Tens of millions of people suffer to some degree from an anxiety disorder. That makes anxiety one of the most common mental illnesses in the United States.
While anxiety is so common that most non-sufferers don’t see it as a major hurdle, for many, suffering from anxiety has created serious issues in their lives. Anxiety can keep sufferers from forming meaningful connections, pursuing work opportunities, and even leaving their homes.
In this post, we aim to discuss natural anxiety remedies in hopes of giving people that struggle with the condition a means to beat or at least soften their episodes.
Keep reading to explore our suggestions!
Table of Contents
1. Exercise
It may not seem like it but believe it or not, being physically active is among the most effective natural anxiety remedies. By being physical in the gym, going for a run, or heading out on a hike, a few things happen.
First, your exertion gives your brain something else to focus on. This can help reduce instances of negative ruminations that anxiety thrives on. Second, when you work out, your brain releases endorphins that can make you feel great.
What we love most about exercise is almost everyone has the ability to do it in some form and it doesn’t need to cost money.
2. Meditation
Meditation is one of the most widely advertised natural anxiety remedies and for a good reason. It works!
There are several meditation styles you can try in pursuit of managing your anxiety. Our favorite is mindfulness meditation.
With mindfulness meditation, practitioners sit comfortably and focus on their breath. As they do this, their minds will likely try to ruminate. Whenever practitioners notice this happening, they simply record the instance by saying something like “wandering” and bring their focus back to breathing.
After a while, you’ll train your brain to stay in the present.
3. CBD
If you know anything about marijuana, you know that the plant produces a substance called CBD. CBD is a tool many have used to achieve deep states of calm, reduce physical pain, and ultimately combat anxiety.
Since CBD doesn’t get you high, using it is legally permissible almost everywhere in the United States. You may need a prescription for it in more conservative areas so check ahead before traveling with CBD on you.
CBD and anxiety are getting associated more given CBD’s powerful results so don’t knock it till your try it!
4. Healthy Eating
Stress and anxiety feed off of each other. When your body isn’t feeling its best, it’s more prone to producing stress hormones which can feed your anxious episodes.
So, it stands to reason that by making your body feel good, you can help alleviate some of your encounters with anxious moments. An easy way to achieve that end is by enjoying a balanced diet.
Cut back on the junk food. Ditch jitter-inducing coffee. Add more fruits and vegetables to your plate.
If you’re struggling with understanding how to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle, consider working with a dietitian who can help tailor a plan to you!
5. Laughter
We’ve all heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” For many, that adage holds up when it comes to dealing with anxiety.
Positivity goes a long way when you’re trying to combat the negative feelings that make you anxious. We’re hard-pressed to think of a time when we’re feeling more positive than when we’re enjoying a good laugh!
Exposure to funny people, watching funny movies, or hanging out with friends/family you’re comfortable with are all great ways to add laughter to your life.
6. Aromatherapy
Certain smells have the ability to awaken positive memories in our brains which can bring us to states of peace. This is the basis on which aromatherapy is built.
When you practice aromatherapy, you’ll be working with oils, incense, and candles to create smell profiles that should help relax you. The more relaxed the smells you invest in make you, the less likely your brain will be to flip on the anxiety switch in response to your typical triggers.
7. Rest
We already talked about how stress feeds anxiety. What we haven’t discussed is how powerful sleep can be when it comes to managing stress.
Most doctors recommend getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night. That time gives your body the ability to heal both mentally and physically after a trying day.
With your body in good condition and your brain free from fatigue, you’ll find that positivity is a lot easier to come by and anxiety will fade more into the background.
8. Deep Breathing
Breathing is one of the foundation of life. It has the ability to have incredible mental and physical impacts on our being.
That’s why we love recommending deep, intentional breathing as a tool in your anti-anxiety arsenal.
A good exercise to start with when breathing is the classic in for 10 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, out for 15 seconds pattern. You’ll want to adjust that to your lung capacity and comfort.
Natural Anxiety Remedies Have the Ability to Change Lives
Anxiety is a silent destroyer of potential. If you’re finding that your anxious tendencies are spiraling out of control and hurting your life, we can’t recommend enough that you try any one of the natural remedies we’ve shared.
All it takes is one strategy that resonates with you to take control back in your life and to start living the existence you’re meant to be pursuing.
Our team would love to share more health tips and information pertaining to natural anxiety remedies with you. If you’re interested in learning more, check out additional content on our blog.