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5 natural ways to manage anxiety

5 natural ways to manage anxiety

Anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling people experience when they are nervous about meeting someone or doing something, and at times, without apparent reason. However, anxiety disorder is a condition that affects one physically and mentally. The disorder’s visible symptoms are increased heart rate, sweating, shortness of breath, trembling, and muscle tension. Excessive worrying, isolation, below-par performance, and inability to relax are other consequences. However, the condition can be managed through natural remedies and lifestyle changes.

Dealing with anxiety
One can follow many simple strategies to reduce anxiety and its impact. First, one must understand the triggers and the symptoms or changes when dealing with the disorder. One should also learn to identify unwanted thoughts of failure and danger. One should communicate openly with their doctor or a mental health professional, who may recommend prescription options and behavioral and cognitive therapies to deal with the disorder. They continue the treatment until they see improvement in physical symptoms and one’s ability to overcome intrusive thoughts and associated behavior. Doctors may also recommend a few natural methods to help manage anxiety and its consequences, minimizing the need for prescription options. Prescriptions have long-term side effects like dizziness, fatigue, dry mouth, headaches, nausea, erectile dysfunction, and other problems.

Natural methods of management
Natural approaches require significant commitment and dedication from the patient. One can start by practicing these methods for a few minutes and incrementally increase the duration and intensity of these remedies. Some of the natural methods to manage anxiety are:

Relaxation
Learning to relax is a key step in managing the disorder. As one relaxes, their mind and body can become calmer, their muscles relax, and they stop shaking and trembling. People with the disorder can try various relaxation activities and techniques and choose the ones they enjoy the most. This could include the following options:

  • Resuming a hobby that one used to enjoy, like reading, gardening, or painting
  • Listening to music
  • Meeting friends
  • Joining a club or group that likes planning activities one enjoys
  • Volunteering
  • Walking
  • Hiking

Such activities help reduce stress, keep one active, and distract them from imaginary worries and, most importantly, unhelpful thoughts.

Breathing exercises
Mental health professionals place a lot of importance on breathing techniques to manage the disorder. Controlled breathing can help one overcome stress and dizziness, a symptom of anxiety. One should learn the 5-5-5 breathing method, a technique for controlled breathing. Here are the steps:

  • One should sit in a comfortable position on a mat or a chair
  • The next step is closing the eyes while relaxing the shoulders and the body
  • Breathing in for 5 seconds
  • Holding one’s breath for 5 seconds
  • Breathing out for 5 seconds
  • Continuing the exercise for 10 to 15 minutes
  • Paying attention to one’s breath and observing thoughts slowing down

This technique can help one keep unwanted thoughts at bay. One can also start with slightly faster deep breathing and work their way up to the 5-5-5 technique. Many other meditation and relaxation methods, like visualization, mindfulness, and transcendental meditation, can help one control their thoughts. One should learn these techniques from a certified trainer and opt for the one they find most suitable.

Lifestyle changes
Managing this mental health disorder requires continuous effort and discipline. Being physically active can offer multiple benefits for managing anxiety and overall health. Some of the key lifestyle changes one must introduce to manage the disorder are: 

  • Getting adequate rest can help one avoid fatigue and exhaustion, which can trigger and worsen the symptoms. Certain substances can interfere with sleep, so they should be avoided. So, developing healthy routines and sticking to a strict sleep schedule is a great first step in managing mental health issues like anxiety. 
  • One should reduce their dependence on stimulants like caffeine, as too much of it can change how the brain cells work and worsen the symptoms of the disorder.

Distraction
When unwanted thoughts begin to trigger fear and anxiety, one can learn some tricks that can help them divert their attention. For instance, when one recognizes a thought like “something bad is going to happen”, they can start counting in multiples of 5 or 10 and focus on just the numbers. Instead of indulging in unhelpful thoughts, one can find distractions by looking at their surroundings. If one is preparing to meet someone and are experiencing anxious thoughts in anticipation, they should focus on thoughts unrelated to the meeting. They can think about other tasks or conversations that don’t make them anxious. The more one finds ways to distract their unhelpful and worry-inducing thoughts, the more they can reduce stress.

Reducing avoidance
The triggers of anxiety can be certain events, people, and personal or professional situations. So, a person with the disorder might want to avoid these triggers. If they have been part of a train accident, the sounds of a train or the prospect of traveling on a train can make them anxious. If they are not comfortable speaking in front of a gathering, they may not participate in presentations or meetings even if they are skilled and have a lot to share. They may avoid presenting their ideas for fear of negative remarks or reviews about their work. Here, one should list things and activities that trigger their anxiety and rank them according to difficulty. Instead of avoidance, one should consider experiencing each activity, starting with the one that seems the least challenging. Once one overcomes the anxiety for the least difficult task, they should move to the next activity. This should continue until they reach the top of the list and engage in the activity that gives them the most stress. If delivering presentations is the least worry-inducing activity on the list, one can start by presenting to a group of two or three. They should keep repeating the activity until they are no longer as nervous. Then, they can gradually increase the duration of the presentations and audience members until they are comfortable speaking for 30 minutes in front of a large group.

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