Natural Remedies for Anxiety – 7 Ways to Beat the Stress and Stay Calm

| Author: Manoja Kalakanti

What’s the first thing that strikes you when you wake up? Is it “Wow, it’s a beautiful day and I am going to kill it!” or “oh, now I have so many deadlines today, I don’t think I will be up for it”? Then comes that overwhelming ominous feeling, you get nervous, anxious, jittery, worried, the works!

If you fall in the latter group, then don’t worry, you are not alone! When you are anxious, you work yourself up a sweat, anticipating an awful future. As Webster’s dictionary puts it, anxiety is, “fear or nervousness about what might happen.”

banner-anxiety

Anxiety can lead to some physiological problems as well if it goes on for too long. But you clearly differentiate whether it is a one-off thing or something which has been troubling you for a while. Get to recognize the signs and symptoms of your anxiety disorder and take help from home remedies for anxiety to find a possible solution.

Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety

I really envy all those people who can meet up with everyday challenges with a cool and collected demeanor; “get on with it”, they say with a confident smile! But some of us aren’t that cool when caught in the middle of a storm. I know I have a nervous breakdown, when something goes wrong with my family, work or health. So let us dwell over some of the effects of anxiety to make you understand whether you’re just worried or there is more to it than meets the eye.

There is a clear differentiation between normal anxieties; you can understand which is tied to a particular event and which is a regular occurrence, making you drown in an abyss of despair. The effects of anxiety disorders can be divided into the following,

symptoms-of-anxiety

  • The physical effects which you need to be wary of are- panic attacks, racing heart, quick and shallow breathing, feeling frazzled, all tight and wound up inside.
  • The psychological effects which you need to be wary of- excessive fear, worry, obsessive disorders, catastrophizing, or obsessive disorders an all-consuming claustrophobic feeling.
  • The behavioral effects which you need to be wary of- Avoiding situations that give you the heebie-jeebies and can have an adverse impact on your everyday life, like work or social life.

How to Recognize an Anxiety Attack?

The sudden attack of breathlessness can affect you make you flustered, jittery, here is how you can recognize the symptoms,

  1. Palpitations
  2. Sweating profusely
  3. Experiencing tremors
  4. Experiencing shortness of breath
  5. Feeling a choking sensation
  6. Uneasiness and pain in the chest
  7. Gastrointestinal problems or nausea
  8. Blowing hot or cold
  9. Feeling faint or dizzy
  10. Feeling disassociated from the immediate surroundings
  11. Fearful of losing control of life
  12. Tingling sensations or numbness
  13. Fear of dying

anxiety-attack

Causes of Anxiety Attacks

It is difficult to point to that one cause that can trigger an anxiety attack. But doctors and psychologists believe that there may be certain stray incidents that can trigger off the attacks. Apart from that, certain traumatic episodes can also cause an attack. Genetics have a certain role in it as well. Also, an un diagnosed physiological problem can often be regarded as a trigger for an anxiety attack.

Home Remedies to Treat Anxiety Attacks

It may not be easy to fix the anxiety issues and there isn’t a one pill kind of solution. However, coping with anxiety attacks is possible with these coping strategies. These natural remedies for anxiety are the perfect solutions to anxiety problems. But what you need to remember is you have to be patient to get the desired results.

1. Chamomile

Chamomile is the perfect antidote to anxiety. According to a published study in Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology in 2009, chamomile may help reduce the symptoms of anxiety. It induces a feeling of relaxation, which is why chamomile tea is also a great medication to help you sleep. Its mild sedative owing to some compounds in chamomile,(Matricaria recutita) get attached to some brain receptors as it does with drugs like Valium.

German chamomile oil

Here is how you can sip on chamomile tea, steep two to three teaspoons of dried chamomile, in a cup of hot water for a good few minutes. Strain it and sweeten it a little with honey and cinnamon. Drink this tea several times a day. Continue with this for a month or more till you notice improvements.

A chamomile supplement works fine as well, but be mindful of the doses. Adults can generally take 400 to 1600 mg capsules in divided doses daily, or you can also try one to four ml of liquid extract several times a day.

2. Rosemary

Rosemary, also known as Rosemarinus Officinalis, grows primarily on the Mediterranean seashore. Amazingly, its name means “dew of the sea.” It has garnered a reputation for itself as an effective natural remedy for anxiety. Rosemary contains a compound called acetylcholine, which is a chemical found in the brain. This compound helps the nerve cells to communicate with one another more with greater effectiveness.

rosemary

Here is how you can use rosemary to calm yourself. Add one or two teaspoons of dried rosemary to one cup of hot water. Let the concoction steep for about 10 minutes, and then strain it. You need to drink this tea daily until you get the desired results.

Alternatively, you can use rosemary incense by adding a few drops of rosemary essential oil in an aromatherapy diffuser or vaporizer, which can act as an anxiety medication.

3. Almonds

Almonds are the most health-friendly nuts ever! They are packed with a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which have the ability to boost your mood and also help alleviate anxiety and depression. The anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 fatty acids can protect your body from inflammation that causes a breakdown in the signaling between the brain cells.

almonds

Instead of consuming almonds raw, try to soak them to increase the bio-availability of the nuts. Most nuts contain antinutrients like phytic acid, which can cause mineral deficiency like zinc and iron. Soak about 10 almonds in water overnight. The next morning, you can peel off the skin and grind the almonds. Add the almond paste, a pinch of nutmeg and ginger to one cup of milk.

Try to drink this daily or a few times a week to see a considerable improvement.

4. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha, whose Latin name is Withania somniferous is a herbal medicine with a rich tradition. Ayurvedic practitioners in India started to use it for people who had anxiety, low energy and were reeling under the effects of aging. Besides reducing signs and symptoms of stress, it can also help with sleeplessness and hormonal imbalance problems.

ashwagandha

You have to get the dosage of the medicine right, keeping it to 300mg of Ashwagandha once or twice a day. It is not only a great medicine to reduce anxiety but can also successfully tackle sleeplessness and hormonal imbalance.

5. Oranges

The zesty and invigorating smell of orange peels can help calm the nerves. Citrus fragrances are particularly known to fight signs of depression and also bolster immunity.

oranges

A few things can help to uplift your mood in the right way. Just peeling an orange and inhaling its citrusy aroma can help. Here is another perfectly doable solution to feel good and drive all those anxiety attacks away, put a few orange peels into a pan of water and simmer the liquid. Inhale the wafting fragrance to put an end to your jittery thoughts. Repeat the procedure till you get results.

Also, you can drink a cup of fresh orange juice with a pinch of nutmeg and a teaspoon of honey, you can keep repeating the procedure till you get results.

6. Lavender

There is something about aromatherapy that makes it really a potent medicine to induce relaxation and relieve depression. A case in point would be a study done on Greek patients who felt more relieved in the waiting room of a chamber of a dentist.

Yes, we know it is never too easy to wait for a dentist’s appointment. More often than out you are bound to feel the familiar butterflies in your tummy, thanks to the “white-coated syndrome”. You know, the feeling you have when you are about to meet your doctor anticipating something terrible. To get back to the story, the chamber was scented with the aroma of the lavender oil.

It has a calming and soothing effect on your nervous system chiefly due to the bioactive constituents such as linalyl acetate and linalool.

lavender

There have been a large number of clinical studies done which indicate that it may be really helpful in reducing the symptoms of anxiety, but the studies are still inconclusive and further research needs to be done to prove its potency in clinical trials.

Here is what you can do, boil two cups of water and add two to four drops of lavender essential oil to the concoction. Inhale the steam wafting out of your utensil to calm yourself down. Repeat the procedure for best results.

Another pretty effective method is to mix three or four drops of lavender oil with the combination of one teaspoon of almond oil, olive oil or any other base oil. Now use these blended oils to massage your neck, back, and also relieve the tension from your shoulders. This is a very effective remedy and can be practiced daily for best results.

7. Hot water baths

If there is one thing that a hot water bath can do, it is relaxing you and giving you a break from stress, tension, and worries. A soothing bath in hot water never fails to calm you down as it raises your body heat, regulates your fluctuating mood and calms down your nerves.

hot-water-baths

Here is how you can make yourself a relaxing bath by mixing one-third cup each of baking soda and ginger in a bathtub filled with warm water. Try and soak in it for a good 10 to 15 minutes.

Alternatively, another method you can try which can be regarded as a potent anxiety treatment is adding five to seven drops of an aromatherapy essential oil like chamomile, ylang-ylang, lavender, geranium or bergamot; also don’t forget to add carrier oil along with it along with it like jojoba oil, to your bath water. Soak in it for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Continue with the above-mentioned remedies till you get results.

A Few Tips to Stop Letting Anxiety Take a Stronghold over your Life

If the anxiety symptoms are getting too much and interfering with your daily life, this is what you need to, make a few lifestyle changes to reduce your anxiety attacks naturally and undergo anxiety treatment at home.

  • Get some sun- A good 15 minutes of out-and-about under the sun time is absolutely essential. This is the best way to raise your vitamin D levels, which help fight depression.
  • Exercise- It is only exercise which provides you with the quintessential happy hormones (endorphins) to drive away all kind of blues. It controls your cognitive functions and mood, which affects the neurotransmitter serotonin.
  • Cut down your caffeine intake- Caffeine is known to make you energetic, jittery and nervous, so reducing the intake will also reduce the incidence of anxiety episodes down to a minimum.

Caffeine

  • Watch your diet- While too much sugar, caffeine, alcohol can make you anxious, it is also imperative that you add certain foods to help combat anxiety attacks better. Stock on zinc, vitamin B12 and magnesium to feel better. Avocadoes, meat, milk, oats, blueberries, oranges, spinach and other leafy greens are all foods to bank upon to stay far away from anxiety attacks.
  • Try meditation- Breathing mindfully is another way of calming yourself down. Sometimes you are so caught up with your regular activities that you hardly have time to indulge in me-time. Connecting with your inner self through meditation can often keep panic attacks and anxiety issues a safe distance away from you.

Don’t let anxiety problems dictate terms to you. The natural remedies for anxiety are the best ways to nip the problems right in the bud. Find the thing which helps you cope with psychological issues: music, dance or anything which helps you look inside and find that inner strength.

If these remedies do not work, don’t be scared to go to your doctor. Just go on and tackle it with courage and remember, there is great power in positive thinking! Make that your most potent weapon to fight anxiety.

Natural Remedies for Anxiety – Bust that Killer Stress – PDF

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