How To Heal, Treat Anxiety Naturally Without Drug Or Medication: Anxiety Home Remedies, Relief Techniques

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How To Heal, Treat Anxiety Naturally: Anxiety Home Remedies, Relief Techniques & Natural Supplements Without Medication

Anxiety refers to a state of worrying and nervousness. It is the body?s way of responding to stress or danger. While a little of it is good and normal, it becomes a problem when it gets excessive and prolonged. This latter persistent type is considered as a problem ? a disorder ? and calls for treatment. If left untreated, your anxiety can lead to other health conditions.

Symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are usually characterized by the following: difficulty sleeping, restiveness, trouble with concentrating, sweating, irritability, chest pains, exhaustion, and maybe a loss of appetite.

Causes of anxiety

While things like loneliness, loss, and money problems can activate anxiety, most of the other causes of anxiety can be summarized into two broad categories of biological/genetic and environmental factors. Some of the environmental causes include stress, traumatic experiences, substance abuse, social pressure, and so on. On the other hand, hormonal instability, thyroidal problems, and the likes are examples of biological factors.

Natural treatments for anxiety

While there are many treatments for anxiety such as medication [and psychotherapy], there are other methods which can also produce effective results without the use of drugs.

This article features some of the most effective natural remedies for anxiety which you can try at your home before going to see a doctor.

• Exercise

Exercising has been found to be a good way of relieving the body of stress, which is a major contributing factor to anxiety. High levels of endorphin (a natural analgesic) are released into the body during exercise. In addition, another body chemical, serotonin, is balanced by exercising.

• Essential oils

Essential oils such as lavender oil and peppermint oil have soothing effects, especially when inhaled. The sweet-smelling odor of the oils helps in calming the nerves. Lavender oil can be used to massage the body to reduce stress or can be sprinkled on a kerchief and inhaled. Roman chamomile oil and peppermint oil are alternatives in the absence of lavender oil.

• Chamomile tea

Studies have shown that drinking chamomile tea or supplements can help in reducing the symptoms of anxiety. This is because of the fact that chamomile contains luteolin and apigenin which are substances that boost relaxation.

• Increase your vitamin D levels by warming

The early morning sun is a good source of vitamin D, which is a good anxiety suppressant. So relaxing under the sun is a good stress reliever. Moreover, by getting the body hot, the tensed muscles begin to get relaxed. This is the reason why people go to saunas or spas to help them get relieved of their stress.

• Have a forest bath

Furthermore, research shows that walking under sunlight in a natural setting ? like the woods ? for some minutes can help in reducing stress. This method called ?Shinrin-yoku? in Japanese or ?forest bath? does wonders to the body?s nervous system.

• Desist from foods with high sugar content

Processed and sugar-rich foods are known promoters of anxiety. These foods contribute to high blood sugar level and are culprits of mood swings and an unstable nervous state. Staying away from these foods will not only help to lower your anxiety but will also do your whole body good.

• Sufficient rest and meditation

Restlessness is one of the symptoms of anxiety. Hence, getting enough rest is a natural way of relieving stress. While at it, you can drift into meditation which is one method psychotherapists use in treating their patients.

• Don?t skip breakfast

Most people with anxiety problems are probably not eating breakfast. Depriving the body of the first meal of the day is an easy way of creating anxiety problems. So, it will be a good idea if you started eating breakfast before deciding to go visit a doctor. A good breakfast meal should include proteins and fats which you can find in eggs.

• Balanced diet

The saying that, ?You are what you eat? means a lot.? Your dieting goes a long way in determining many things including your anxiety levels. Eating so much of the wrong food can increase the symptoms of anxiety and so does eating so little of the right ones. Foods rich in anti-inflammatory chemicals are good at remediating the effects of anxiety. Examples of such foods are vegetables (like broccoli), fruits (like blueberries and banana), eggs, peas and nuts, beans, whole grains, and so on.

• Reduce the intake of alcohol and caffeine

Substance abuse is another major cause of anxiety. Most people take caffeine-rich beverages such as coffee in order to get active, but they can sometimes do otherwise when it?s done in excess. Reducing the amount of caffeine intake is a simple way of treating your anxiety. Furthermore, alcohol is a booster for anxiety; so, it will do you well to reduce the intake of it, or possibly stop taking alcohol altogether.

• Bathing in Epsom salt solution

Epsom salts are rich in magnesium sulfate which have analgesic properties. Moreover, magnesium helps in fighting stress and enhances relaxation. Soaking yourself in a bath filled with water and dissolved Epsom salt is a good way of calming the nerves.

• Breathe in

In the face of an anxiety breakdown, taking deep breaths and subsequently exhaling intermittently is an effective method to soothe the nerves. This simple anxiety-suppressing method is a recommendation that many people know about but is rarely practiced.

Anxiety is not a bad thing if it is well managed, but it becomes a problem if uncontrolled.

Unmanaged anxiety may lead to many other problems including preventing one from achieving their goals. There are many over-the-counter drugs which can be gotten to calm the nerves. In addition, therapeutic methods such as CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be tried. However, natural remedies such as those mentioned in this article are effective and also have the advantage of lower or no side effects. These natural methods are also simple and can be done at home.

That being said, if after trying these methods and there is still no improvement, then you need to visit a psychotherapist or your family doctor.