5 Healthy Ways to Reduce Anxiety Naturally
What Does Anxiety Feel Like?
If you chronically suffer from anxiety - worrying about the future, feel edgy, and/or have panic attacks, you may have anxiety disorder. While we all are hit by pangs of anxiety, for many it is a debilitating condition that affects body and mind. It’s not an imagined condition. What is actually happening is that your brain is responding to a perceived threat. The threat may be real or imagined depending on your personal story but your brain doesn’t know the difference. It can then translate into physical symptoms of headache, chest pain, and even heart palpitations. The COVID pandemic understandably dramatically increased the number of people suffering from anxiety by 25% worldwide. According to The American Psychiatric Association, it will affect 30% of Americans at some point in their lives. So you are not alone. The association also found that the causes of anxiety disorders are currently unknown but likely involve a combination of factors including genetic, environmental, psychological, and developmental. Anxiety disorders can run in families, suggesting that a combination of genes and environmental stresses can produce the disorders.
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
When we don’t have the right tools and practice using them, we try to reduce or numb the uncomfortable feelings. According to The Meadowglade, a rehabilitation center specializing in mental health and eating disorders, If you react to a stressful situation in a maladaptive way, you can develop anxiety disorders and become too reliant on people or objects. This leads to dysfunctional behavior patterns. While the maladaptive coping mechanism helps you to feel safe and secure, stopping your anxiety in the short term, in the long term, it only creates more problems. The more you avoid a stressful situation, for example, the more isolated you’ll become. The more you lash out at others as a coping mechanism, the more other people will ignore and avoid you. It goes without saying that the more you harm yourself to reduce your anxiety in the short term, the more physical and mental health problems that will cause in the long run.
So what are some of the most unhealthy coping mechanisms? Meadowglade shares their top 9:
Avoiding the issue altogether;
Smoking;
Compulsive spending;
Excessive caffeine consumption;
Running away;
Consuming too much alcohol;
Excessive sleeping;
Promiscuous behavior;
Eating disorders.
5 Healthy Ways to Reduce Anxiety Naturally
There are several coping skills for managing anxiety that I want to share with you today. None of them cost any money, they simply require that you be open and committed to exploring what honestly works for you. On different days, a certain technique may work better than another. What’s most important is that you are comfortable applying a few different techniques so that you can take care of yourself in the moment.
I am going to share 5 ways that you can manage your anxiety that I’ve found effective and we’ll practice one together. None of them cost any money, they simply require you to take a few moments and apply these self-care techniques.
Accept Your Anxiety in the Moment
You may be surprised to read that this is a recommended technique. Why compound your anxiety by worrying about your worrying? If you can release judgment and just sit with it, you take a critical first step to detach from the anxiety and address it. According to WebMD’s David H. Rosmarin, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, “When you worry about getting rid of your anxiety, you’re signaling your nervous system that you have even more to be anxious about. And that makes your anxiety worse.” He recommends applying the following steps instead:
Recognize and understand your anxiety: Tell yourself, “My nervous system is kicking into high gear because I’m worried about [thing X].”
Don’t criticize yourself for those feelings: Instead, say, “This is a normal, healthy response by my body to these circumstances, which are complicated, stressful, or difficult. It’s OK to feel this way.”
Know that you can have anxiety and still function well.
Breathwork
As I shared in my blog, Pranayam: Control Your Life-Force, Prolong Your Life, learning to control your breath, not only supports you to live your daily life with greater ease, it may also help you live longer. According to separate studies conducted by Harvard University, the University of Buffalo, and the Congressionally-funded Framingham Study, lung capacity was determined to be the most significant indicator of your life span.
Unless you have been exposed to pranayam techniques, our default tends to be shallow breathing. Focusing on our breath not only brings us back to the present moment, but it is also a great way to connect more deeply with ourselves. It forces us to check in and sense our emotional and physical state. We can then apply a particular breathing technique to bring us back to balance and greater ease. Different breathing techniques can support your well-being in different situations. In my blog, Anxiety Buster Breath, I include a video of how to practice this pranayam, or yogic breath. Bookmark it so that you have it handy!
Apply the 333 Rule
I used this technique when I was dealing with my own grief over the loss of my mother. It made me more aware of my surroundings and again brought my focus to the present moment and helped ground me. According to Choosing Therapy, the 333 Rule asks that you find three examples of what you can see, hear, and touch within your current environment. While this method is short and simple, you should really take your time when focusing on each of the items you identify. This technique is not meant to be rushed. Do one exercise after the other.
Start with a breathing technique to help calm you down. Apply the Anxiety Buster Breath or a few long deep breaths, then apply the following sequence:
Begin with noticing 3 things that you can see around you;
Then notice 3 things that you hear in your immediate environment.
Then touch or move 3 things around you. By connecting with 3 of your senses in the present, you can ground yourself in the present.
Yoga Poses
Yoga is a two-for-one treatment. You are probably not surprised to learn that Harvard Medical School research shows that yoga can reduce anxiety and provide additional health benefits. In addition, it is physical exercise, which is another proven way to reduce anxiety. But you may not know which postures are most beneficial to reduce anxiety. In my blog, Yoga Poses to Combat Anxiety, I share 3 basic yoga poses that research has shown to bring relief from anxiety. Not all yoga poses are challenging and all can be modified to meet you where you are in the moment you are practicing them. So please check out that blog and bookmark it. Consider it another tool in your toolbox.
Meditation
Like pranayam, meditation brings you to the present moment. So your thoughts can’t be in the future, the focus of anxiety, or even the past. According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace, and balance that can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health. When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress. The emotional and physical benefits of meditation they list can include:
Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations;
Building skills to manage your stress;
Increasing self-awareness;
Reducing negative emotions;
Increasing imagination and creativity
Increasing patience and tolerance
Lowering resting heart rate;
Lowering resting blood pressure;
Improving sleep quality.
Guided Meditation
Even if you find meditation challenging, I invite you to try this for just 3 minutes with me. You may actually find that it’s easier than you think. If you find 3 minutes easy, feel free to extend the time to 11 minutes for a deeper experience. Practice it with your favorite version of the Dhan Dhan Ram Das mantra. Mine is by Snatam Kaur.
Sit up nice and tall, and place your left hand in the palm of your right hand. Place your right thumb into the center of your left palm and bring your left thumb just over that second knuckle of the right thumb to hold it down lightly. Wrap your right fingers around your left hand and then bring your hands into the center of your chest. Close your eyes down begin to focus on your breath and the rise and fall of your chest and then slowly begin to sense the energy in your heart center - that energy of love and compassion for self and others. Allow the energy, that light, in your heart center to become more vibrant to become warmer, and more expansive. Continue for 3-11 minutes. End with a deep inhale, suspend the breath, and slowly release your hands. Breathe normally and simply observe your thoughts without judgment. You may even get some insights into the event or beliefs that are at the root of your anxiety. The key is not to force it.
Western Medicine Options - Medication and/or Therapy
Western medicine can be a complement to energy work. It’s not an either-or situation. You may benefit from long-term or short-term medications and/or talk therapy treatments. There are also online and in-person support groups that you may find helpful. Empower yourself to make smart and informed decisions to live a vibrant and purposeful life. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is recommended that you get professional medical advice and treatment from a mental health professional if you answer yes to any of the following:
You feel like you're worrying too much and it's interfering with your work, relationships, or other parts of your life;
Your fear, worry, or anxiety is upsetting to you and difficult to control;
You feel depressed, have trouble with alcohol or drug use, or have other mental health concerns along with anxiety;
You think your anxiety could be linked to a physical health problem;
You have suicidal thoughts or behaviors — if this is the case, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Improve Mental Health with Kundalini Yoga
If you want to attain inner peace and build strong mental health, SoundWellness is here to support you. All classes can be customized to meet the needs of an individual or a community. Call or set up a complimentary consultation today.
About SoundWellness
Monique Derfuss is the founder and President of SoundWellness offering gong sound therapy, Reiki, Kundalini Yoga, and meditation. Her wellness business is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and has helped thousands of people over the past 6+ years move beyond only taking care of their physical bodies to taking a more holistic approach to their health by integrating support of their energetic, or subtle, bodies. Subscribe on YouTube to SoundWellness or the company newsletter for helpful wellness videos and information to support your vibrant well-being. Check out what others have said about her services. For general inquiries, please call 202-355-8136 or contact Monique by email.