Ten
Natural Ways to Relieve Anxiety
Chamomile
and Stress
Chamomile
Tea has been used for hundreds if not thousands of years in order to
induce relaxation and relieve anxiety. Unlike many other forms of
tea, Chamomile is naturally non-caffeinated. In addition to this,
Chamomile also has chemical properties similar to a mild muscle
relaxant. Stress is both a physical as well as a psychological
phenomena, and easing pressure on the muscles also improves the
psychological perception of stress. Chamomile can also help alleviate
skin inflammation associated with anxiety.
Other
Benefits of Chamomile
Chamomile
also provides other benefits, and can actually reduce skin
inflammation, regulate the severity of a fever, and it acts as a
cough suppressant. In one scientific study, participants drank
chamomile tea daily for fourteen days. By the end of the study, they
were discovered to have higher levels of a compound known as
Hippurate, which is associated with a stronger immune system.
Green
Tea (or L-Theanine) and Stress
Green
tea does contain mild amounts of caffeine, but not nearly as much as
other forms of tea. It is also possible to find decaffeinated Green
Tea. Like Chamomile, Green Tea also provides anti-anxiety benefits
when consumed. This is primarily because of an amino acid known as
L-Theanine which appears in high quantities in Green Tea. Medical
studies have shown that L-Theanine positively impacts the
cardiovascular system by balancing blood pressure and controlling
heart rate.
A
few small studies have shown that participants with high anxiety did
experience statistically significant calming benefits when taking 200
mg of L-Theanine, which is the amount of L-Theanine you would intake
with 5 strong cups of Green Tea per day. If 5 or more cups of Green
Tea sounds like too much for you, you could opt for a supplement
instead.
Other
Benefits of Green Tea
Even
if you need to supplement your green tea drinking with L-Theanine to
experience optimal anti-anxiety effects, there are numerous other
reasons why green tea is good for you. The best thing about green tea
is that it has more antioxidants than any other type of tea. The
antioxidant compounds in green tea are known as polyphenols, and
these compounds have been scientifically proven to provide
anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory benefits. Again, any product
which provides Anti-Inflammatory benefits will likely have at least a
small impact on anxiety levels.
Hops
for Anxiety Relief
You
may be surprised, but the hops which are used as an ingredient in
beer actually have some anti-anxiety benefits. Don't head to the bar
to turn up a beer yet though, because, unfortunately, the
Anti-Anxiety benefits of hops do not survive the brewing process. The
part of the hops that has the ability to relieve stress is the
essential oil of the hops.
Hops
can actually be used as a sedative, and there are companies that sell
pillows filled with hops. There are specialty teas that contain hops,
but because of their intensely bitter flavor, it is usually brewed
with mint, chamomile, or other flavors which are effective at
covering up the bitterness.
Other
Benefits of Hops
The
sedative benefits of hops and its relative, Valerian, have been shown
to be effective in the treatment of insomnia if taken regularly over
the course of a month. Hops are also good for digestion because they
stimulate the release of digestive juices. If you experience
digestive troubles as a result of stress, Hops seems to provide
effective relief.
There
is even evidence that Hops have the ability to help evacuate toxins
from the body. For women, high doses of regular hops supplements can
be an effective treatment for mild to moderate symptoms associated
with menopause, because hops produce plant Estrogens. Finally, there
are studies that show that Hops provide neurological benefits.
Because of these plant Estrogens, Hops supplements may be better for
women than men, because long term use may suppress natural
Testosterone Production.
Valerian
for Anxiety
Drinks
like Green Tea provide sedative effects without impacting energy
level or encouraging sleepiness. Other herbal anxiety supplements are
better to take at night because they both alleviate anxiety and
encourage restful sleep. Valerian is a member of this class of
Anti-Anxiety supplements. Valerian, like hops, has shown benefits for
the treatment of insomnia, and some nations, including Germany, even
approve Valerian as a means to treat sleeping issues such as insomnia
and jet lag.
Other
Benefits of Valerian
Valerian
is another Anti-Anxiety treatment that also acts as a muscle-relaxer.
Valerian appears to have stronger muscle-relaxing effects, and is
effective at alleviating issues related to muscle spasms, including
muscle tension, muscle pain, and cramping.
The
good thing about Valerian as a sleep aid is that, unlike other
treatments such as Melatonin, Valerian does not produce a groggy and
hung over feeling in the morning for most users. Finally, Valerian is
even recommended for high blood pressure exacerbated by stress
because it both reduces stress and relaxes the veins and arteries,
reducing blood pressure.
Lemon
Balm for Stress
The
name may lead you to believe as such, but Lemon Balm is actually not
related to lemons, although Lemon Balm does produce a distinct citrus
scent. Lemon Balm has been used in the West for several centuries,
since the Middle Ages at the latest, as a means to alleviate both
anxiety and stress. It can also help you sleep by proxy. Lemon Balm
is a mild sedative, but it also has the ability to enhance attention.
One
particular study showed that participants that took 600 mg lemon balm
extracts were both more alert and less anxious than they were if they
were provided a placebo. It's important to slowly increase the dose
over time, however, because taking too much at once can actually
produce anxiety.
Other
Benefits of Lemon Balm
Lemon
Balm has strong antioxidant benefits, and in one study, radiology
staff were provided lemon balm supplements, and were found to
experience less damage as a result of X-Ray exposure, which increases
the level of free radical activity in the human body. Lemon Balm also
appears to produce psychological benefits, in the areas of cognition
and mood.
There
have even been studies in Alzheimer's patients that have shown that
Lemon Balm supplementation can improve the symptoms of Alzheimer's in
patients suffering from the moderate and mild forms of the disease.
The reason for these benefits is that it inhibits the activity of
both butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholine in the brain.
Exercise
and Stress
Not
every treatment for anxiety comes in the form of a pill, capsule, or
consumable. Exercise is a fantastic way to modulate and alleviate
stress. Exercise stimulates the metabolism and encourages the brain
to produce endorphins which have the ability to counteract stress and
anxiety. Another good thing is that although some anti-anxiety
treatments and supplements take days or weeks to work, exercise
provides some benefits immediately and with continued exercise, it
provides enhanced benefits!
In
addition to the physiological benefits of exercise, it also produces
benefits because it contributes to a fitter and healthier you, which
has the ability to relieve anxiety associated with health and
self-perception.
Other
Health Benefits of Exercise
As
you likely already know, exercise provides significant benefits to
nearly every aspect of health. Exercise stimulates your
cardiovascular system, which strengthens the heart and helps to
control blood pressure. Also, exercise increases your metabolism,
which causes you to burn fat more quickly and gives you more energy
and vitality to attack the realities of your everyday life.
Exercise
also provides other psychological benefits in addition to simply
relieving stress. Exercise has been proven to reduce the impact of
depression, making it easier to stay happy. There is even strong
evidence that physical activity improves cognitive and mental health
as well, stimulating memory and improving attention span.
The
Twenty-One Minute Cure for Anxiety
This
is an extension of the previous suggestion, which relates to the
immediate benefits of exercise and physical activity in general. If
you are experiencing feelings of stress, one of the best things you
can do is turn to exercise. When you feel stressful, take twenty to
thirty minutes to exercise, in whatever way you would most prefer.
You can run, swim, lift weights, or anything that will get your heart
rate up.
Stimulating
your heart rate and getting your body moving will have a direct
effect upon both your anxiety and stress levels. Twenty-one minutes
is the average length of time that it takes to stimulate the
neurological benefits of exercise, and as soon as you are done, you
should feel a greater level of psychological balance return to your
mind. Anxiety and stress are both psychological and physical
responses. Physical activity is a powerful outlet for that stress,
which will alleviate the psychological effects.
Passionflower
for Anxiety
The name of this
flower is somewhat misleading in regard to the effect that it can
have on the body and mind. Although the flower was named for its
vibrant and colorful appearance, its effect on the body is actually
sedative. Like Valerian, Passionflower is another supplement that has
been approved as a medical treatment by Germany, which has provided
approval for the use of Passionflower as a treatment for restless
anxiety.
There is even
scientific evidence that Passionflower is so potent that it can
provide the equivalent benefits of prescription medications. Because
of it's anti-anxiety sedative qualities, it is very useful as an
insomnia treatment. Like other sedative supplements, it should not be
taken alongside prescription sleep aids and other sedatives. Also,
because of its potency, it is recommended not to utilize
Passionflower for longer than thirty days without discussing it with
a doctor.
Other
Benefits of Passionflower
When combined with
St. John's Wort, there is evidence that Passionflower has the ability
to modulate depression and help patients experience an improved
outlook on life. Passionflower can also be useful for women suffering
from issues related to Menopause, including headache, insomnia, and
anger. Passionflower can even be an effective treatment for women
that are not interested in Hormone Replacement Therapy or not
eligible.
Like many other
anti-anxiety treatments, Passionflower also appears to have
cardiovascular benefits. There is evidence that Passionflower
supplementation has the ability to significantly reduce blood
pressure. It appears to primarily impact systolic blood pressure,
which refers to the pressure within the arteries when the heart is
pumping. Finally, Passionflower has an impact on the accumulation of
damaged cardiovascular fats known as oxidized lipids.
Lavender
for Stress
It's no surprise
that there are a number of flowers that have anti-anxiety effects,
and perhaps these effects have even affected our perception of them,
indelibly connecting flowers with happiness and relaxation. Lavender
is considered to be an emotional anti-inflammatory, and just the
scent has the ability to relieve stress, with a number of studies to
back it up. In one study, students actually deeply inhaled lavender
oil before taking an exam.
This reduced the
level of anxiety in the participants, but some students experienced a
bit of mental fuzziness as a result of the inhaled concentration. In
Germany, Lavender has even been studied as an anti-anxiety drug,
tested as a treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. They found
that these specific lavender pills were as effective as Ativan at
alleviating this form of anxiety.
Other
Benefits of Lavender
Lavender is widely
used in aromatherapy for a number of different purposes. There is
evidence that Lavender has the ability to treat fatigue, nervous
disorders, and headaches. Lavender oil is used as an herbal remedy
for a number of skin conditions, including acne, eczema, wounds, and
fungal infections. The benefits resulting from eczema may be the
result of the benefits of massaging with oil rather than the type of
oil itself, however.
There is also
scientific evidence that Lavender Oil has the ability to reduce pain,
and in one study, patients that inhaled a mixture of oxygen and
lavender had an increased pain tolerance as opposed to those that
inhaled oxygen alone.
Controlled
Breathing for Stress Reduction
Controlled breathing
is another effective means to regulate anxiety. One technique that
has been shown to be highly effective is known as the 4-7-8 Breath,
and is a breathing strategy related to yoga. In order to perform this
breathing technique, first breath out completely through your mouth.
Immediately after breathing out, inhale through your nose for four
seconds. After inhaling, hold your breath for the following seven
seconds. Finally, exhale through your nose slowly over the course of
seven more seconds.
Engaging in regular
controlled breathing can enhance the benefits that you experience
through a single session, and can even optimize your function at the
genetic level. There have been multiple studies that have shown that
performing breathing exercises regularly actually has the ability to
alter the way that your genes express themselves, in ways that
actually re-tune your stress response.
Other
Benefits of Controlled Breathing
Controlled breathing
not only helps control anxiety, but it helps control heart rate and
blood pressure as well. If you practice controlled breathing
techniques such as the one described above, the end result will be a
boon to your cardiovascular system. There is evidence that breathing
exercises reduce the risk of brain aneurysm and stroke also.
Controlled breathing and meditation also have the ability to improve
connections in the brain, and it is shown that regular meditation and
focused breathing can improve sensory processing and attention.
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