Ways to Naturally Reduce Anxiety
HELLO friends! School has officially ended and I am back in the RV for the summer. Now that I'm home and I have a lot of free time, I concocted a list of topics to write about on the blog this summer and this was one of the first ones I thought of. I thought I had written about this before, but it turns out I actually don't have a post solely dedicated to naturally reducing anxiety. That was a pleasant surprise because it's actually one of my favorite things to talk about. So here we go.
I've dealt with anxiety since my junior year of high school, and honestly, it sucks. That's all I can really tell you. Constantly worrying about things you have zero control over and being told to calm down when you LITERALLY CANNOT is the worst. But, over the years, I have found some things that have actually made my anxiety easier to manage and even alleviated the symptoms a little bit. I have tried every remedy I've listed in this article and i can concur that with consistency and dedication, these things really do help reduce anxiety. So without further ado, here are 10 things that can help naturally reduce anxiety.
DISCLAIMER: I completely, 100% understand that some people's anxiety cannot be alleviated with any of these things. I understand that some anxiety does not respond to these natural remedies and may only respond to medication. These remedies are just suggestions for unusually bad bouts of anxiety, or a mild-moderate anxiety disorder (example: me). They are long terms solutions that require practice and consistency. These things can help reduce anxiety and have been shown to, but I understand they may not be the right thing for everyone. This is just based on what I've researched and my personal experience.
1. Chamomile/Kava Tea
Several studies suggest that drinking 1-3 cups of chamomile tea a day has been shown to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Chamomile is a type of plant that has been used for YEARS to alleviate anxiety symptoms. It is incredibly calming, soothing, and gentle. It also possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so on top of being good for anxiety, it's just good for you in general. Chamomile is found in a lot of sleepytime teas and also in supplement form. Personally, because I have trouble sleeping, I drink a cup of kava tea with almond milk every night. However, I am considering switching to chamomile because I can drink it throughout the day and it's a bit less intense than kava.
2. Omega 3s
Omega 3, a vitamin found naturally in fish, anchovies, sardines, mussels, and a lot of other seafood, is another way to naturally reduce anxiety. This can also be found in supplement form (fish oil). I personally don't eat seafood very often and am seriously lacking in the omega-3 department, so this is something I'm trying to work on to reduce my anxiety and be healthier in general.
3. Outside Time
Okay, if you have anxiety, I'm sure you're SICK of hearing "Just go outside! You'll feel better!". When you're in the middle of an anxiety attack or you don't want to leave your bed because you're so anxious, that's the last thing you want to hear. However, I'm afraid these obnoxious people are right. Increasing the time you spend outside can have profound effects on anxiety levels. Spending time outside naturally lowers blood pressure and stress levels. It even helps you sleep better! If you experience pretty severe anxiety, I heavily suggest spending at least 20 minutes a day outside. Whether it be going for a walk, reading outside, doing some yoga, literally anything. Just come up with some reason to be outside every day. If you think you don't have time, try going outside on your lunch break or taking the long route on your way back from your last class of the day.
4. Cut Down on Caffeine
And next on the list of "Things I Want To Stop Hearing About My Anxiety" is "Stop drinking coffee."
I'D LOVE TO BUT I CAN'T.
Coffee is one of the biggest joys in my life, and the first time someone told me I needed to cut down on caffeine if I wanted my anxiety to get better, I nearly started swinging. But unfortunately, again, they were right. Caffeine, especially large doses, can make anxiety symptoms significantly worse. If you have severe anxiety and find yourself drinking a few cups of joe a day, consider reducing that to one, or switching it out for green tea. Green tea will still fill that caffeine void in your brain, but just not as much. It will also add l-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea that can help reduce anxiety. (You can also just try decaf if you absolutely cannot give up coffee (also me)).
5. Yoga Flow
I've tried to start doing yoga consistently more times than I can or want to count. I finally started doing it this summer, and it's doing wonders for my anxiety and my seasonal depression (we are currently on the East coast and it's raining nonstop and I'm dying). Yoga is one of those remedies that takes real consistency and practice, but once you've got your routine down and have been doing it for a while, it will significantly help reduce the symptoms of not only anxiety but depression as well. It's good for your mind and your body.
6. Eat
Yeah, that's right. Eating can help reduce your anxiety. Not eating three full meals a day significantly contributes to anxiety symptoms. When you don't eat breakfast alone, it can have severely negative effects on your mood, memory, and cognitive function. Anxiety symptoms also worsen significantly when you don't eat and/or have a poor diet. Not eating causes a drop in blood sugar that can cause shakiness, dizziness, confusion and just overall irritability and anxiety. So in conclusion: eat three meals a day. Please.
I hope some or all of these things help you on your way to reducing your anxiety!
Love,
Hannah
Sources:
https://www.today.com/health/what-causes-anxiety-surprising-list-anxiety-triggers-I527479
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20669377,00.html
https://www.rd.com/health/conditions/natural-anxiety-relief/
I've dealt with anxiety since my junior year of high school, and honestly, it sucks. That's all I can really tell you. Constantly worrying about things you have zero control over and being told to calm down when you LITERALLY CANNOT is the worst. But, over the years, I have found some things that have actually made my anxiety easier to manage and even alleviated the symptoms a little bit. I have tried every remedy I've listed in this article and i can concur that with consistency and dedication, these things really do help reduce anxiety. So without further ado, here are 10 things that can help naturally reduce anxiety.
DISCLAIMER: I completely, 100% understand that some people's anxiety cannot be alleviated with any of these things. I understand that some anxiety does not respond to these natural remedies and may only respond to medication. These remedies are just suggestions for unusually bad bouts of anxiety, or a mild-moderate anxiety disorder (example: me). They are long terms solutions that require practice and consistency. These things can help reduce anxiety and have been shown to, but I understand they may not be the right thing for everyone. This is just based on what I've researched and my personal experience.
1. Chamomile/Kava Tea
Several studies suggest that drinking 1-3 cups of chamomile tea a day has been shown to reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Chamomile is a type of plant that has been used for YEARS to alleviate anxiety symptoms. It is incredibly calming, soothing, and gentle. It also possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so on top of being good for anxiety, it's just good for you in general. Chamomile is found in a lot of sleepytime teas and also in supplement form. Personally, because I have trouble sleeping, I drink a cup of kava tea with almond milk every night. However, I am considering switching to chamomile because I can drink it throughout the day and it's a bit less intense than kava.
2. Omega 3s
Omega 3, a vitamin found naturally in fish, anchovies, sardines, mussels, and a lot of other seafood, is another way to naturally reduce anxiety. This can also be found in supplement form (fish oil). I personally don't eat seafood very often and am seriously lacking in the omega-3 department, so this is something I'm trying to work on to reduce my anxiety and be healthier in general.
3. Outside Time
Okay, if you have anxiety, I'm sure you're SICK of hearing "Just go outside! You'll feel better!". When you're in the middle of an anxiety attack or you don't want to leave your bed because you're so anxious, that's the last thing you want to hear. However, I'm afraid these obnoxious people are right. Increasing the time you spend outside can have profound effects on anxiety levels. Spending time outside naturally lowers blood pressure and stress levels. It even helps you sleep better! If you experience pretty severe anxiety, I heavily suggest spending at least 20 minutes a day outside. Whether it be going for a walk, reading outside, doing some yoga, literally anything. Just come up with some reason to be outside every day. If you think you don't have time, try going outside on your lunch break or taking the long route on your way back from your last class of the day.
4. Cut Down on Caffeine
And next on the list of "Things I Want To Stop Hearing About My Anxiety" is "Stop drinking coffee."
I'D LOVE TO BUT I CAN'T.
Coffee is one of the biggest joys in my life, and the first time someone told me I needed to cut down on caffeine if I wanted my anxiety to get better, I nearly started swinging. But unfortunately, again, they were right. Caffeine, especially large doses, can make anxiety symptoms significantly worse. If you have severe anxiety and find yourself drinking a few cups of joe a day, consider reducing that to one, or switching it out for green tea. Green tea will still fill that caffeine void in your brain, but just not as much. It will also add l-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea that can help reduce anxiety. (You can also just try decaf if you absolutely cannot give up coffee (also me)).
5. Yoga Flow
I've tried to start doing yoga consistently more times than I can or want to count. I finally started doing it this summer, and it's doing wonders for my anxiety and my seasonal depression (we are currently on the East coast and it's raining nonstop and I'm dying). Yoga is one of those remedies that takes real consistency and practice, but once you've got your routine down and have been doing it for a while, it will significantly help reduce the symptoms of not only anxiety but depression as well. It's good for your mind and your body.
6. Eat
Yeah, that's right. Eating can help reduce your anxiety. Not eating three full meals a day significantly contributes to anxiety symptoms. When you don't eat breakfast alone, it can have severely negative effects on your mood, memory, and cognitive function. Anxiety symptoms also worsen significantly when you don't eat and/or have a poor diet. Not eating causes a drop in blood sugar that can cause shakiness, dizziness, confusion and just overall irritability and anxiety. So in conclusion: eat three meals a day. Please.
I hope some or all of these things help you on your way to reducing your anxiety!
Love,
Hannah
Sources:
https://www.today.com/health/what-causes-anxiety-surprising-list-anxiety-triggers-I527479
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20669377,00.html
https://www.rd.com/health/conditions/natural-anxiety-relief/
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