People suffer from various kinds of anxiety, and it often gets unbearable around holidays or special occasions. I used to be one of those individuals. When anxiety seized my mind, I felt the creepy-crawly rush of heat enveloping my body, buckling my knees to the point I felt like I would pass out. All I could do was get out of where I was or find the nearest chair to sit down. When caught in the throes of anxiety, it is hard to think and know what to do. I felt shame at not measuring up. It helped me to examine my feelings. It may help you to examine yours. Don’t try to talk yourself out of what you are feeling. On the contrary, give yourself lots of permission to feel. In this blog, we will explore ways to reduce anxiety naturally.
Physical Ways to Reduce Anxiety
Look at your eating habits. Do you drink a lot of caffeine products, such as coffee or soda? If yes, cut back on them? I was a sugar addict and didn’t even know it until confronted by a healthier friend on a low-sugar diet. Sugar may calm anxiety momentarily, but then it sends your body into orbit.
Do you smoke cigarettes? Nicotine is addictive, and its side effects of it are dangerous for your heart, hormones, and gastrointestinal system. Once addicted, it creates restlessness and anxiety that requires more nicotine. The cravings can be intolerable.
Are you getting enough exercise? Research shows that a daily exercise routine and doing something you love reduces pressure. Walking, running, dancing and weightlifting are all ways to reduce stress, especially if you give yourself positive messages while you are doing them. Too many of us are good at putting ourselves down because of negative early family messages.
On the other hand, being complimented so much by well-meaning parents may have caused a subconscious fear of messing up and letting them down. How hard do you work? Are you a workaholic? Or do you not work at all because of fear of failure?
Are you able to sleep, or do you let yourself worry and think all night? There are ways to take care of an overactive mind. One way is to pray. Reciting a favorite Bible verse will shut out nagging thoughts because your mind can only handle one idea at a time. Or you could concentrate on your breathing. Andrew Weil MD is a master of breathing techniques, and you can find his videos on YouTube. They’ve been extremely helpful to me.