13 Tips for Beating Anxiety with Natural Remedies

Updated on September 27, 2021

Left unchecked, anxiety can be a debilitating condition that affects all areas of a person’s life. And some evidence suggests that feelings of anxiety are increasing among people of all demographics.

But many people prefer not to take anti-anxiety medications, or find that they don’t do enough on their own. This has led to many people developing an interest in beating anxiety with natural remedies.

Beating Anxiety the Natural Way

Some of these ideas are simple lifestyle changes that anyone can make, while others are natural remedies that have been suggested to help curb anxiety.

If anxiety is a daily struggle for you, you can improve your quality of life by trying some of these ideas:

1. Keep Active

One common suggestion is to take regular exercise.

Keeping active is important not just for mounting a healthy body, but a healthy mind as well. An individual workout can provide anxiety relief for several hours, and making it a part of your lifestyle can help promote a healthier mindset overall.

2. Get Some Sleep

Insomnia is a common symptom of anxiety. However, a lack of sleep will reliably make your anxiety worse.

If sleeping is a struggle, you can help yourself by avoiding naps during the daytime so that you can sleep more reliably at night. Avoiding reading or watching TV in bed can also help.

3. Cut Back on the Caffeine

Not only will caffeine make anxiety worse, but it can also increase anxiety on its own.

Caffeine increases your heart rate, and too much can cause heart palpitations. Reducing your intake will help keep your anxiety in check.

4. Drink Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is a common home remedy for nervousness and insomnia. A 2009 study has also found evidence to suggest that chamomile is also a potent remedy for generalized anxiety.

Taking a cup before bed can be a good way to address multiple anxiety-related issues at once.

5. Or Try Valerian Instead

Valerian is an herbal supplement with sedative properties. Research suggests that it can treat insomnia, restlessness, and anxiety.

Just be sure to only take it before bed. Its sedative properties are powerful enough that you’ll have trouble staying up through the day.

6. Quit Drinking Soda

If soda is your vice of choice, you may want to consider scaling back your consumption.

Many sodas are full of caffeine, which would be bad enough. But sugar has a stimulating effect that can exacerbate anxiety, especially at the high amounts found in soda.

7. Make Green Tea Your Drink of Choice

In place of soda or coffee, make green tea your drink of choice.

Most people know that green tea is full of healthy antioxidants, but it also contains the amino acid L-theanine. Research suggests that L-theanine can reduce anxiety and promote better mental focus.

8. Try Meditation

One of the goals of meditation is to remove intrusive and chaotic thoughts from your mind. For this reason, its well knows for reducing stress and anxiety.

Research from Johns Hopkins suggests that meditating for 30 minutes each day can reduce anxiety and depression.

9. Practice Deep Breathing

Shallow, fast breaths are one of the most common symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks.

Learning deep breathing exercises can help you learn how to bring your breathing under control. Restoring normal breathing patterns should help reduce anxiety levels to a manageable level.

10. Cut Out Alcohol and Smoking

Many people reach for a drink or a cigarette to steady their nerves in stressful times. While this might provide temporary relief, these behaviors can end up making anxiety worse over time.

Both of these behaviors can cause health issues that can increase anxiety on their own. But through continuous reliance on them, you could develop a mental or physical dependency.

If you find yourself struggling to limit your use of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs, it may be time to seek out the help of support groups or addiction recovery centers.

11. Eat a Healthy Diet

Dehydration, low blood sugar, or mineral deficiencies are common conditions that can cause changes in mood. And some people also experience mood changes because of a sensitivity to common additives in processed foods.

For this reason, minimizing processed food in favor of a good variety of whole foods and plenty of water can help reduce anxiety.

12. Declutter Your Living Space

If you’ve ever found yourself running late in the morning, only to be unable to find your keys, it probably didn’t help your anxiety much.

A home should be a shelter from the stresses of the outside world, but living with too much clutter can cause all kinds of tiny frustrations that build up over time. Living in an organized space can make you feel more at ease.

13. Use Lavender in Your Self-Care Routine

Lavender oil has been touted for its healing benefits for some time, and preliminary reports that it can safely and effectively be used to help soothe anxiety.

Like similar oils, it’s frequently used in aromatherapy. It can also be used in a bath or massaged into the temples to help soothe a stress headache. You could also add terpenes, like this sweet blueberry strain, to help improve your mood and focus, as well as helping with your anxiety. 

Living Your Best Life, in Spite of Anxiety

Anxiety can often feel omnipresent, as though you can’t escape it. But beating anxiety is possible.

One important caveat to remember is that while some people may find sufficient success with natural remedies, some may require the help of a professional. So use the above tips to help manage your anxiety, but always discuss your concerns with your medical professional.

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