In 2017, 284 million individuals across the globe were estimated to suffer from anxiety. Since then, the numbers have only increased. With the nature of today’s society, it would make sense as to why so many deal with daily anxiety. It may seem like a hopeless battle, however, there are ways you can reduce anxiety. We are going to be looking at natural ways to reduce anxiety, specifically. Or, at least, reduce the symptoms that come along with anxiety.
Check out the following text to explore the different natural methods and some additional tips for reducing anxiety symptoms.
Natural ways to reduce anxiety
With so many methods, it is important to explore the different ways you can reduce your anxiety symptoms. The more things you try, the higher your chances are of finding something that works for you. Often, a collection of effective methods will help more in the long run.
Just make sure you are looking at your options and keep an open mind. Something obvious may actually be a new key practice in your journey to healing yourself by reducing anxiety. Let’s look at some of these methods.
Take care of your body
Your mind and body are more connected than you may think. There is a strong link between mental and physical health. When we treat our bodies poorly, how can we expect our minds to not be affected?
When we neglect our physical needs, our minds suffer as well. Stay hydrated, eat nourishing food, and get plenty of fresh air! By doing so, your brain health will increase, improving your mental health.
Get quality sleep
Statistically, 1 in 3 adults claim they do not get enough sleep. In some countries, these numbers are even higher! Studies report that sleep-deprived individuals have an increase in negative moods and mood disorders.
Sleeplessness and mood disorders hold a close link to one another. However, getting lots of sleep doesn’t mean getting good sleep. Getting 10 hours of poor-quality sleep will do more damage than getting 6 hours of high-quality sleep. Remember, quality over quantity!
Explore plant medicines
Limiting caffeinated substances and increasing your consumption of plants can be very effective. There are endless holistic plants that can reduce anxiety. Here are 3 natural ways to reduce anxiety with the power of plants:
- Ashwagandha – The number one reason individuals supplement this plant is to reduce symptoms of anxiety. You could say it is best known for its anxiety and stress-reducing effects.
- CBD (cannabidiol) – This compound is an extremely effective tool for reducing symptoms of anxiety. This is a risk-free method that has been proven to naturally reduce anxiety.
- Valerian – This root is well known as a natural sleeping aid. However, in smaller doses, it works as a powerful anti-anxiety aid.
All 3 of these holistic plant supplements have no known risk, meaning there are no negative side effects. This makes them exceptionally great for those who don’t want to take any risks when incorporating a new treatment into their life.
Positive journaling
This is an exceptionally great method when it comes to dealing with the unavoidable obstacles that life throws at us. For those suffering from mental health and anxiety, it can be especially hard to process complications productively.
Positive journaling helps you sit down with your own thoughts in a positive way and end your day with peace of mind, knowing that more good happened that day than bad. This practice allows you to process things with more logic rather than emotion.
Mindfulness
This can look like many things. Take up breathing exercises and experiment to see if this helps you. Breath-work can be exceptionally effective when dealing with the dreaded anxiety attack. If you don’t find much help in that, perhaps it would be worth giving up meditation or yoga.
If you don’t know where to start, there is loads of helpful information online readily available. If you find you require more assistance, don’t be afraid to download a free mediation app, or find an affordable one like HeadSpace.
Other practices that involve some kind of art can also be useful. Redirecting your thoughts/feelings and channeling them into mindfulness can be extremely healing.
Music therapy
Most of us know which songs to put on when we are feeling a certain way. When we are sad, happy, or even angry, it is a natural reaction to put on music that fuels these emotions. Instead, (when you are feeling less anxious) create a playlist of songs that make you feel calm, centered, and at peace.
Next time you are feeling anxious, put on your ‘feel-good’ playlist, get comfortable, breathe, and allow the music to ground you. There is nothing wrong with needing an external force to bring you back down to Earth when you feel like your anxiety is out of control.
Additional tips to reduce anxiety + final thoughts
Be patient with yourself. Rushing your journey to peace is only counter-productive. Stay in-tuned with the relationship between your mind and body. Your body speaks to you all day long, giving you signals and sensations, telling you exactly what you need to know to give it what it needs to be truly nourished.
Where you can, swap out unnatural treatments for natural remedies. More often than not, Mother Nature can give us exactly what we need. Of course, consult your doctor before swapping out any treatments. However, there is often no hard in introducing natural remedies alongside unnatural ones when it is safe to do so. When dealing with anxiety, it is often worth taking all the help you can get!
For anyone with anxiety that made it to the end of this article, know I am sending you my love, support, and encouragement. You can do this! Don’t be so hard on yourself and soon enough you will be able to thrive, free of anxiety just as you were meant to. We cannot completely avoid suffering, however, we can definitely minimize it.
