8 Lifestyle Remedies for Anxiety
As humans, we have evolved in many ways, but our autonomic nervous system – that acts unconsciously and controls many of our body’s functions – is still very primal. One part of this system is the sympathetic nervous system – or our fight or flight response. Anytime our body perceives something in our environment as a threat, it activates this stress response. When this system becomes overactive and senses small everyday occurrences as a threat, our body can become chronically loaded with stress hormones, tense muscles, and anxious thoughts.
In Western medicine, anxiety disorders are often treated with medication without enough emphasis on lifestyle and behavior modification. The Eastern philosophy of prevention and lifestyle medicine can bring huge improvements and aid to people suffering from anxiety disorders.
For years I struggled with anxiety and depression, but I couldn’t seem to find relief in the moment when I was feeling down, stressed, or uncomfortable. Sometimes I felt my only escape was alcohol, cigarettes, or junk food. Eventually, I started cognitive behavioral therapy, which helped more than any of the medicines had – and it created a domino effect of living for prevention and wellness instead of just treatment.
The most important things to take away are that anxiety doesn’t ever go away entirely, and it is normal for all of us to experience it from time to time. We are human, after all, and we are going to encounter things in our life that create stress, discomfort, and worry. If we learn how to cope and build routines around our mental health, we can see major changes and be more compassionate with ourselves. Of course, there are always extreme cases, but for the vast majority of people, a little prevention and positive routines could work miracles!
The second most important part is we have to believe that we have the power to improve our anxiety, and we have to be willing to do the work. Unfortunately, sometimes our Western forms of medicine have led us to believe that if we are unwell, we can take medication as a solution without even discussing some of the most significant predictors of mental health like relationships, nutrition, creativity, and joy.
A few of the most powerful lifestyle methods for improving mental health, anxiety symptoms, and boosting well-being:
- Deep Breathing
- Dr. Andrew Weil, a renowned functional medicine doctor, created the 4-7-8 breathing method to help people bring attention to the breath and take deeper breaths. This method is a great place to start, as there are many different breathing techniques. Shallow, irregular breaths can exacerbate anxiety symptoms, and proper deep breathing can help oxygenate the blood.
- This method can be used when you experience racing thoughts or accelerated heart rate, but it is also great to use through out the day as prevention. Deep breathing benefits not only your mental health, but it also boosts your immune system, lowers blood pressure, and improves digestion.
- Herbal Remedies
- The medicine we use today in the Western world is rooted in herbal medicine and ancient alchemy. Herbs have been used to bring wellness and treat many ailments for thousands of years. A few are particularly useful for anxiety:
- Chamomile: probably one of the most known calming herbs; has similar compounds that bind to the same brain receptors as Valium
- Passionflower: is a sedative that studies have shown to treat symptoms of anxiety as well as prescription medications
- Valerian: this herbs, like passionflower, is in the sedative category and should be taken in the evening
- Adaptogens: this category of herb works with your body’s natural stress response system to help from it becoming overactive and help mediate fight-or-fight; includes herbs like ashwagandha, holy basil, Rhodiola, and Schisandra berry
- These days many amazing herbal companies create blends and protocols for anxiety and depression, so you don’t need to be your herbalist. As always, consult your doctor before starting a regime, especially if you are already taking medications.
- The medicine we use today in the Western world is rooted in herbal medicine and ancient alchemy. Herbs have been used to bring wellness and treat many ailments for thousands of years. A few are particularly useful for anxiety:
- Happy Foods
- One area that needs to be emphasized much more in our “healthcare” system is nutrition and the power of whole foods and vitamin-rich plant foods. Fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and many other beneficial components that can help ward off anxiety and depression symptoms. Whole, healthy foods can be considered anti-depressants!
- Eliminating Alcohol
- Alcohol is a known depressant. It zaps happy hormones in your brain like serotonin. It also has other effects like lowering your desire to work on routines that improve your health – such as eating healthy and being physically active. For those who use alcohol to unwind or calm down, you are actually doing more damage to your brain and health. It is time to cut out the alcohol.
- Journaling
- Writing down your thought patterns is a great first step in understanding them. Often, it is the fact that our thoughts are automatic and unconscious that causes anxiety because we feel like we don’t have control over them. There are many different forms of journaling and prompts you can practice. Writing them down and let them flow out is a form of release. Check out this article for more information about how journaling can help combat anxiety.
- Take Sun Baths and Spend Time in Nature
- There is a reason that Vitamin D deficiency causes anxiety and depression. Spending time in the sun boosts serotonin levels. We have become detached from the healing power of nature, grounding, and spending outdoors. In the moment when you are feeling stressed and anxious, you can step outside and take some deep breaths in the sun. It is also important to work outdoor time into your lifestyle, such as taking regular hikes, spending time in the park reading, or even starting a garden and spending time in your back yard.
- Acupuncture
- Many studies have concluded that acupuncture can be very effective in helping to ease symptoms of generalized anxiety. It has been around for thousands of years, and doctors speculate that it changes your fight-or-flight response and can help ease the body’s damage from chronic stress.
- Moving Your Body – especially in conscious/aware movements
- In the Western world, we might call it ‘exercise,’ but up until the last 100 years, we didn’t call it ‘exercise.’ It was doing housework, gardening, taking care of children, and building things. For some people, they love martial arts, pilates, or frisbee golf. Yoga is excellent because it focuses on the mind-body connection and focuses on controlled conscious movements. It is essential to find a way that you enjoy moving your body often.
These are just a few of the most powerful practices that improve mental well-being, physical well-being, and positive health outcomes. Often, we want to be told what medicine to take and get back to our life without having to pause and see what we are doing day-in and day-out that could be making our anxiety worse. Commit to yourself, and don’t be afraid of what you might uncover when you sit alone with yourself. It might be just what you need!
*This article is not meant to replace treatments and medicines prescribed by your doctor. It is merely sharing information about how other practices help treat anxiety symptoms.