What Is Anxiety?

Well, basically it is a primal reaction to some unseen or vague threat or danger.  Sometimes, you will find yourself just feeling worried without even knowing what is going on.  Other times, this anxiety will come on with overwhelming force and you may even experience a full-blown panic attack.  You can easily identify this because your heart will begin to race, your blood pressure will rise and you may even struggle to breathe.  Feeling like you may faint or are having a heart attack is not at all uncommon during this horrible period.  Take heart, you just have to remind yourself that there is an end in sight.  Stay calm and let it run its course.  However, there are some remedies that you may find great comfort in the next time you find yourself suffering from anxiety.

Remember To Breathe

One of the quickest, most fool-proof ways to get your anxiety under control is to learn how to regulate your breathing.  Here’s how:

1. Sit down.  Put your hand to your belly and take a deep breath until your stomach expands under your hand.  Make sure to be mindful of your shoulders at this time, ideally, you don’t want them to rise.  Hold this deep breath for 4-5 seconds and that slowly exhale.
2. Repeat this process until you feel calmer.  About 10 good, deep breaths should do the trick.

Sip Yourself Calm

Milk

Feeling anxious?  Sip a glass of warm milk.  Why’s it work?  Well, milk contains the amino acid tryptophan, which helps your brain to produce the feel good chemical serotonin.  Serotonin will enhance your feelings of well-being and elevate your mood.

Catnip

Catnip may make your cat act like a maniac, but it has quite the opposite effect on humans.  Get yourself some catnip teabags and sip your way to serenity in no time.  Why’s it work?  There’s some great chemicals in the dried herb that act as a sedative, therefore producing the much needed calming effect that will help to alleviate anxiety.

Hops

You can make some “anti-anxiety” tea by adding 2 tablespoons of the dried herb to a cup of hot water.  Why’s it work?  Yes, the hops we’re suggesting are the same one’s that give beer a bitter taste, but it also acts as a sedative.  Did you know that workers, who used to pick hops in the fields, would experience unusual sleepiness?  They called it hop-picker syndrome back in the day.

Speed It Up

A little exercise goes a long way in fighting anxiety.  Try taking a brisk walk or even jogging in place.  I’m sure that when you have a racing heart, you won’t be thinking, “Jog”, but this anxiety remedy works because exercise releases endorphins and endorphins are fantastic, little chemicals that your body produces to ward off pain and elevate your mood.

An Ounce of Prevention…

Watch What You Drink

• Try to limit your caffeine intake to a single cup of coffee, tea or soda a day.  We know, we know, coffee keeps you going, but did you know that studies have shown that people that are prone to anxiety are unusually sensitive to the effects of caffeine?

• When it comes to wine, beer and all other alcoholic concoctions, you might want to cut down on these, too.  They may seem to bring your level of anxiety down, but studies have shown that when the effects of alcohol wear off, anxiety symptoms are actually worse!

Slow It Down

Just 15 minutes of meditative activity a few times a day can dramatically ease your anxiety symptoms.  Something as simple as gardening or watching your goldfish swim can help.  Learn to deeply focus your attention in the moment whenever possible.  It helps to keep your mind from straying to thoughts that trigger anxiety.

Take A Supplement

Valerian

This little, stinky herb is pretty powerful.  Research suggests that the active ingredients of this herb attach themselves to the same receptors in the brain as the prescribed drug, valium.  Try taking 250 milligrams of valerian twice a day and then another 250-500 milligrams at bedtime for a natural cure for anxiety.

B-Complex Multivitamins

B vitamins are natural stress reducers, so take a good B-complex multivitamin daily to bust anxiety.  Why’s it work?  One reason is that the body requires B6 to make serotonin, so studies show that not getting enough of that particular vitamin might contribute to greater feelings of anxiety.

When To Call The Doctor

If you find yourself anxious most of the time and the above remedies do not work, you may need to see the doctor.  Prolonged anxiety can have serious impacts on your health, especially if you find yourself turning to drugs or alcohol to alleviate the symptoms.