Our bodies have a natural safety feature we’re born with called the amygdala. It’s the fight-or-flight response mechanism in our brains that tells us when we might be in danger.
But sometimes that safety feature becomes trained over time to watch for triggers that aren’t always dangerous. We worry, panic, and stress for no reason, or more than necessary, when our anxiety kicks in.
Just as your panic button is an organic part of your body, you can also keep your anxiety at bay with natural methods. Try one or all of these nine perfectly natural ways to stay calm in the future.
How to Avoid Too Much Anxiety
A little anxiety is normal. It can even be helpful, like if you’re worried about failing a test, so you study harder. But too much anxiety can seriously hinder your enjoyment of life. Use these natural methods to prevent overly stressing:
- Exercise. When you’re starting to feel the panic creeping in, get active! Go for a walk, hit the gym, or play some music and dance! Movement increases the endorphin production in your brain, otherwise called your “happy hormones.”
- Avoid bad habits like drinking and smoking. Alcohol is a sedative, so even if it makes you feel good at first, you’re going to feel worse when its chemicals kick in. Smoking also increases anxiety due to the chemicals and nicotine in the products.
- Get plenty of sleep. It’s a catch-22. Anxiety causes you to stay awake and stress, but if you don’t sleep, your anxiety increases. If you need to take something to sleep, try to avoid synthetic substances. Instead of a prescription sleep medicine, try CBD. The natural plant extracts are even available in edibles. You can enjoy the market’s best-tasting CBD gummies and get better sleep, too!
- Stay away from caffeine. A lot of people turn to caffeine to get rid of their stress, but it actually makes it worse. Caffeine keeps your brain from getting restful sleep. It can also increase irritability and trigger panic attacks.
- Meditate daily. Sitting in a quiet place for 10-20 minutes every day with nothing planned soothes your mind. You’re letting it take a break. If the stresses you’re worried about pop into your head, remind yourself you can deal with them later.
- Try breathing techniques. Counting backward from 5 or 10 is something we learn to calm ourselves with as children. These little techniques really work because they tell our brains to focus on something besides the anxiety. Deep breathing exercises can pull you out of the deepest stresses!
- Drink tea. Certains teas have been linked to stress reduction. Many teas have caffeine in them, so this should only been used when necessary. If you’re feeling anxious, try chamomile, mint, lavender, or matcha tea.
- Aromatherapy works, too. If you don’t like tea, it’s okay. Those same flavors also work well when you breathe them in. Aromatherapy scents are another great way to calm your mind down.
- Talk to someone. When you’re keeping all your worries to yourself, they tend to magnify and explode. Find someone you trust to talk to, whether it’s a loved one or a counselor. Letting your feelings out validates them and often deflates them before they can pop.
Anxiety is a normal part of our lives, but it shouldn’t keep you from living your best days. Use these natural methods to prevent your anxiety from stopping you from enjoying life to the fullest.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
