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The number of people with anxiety-related complaints is on the rise. Women and people under 35 are most affected, but anyone can experience occasional or situational feelings of stress, anxiousness, or panic. The conventional medical world often relies on pharmaceutical medications to treat patients with anxiety, but these are only intended to relieve symptoms temporarily, and are not a cure. Anxiety medications are associated with a long list of potential side effects, and difficult withdrawal periods that can actually cause more severe symptoms than before taking the medication! Fortunately, there are several effective, safe, and natural ways to help reduce feelings of stress, panic, and anxiety. Read on to learn more...
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Avoid drinking caffeine
You might think you need caffeine in the morning to get you going, but if you have anxiety or extreme stress, caffeine is the last thing you need. Caffeine turns on the body's fight-or-flight response, and can provoke a panic attack. If you're looking for an energizing morning brew without caffeine, herbal teas like peppermint, ginger, and caffeine-free chai can help you feel energized without the caffeine.
Take long, slow breaths
You can practice long, slow breaths anywhere, any time. If you're driving, or standing in line, and feel stressed or anxious, breathe in and out to a slow count of eight. Slowing your breathing can help slow down your heart rate, and help promote a feeling of overall calm.
Don't let your blood sugar get too low
If you're prone to feeling nervous or anxious, don't let yourself get hungry, or you might feel even more jittery as your blood sugar drops. Keep high protein snacks on hand, and make sure your meals contain mainly fruits, vegetables, nuts/legumes, and proteins, with little to no fast food or processed food.
Try Anxiety Relief herbal tea blend
Anxiety Relief tea contains herbs that are designed to address not only your in-the-moment symptoms, they also support the overall health of the nervous system. Every single ingredient performs a function that helps people feel better and more in control of their mental and emotional state. Anxiety Relief contains:
- Lemon balm, an herb that supports mood, and promotes mental focus and feelings of calm
- Peppermint calms and settles the stomach, and eases feelings of nausea
- Hawthorn is one of the finest tonics for the heart and blood pressure. It can calm a racing heart, and help you feel more stable in general
- Skullcap nourishes and strengthens the nerves, and works best when used long-term. Skullcap can also help relieve muscle tension
- Kava kava is a popular herbal remedy with a history of use with anxiety and depression, which are often linked. Kava kava promotes a feeling of relaxation in the body, but won't cause drowsiness unless large amounts are consumed.
- Valerian is a natural relaxant and sedative herb that helps to dull the edge of stress and tension. If you drank a cup of valerian tea by itself (which you probably wouldn't, because the herb smells like a cross between stinky feet and cherry cough syrup), you might find yourself too drowsy to go about your day, but there is only a small amount of this herb in the tea blend; just enough to take the edge off but not enough to put you to sleep.
The overall flavor of the tea is fresh and minty. Whenever I drink this tea, I start to feel the effects within 5 minutes or so.
Another soothing herbal tea blend is Daily Calm
Daily Calm tea is a sweet and gentle blend of herbs like chamomile, passionflower, spearmint, and rose petals that soothes the nerves and helps you feel more relaxed in both body and mind. Although Daily Calm is gentle, the more you use it, the better it works. The herbs in the blend help to strengthen your nervous system, helping you to feel more at peace within yourself. Rather than reacting emotionally to the things that life throws at you, you can meet your challenges with a feeling of gounded confidence. When you're relaxed, every function of your body works better, including mental functions.
Related article: Lemon Balm For Mood Support
Use aromatherapy
Plant essential oils have a specialized affinity with our emotional state. Our sense of smell is directly connected to the part of our brain that controls emotions and feelings. This is why pure plant aromatherapy is so effective at helping people with stress, anxiety, and other mood issues. Essential oil blends in a spray bottle can be misted around your head and neck, or blended with a carrier oil and inhaled; both methods provide fast relief.
Certain pure essential oils are known for their calming effects. These include:
- Lavender
- Clary sage
- Geranium
- Ylang ylang
These individual essential oils can be used in a room diffuser, or blended with a carrier oil and massaged into the feet, neck, and shoulders.
Spend quality time with people you love and trust
Countless studies have shown the importance of maintaining our relationships with family and friends. Talking about your day, giving and receiving feedback, sharing meals, and doing activities together, deepens our feelings of belonging and being part of a community. People are reporting feeling more and more isolated, but we humans are hard-wired for contact and communication with others. Positive interactions with others actually reduce stress. Even if you're an introvert, say yes sometimes. This short article talks about how friends and family can be the cure for stress.
Get out into nature as often as possible, and try some of nature's remedies.
~Kita