about the right foods to choose to help alleviate your symptoms of anxiety.
Practice Your Deep Breathing
If you find yourself about to have a panic attack or on the verge of caving to anxiety, then you need to practice your deep breathing until you feel better. Since shallow, fast breathing is common with anxiety attacks, practicing slow, common breaths will help you calm down.
Go for the Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy uses fragranced essential oils to promote health and happiness among its users. The great thing about essential oils is that they can be put in a hot bath, inhaled directly or used in a diffuser. Some of the things that aromatherapy has been said to do for people are listed below.
- Helped them to sleep
- Helped them to relax
- Boosted their mood
- Reduce their blood pressure and their heart rate
This would be great for someone who was suffering from anxiety for sure. Some of the essential oils that you might want to try for your anxiety are listed below as well.
- Clary Sage
- Bergamot
- Lavender
- Grapefruit
- And ylang-ylang
- There are many more as well for anxiety, so do your research to determine which is the best fragrance for your needs
Lavender by Itself
Believe it or not, lavender is a powerful anxiety reducer all by itself. Just the act of breathing in lavender has been known to have a calming and relaxing effect on the body and the mind. This is great for relieving an anxiety attack and more. Everything from putting a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow or in your bath water and from dropping a drop of it into a cup of boiling water and inhaling the great scent, lavender is good for many things.
Take a Steaming Hot Bath
Steaming hot baths are also a great way to lessen anxiety and relieve the stresses of the day or week. Add a cup of Epsom salts to the water or a few drops of lavender and lay back until the stress and anxiety is gone. There is nothing like a hot bath with candles and soft music to make you feel better about yourself and the world in general.
Start a Journal
Writing is something that has been calming people down for years upon years now. There is something that’s soothing and relaxing about writing down your feelings in a diary that is private to only you and your inner self. Keeping a daily journal gives you a place to vent and put down the thoughts about your day, which can relieve anxiety and help you to relax as well.
Get Out in the Sun
Getting out in the sun is also another way to calm your anxiety. Since the sun is a natural provider of vitamin D, it will help you to relax and reduce your anxiety as well. Get out and get some natural sunlight at least 15 minutes a day. Take a walk before or after dinner around the neighborhood. You’ll be surprised at how much better you feel and how much calmer your mind becomes after those walks as well.
These are just a few of the top natural remedies out there for curing your anxiety or at least relieving the symptoms. If none of these work for you or you find your anxiety is getting worse, please make an appointment with your health care provider so that he can find out if you have an underlying condition that is causing your anxiety or helps you get the help you need through prescription medications or therapy.
This concludes our blog on the natural remedies that you can use to help with your anxiety. Remember, natural is always better if at all possible. Until next time, relax and be at peace everyone.
Sources:
- To Your Health: 10 Natural Remedies for Anxiety that Really Work
- Health: 19 Natural Remedies for Anxiety
- Healthline: 11 Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder