13 Ways to Relieve Anxiety & Stress
What is it like to have anxiety & stress? This condition can manifest as panic attacks, ranging from mild to severe, in which a person experiences trouble breathing, sweating, heart palpitations, dizziness, and feelings of disorientation or impending doom. Depression, insomnia, tension, muscle aches, and twitching are all signs of chronic anxiety.
This is not only a troubling psychological condition, but a physically debilitating one as well. It stresses the cardiovascular, glandular, nervous, and immune systems, and can be a foundational cause of chronic ill-health. Alternative remedies such as essential oils for anxiety, offer a safe, natural solution to encourage a state of relaxation rather than stress.
1. – Essential Oils
Essential oils are a staple in my house! They provide so may therapeutic benefits. The beauty of essential oils is that they are natural, extracted from flowers, leaves, bark or roots of plants. While it’s best to make sure you use pure essential oils, meaning oils that have not been diluted with chemicals or additives, they can provide much needed relief and healing for a variety of ailments, including as a natural remedy for anxiety. Some of my personal favorites are Lavender, Chamomile, Rose, Vetiver, Bergamot, Chamomile, Frankincense, Clary Sage & Patchouli. Make sure to get Good Quality Essential oils. I get most of mine from Amazon because they have some really great bundled sets that often go on sale and that I can combine with Ebates to earn cash back! I also have Amazon Prime so I get faster FREE shipping!
2. – Meditation
Take a few minutes to think about all the things you are grateful for. It could be as simple as feeling grateful for the food in your fridge or the way your pet loves you. Take the time to appreciate all the gifts you have in life and how lucky you are to have them. When you show thanks for the good in your life, more good will attract itself to you.I spend 5 minutes every morning meditating on gratitude as soon as I open my eyes. It’s amazing how it always starts me off in such a great mood for the day. I have also purchased some very helpful meditation & law of attraction programs that have worked wonders!
3. – Alkaline Water
One of the best ways to help ease the symptoms of your anxiety and depression is through the utilization of alkaline water. Negatively charged micro-water (more commonly known as alkaline water) will help to balance the pH level in your system and more importantly in your brain. The pH levels in the blood and fluid in the body can help to turn your depression and your anxiety into a more manageable state. As well, alkaline water helps to detoxify the body and it is said the removing a build up of toxins can aide in anxiety relief. I have tried many different methods (stay tuned for the blog post) but my method of choice is my Santevia Water Cooler System
4. – Greens
When our bodies are stressed, a lack of nutrients and an unhealthy lifestyle will only aggravate the body further. By filling yourself instead with nutrient rich fruits and vegetables, your body can heal from the damage stress can cause as well as help fight it. When juicing for stress, there are certain nutrients present in certain fruits and vegetables that will help you better overcome the side effects of stress. The Easiest way to give your body all the nutrients it needs is with a good quality Greens Product! My Two favorites are Organifi and the line from Progressive.
- Exposure to sunlight has been shown to increase serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is responsible for keeping our brain balanced and us feeling good. Not only does sunlight increase serotonin but it also increases melatonin, which is the chemical in our brains responsible for inducing sleep.
- Fresh air is full of oxygen and it provides health to the cells in our bodies. Fresh air can help us feel more energized and even help us sleep better at night. Being outside in the fresh air promotes a sense of well-being and good mental focus.
- Nature sounds like birds singing, waterfalls, bubbling brooks, rustling trees blowing in the wind all help to bring us into balance. The sounds found in nature help us to get outside of our heads and appreciate the earth and all it has to offer. These sounds help bring us into the present moment of the here and now
- Don’t have the yard for a garden ? Plant your garden in pots on your deck or grown an indoor garden! There are many options available for gardening in small spaces or indoors.
Most people are not getting the vitamins and minerals that their bodies require and anxiety can often be blamed on vitamin/mineral deficiencies. As well, some supplements are geared towards easing stress and clearing the mind.
7. – Exercise
Although Cardio Exercise like running or bike riding is more effective for relieving anxiety, going for a long walk and enjoying nature can work just as well!
8. – Get Rid of Clutter
Feng Shui is the art of creating a serene and relaxing home. Part of this study involves clearing the clutter from your environment. Clutter creates a sense of confusion and chaos. By cleaning up your home, you’re essentially clearing out the clutter from your mind.I feel so much better after doing just a little bit of housekeeping. I find it extremely relaxing to be in a clean home.I personally like getting rid of old clothes. If I haven’t worn them in a year, then they are wasteful clutter and can be given away.
9. – Massage
Take the time to treat yourself to a massage. You deserve it. A massage is not only relaxing, it also promotes healthy blood circulation and overall well-being. You can also use this as a way to connect with your partner which is also stress reducing.
10. – Journal
Sometimes we may not know what is triggering our anxiety and keeping a daily journal can help to pin point what your triggers may be. It could be certain foods causing anxiety ( Gluten is a definite trigger for me) , a certain activity, event or even certain people can induce anxiety.
11. – Diet
Diet can play a very important part when it comes to anxiety. It can be brought on by food allergies ( which can cause a toxic build up in the body and induce anxiety) or it could be from a lack of nutrition altogether. Many have found that eating a diet mainly of fruits, vegetables, healthy nuts & oils and lean protein and forgoing diets high in processed foods, sugar , gluten and dairy . My entire family recently switched to the Ketogenic Diet and we have found that not only are we losing weight which contributes to our over all health, it has also decreases anxiety. I believe that it is in part due to the absence of gluten and increased energy and clarity.
12. – Fidget Spinners / Gadgets
Robert Duff, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist in Camarillo, California, believes they can help in several ways. “For people who live with anxiety, fidget toys serve a couple different purposes,” he says. “Anxiety often leads to agitation and a desperate yearning to do something about the internal discomfort that anxiety brings. Without a proper outlet of coping strategies, this discomfort can lead to things like skin picking, scratching, or other disruptive behaviors. Putting a fidget toy in someone’s hand can sometimes help them channel this nervous energy into a more constructive outlet.
13. – Drink Herbal Tea
L-theanine is an amino acid found in tea plants. It also promotes relaxation and modifies the stimulating effects of the caffeine present in green tea. Some have found that even small amounts of caffeine can trigger anxiety, so instead opt for caffeine free Herbal Varieties .. my favorites is Chamomile but you can find several different stress relieving varieties on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca ( Honestly .. I do A TON Of shopping on Amazon! I combine it with ebates.com & ebates.ca to earn cash back on all of my online purchases)
I am hoping that one of these helps to relieve your anxiety symptoms. I know all too well what a nightmare it can be! Comment below and tell me if have you tried any of these methods? How did it work for you?
