Anxiety Natural Remedies: 15 Ways To Relax & Find Calm
Anxiety can be a disabling condition thats accompanied by long-term stress and a decline in overall health. It contributes to many chronic diseases, even when treated with conventional medications. Thats why we need to use natural remedies for anxiety and other mood disorders that will address the root of the problem instead of putting a Band-Aid on your symptoms.
In fact, anxiety can affect people of all ages, with a lifetime prevalence between 4.3 and 5.9 percent. In addition, 4060 percent of people with anxiety experience signs of depression, which makes it an even more serious and difficult condition to treat properly. And research shows that people with anxiety cannot successfully achieve short or long term remission, with remission rates remaining as low as 38 percent after five years.
The good news is that there are many natural remedies for anxiety that are safe and dont cause adverse side effects like so many anti-anxiety medications. By eating a clean and well-balanced diet that contains important nutrients like B vitamins, magnesium and omega-3s, and using essential oils for anxiety, you will notice an immediate difference in your mood, energy levels and sleep patterns.
Plus, there are many supplements and lifestyle changes that serve as natural remedies for anxiety.
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Lavender And Other Soothing Essential Oils
Especially for sleep and stress and relaxation, essential oils can be used externally for aromatherapy, said Wei, who recommends lavender and lemon balm before bed for destressing, or peppermint if youre looking for something more stimulating. Lavender oil, in particular, has been shown to react the same way biochemically that some anti-anxiety medications do with specific neuroreceptors.
Exercise To Pump You Up
Regular physical activity might not be the first thing your doctor prescribes when they diagnose you with depression. However, maybe it should be part of your therapy.
A Duke University study found that 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise three times a week was as effective at relieving symptoms of depression in the short term as antidepressant medication.
The study also found that depression was less likely to return in people who continued to exercise after the initial trial.
Depression can make you feel disconnected from the things you love. It also can cause fatigue and sleep problems. Unwinding can have a positive effect on your mood.
Relaxation techniques include:
- promote relaxation and emotional wellness
Though more research is necessary, some studies, including studies by the University of Westminster, show that yoga may be beneficial for improving depression symptoms.
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Get The Right Amount Of Sleep
Sleep plays a fundamental role in our overall physical and mental health. Getting enough consistent sleep allows us to replenish and recharge, consequently promoting mind and body resilience to mitigate daily stressors. Regularly skimping on sleep can have detrimental short-term and long-term consequences affecting our brain function, mood, immune system, and other mental/physical aspects.
Good quality of sleep has a strong linkage with a decrease in anxiety symptoms.3 The amount of sleep that is required each night varies depending on age and other factors.
Ginkgo Biloba For Anxiety
Several herbs have been employed to treat anxiety, such as Brahmi, California poppy, Gotu cola, Kava et.al. Ginkgo biloba, the oldest plant existing in the world for over 200 million years, is a famous Chinese herb employed frequently in the world to treat anxiety. This herb is first documented in a Chinese book about 2800BC and the herb is also considered as a component of the Ayurvedic elixir soma .
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What Are Natural Remedies For Anxiety And Depression
Nearly everyone experiences mental health challenges in their life. Natural remedies for anxiety and depression can be a part of the solution. The severity of these symptoms and how long they last can vary across a wide scale. It is important to take that into consideration when deciding how to respond. Remember that nothing in this article constitutes medical or psychiatric advice. It helps to learn the signs of depression and anxiety. But you should always defer to the opinion of a medical professional when it comes to anything regarding your mental or physical health. With that out of the way, what do we mean by natural remedies for anxiety and depression? These can take two forms. The first is diet or supplement. The second is behavior.
Anxiety Remedies That Dont Work
There are many old wives tales, myths, and misconceptions about treating anxiety. Some well-known remedies dont work, lack evidence, or can actually do more harm than good, such as:
- Essential oils: While lavender, rose, citrus, bergamot, and other essential oils are often marketed as helping anxiety, many have not been studied enough to say that they help anxiety beyond the relaxing effect they might have on someone who enjoys their aromas.
- Herbal supplements: Many herbal treatments are unregulated and of little benefit, Dr. Zablow says. They can cause harm when poorly made or if they contain contaminants. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so theres no guarantee that the claims they make are true or the ingredients they contain are safe.
- Many people self-medicate with marijuana, cannabis, or cannabidiol . However, with overuse, dependence on the drug over time, or improper dosing, these remedies are ineffective or can make anxiety worse. Frequent marijuana use may also lead to other health issues like cyclic vomiting syndrome and respiratory issues.
Most importantly, do not stop your anxiety medication cold turkey in favor of natural remedies. Always talk to the prescriber before changing or stopping your medication. If you are dissatisfied with the results of your anti-anxiety medication, meet with your physician. You may need a dosage or medication change or you may benefit from adjunctive complementary therapies.
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Learn To Recognize Negative Thinking
Sometimes these thoughts can be obvious, such as times when you berate or criticize yourself. Other times, they can be more subtle. You might find yourself engaging in things like catastrophizing or all-or-nothing thinking.
Catastrophizing involves always anticipating negative outcomes. All-or-nothing thinking means that you think of things as either successes or failures with no in-between. Once you get better at recognizing these cognitive patterns, you can start working on some healthier replacements.
How To Fight Depression Without Medication
Verywell / Bailey Mariner
For many people living with depression, prescription medications can be life-saving drugs. Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Prozac and Zoloft , are the most widely prescribed medication for depression, and while they are often effective, they can have side effects and be expensive depending on your health insurance coverage.
There are many ways to counter some of the symptoms of depression that don’t involve prescription medications. If you have depression, you might like to try managing it naturally without medication or supplement your antidepressant with other options. If so, check out these natural alternatives and then talk to your doctor about which might make sense as part of your treatment regimen.
This article discusses some natural treatments that may help fight depression including lifestyle changes and supplements. It also covers other strategies you might try such as practicing mindfulness or enhancing your home environment.
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Whats The Best Natural Antidepressant Supplement
There is no one best supplement for people with depression. Although some supplements have been shown to benefit certain populations with depression, not everyone will benefit from the same supplements.
Every person with depression has different needs and should work with a healthcare professional to create an individualized care plan, which may or may not involve dietary supplements.
Increase Your B Vitamin Intake
Increasing your B Vitamins will help your brain produce more serotonin, epinephrine, and dopamine, thus resulting in an improved mood.
Required Ingredients:
- Vitamin B capsules
- Foods that contain high amounts of Vitamin B
Process:
- Eat more foods that contain Vitamin B naturally.
- Take 300 milligrams of vitamin B capsules each day if you do not eat the foods that naturally contain Vitamin B.
- Make this a part of your regular diet.
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Do I Need Health Insurance To Receive This Service
The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.
Get A Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets help anxiety by introducing even pressure on the whole body. This helps to slow down your autonomic nervous system and help you relax when you are trying to sleep. Anxiety impacts sleep hygiene, but a weighted blanket can be a good support for your nighttime routine by improving nighttime anxiety. A blanket that weighs about 10% of your body weight is an ideal weight for you to consider.
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Data Extraction And Analysis
Two reviewers independently reviewed the articles to be included. Any discrepancies were identified and resolved by additional deliberation. Details of herbs evaluated in multiple studies are summarized in Table 2, and include study design, sample population, intervention, control, treatment length, outcomes, and adverse events. Study details of herbs for which there is currently only 1 RCT available are described in Table 3.
Breath Outside The Box
When a panic attack sets in, you may notice your heart rate increase and your breath becomes harder to catch. Box breathing is a technique that can serve as a natural remedy for anxiety attacks. This four-step process helps to reduce stress and improve mood.
If you have chronic panic attacks, a therapist may suggest practicing a grounding technique called 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 that helps you get back in touch with the reality around you.
- Look for five things you can see around you.
- Observe four things you can touch around you.
- Listen for three things you can hear around you.
- Find two things you can smell around you.
- Think of one thing you can taste.
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Natural Remedies For Anxiety And Depression: Behaviors And Practices
Our second category of natural remedies for anxiety and depression is behaviors and practices. Above we covered some nutritional supports for good brain health. Research shows that diet and nutrition have a measurable effect on mental health, so dont discount them. What you put into your body matters. What you do for your mental health in terms of actions is just as important of course. With that in mind, here are a few practices and behaviors which can help alleviate or avoid depression or anxiety.
- Self-Care: Looking after your personal hygiene. Taking pride in the clothes you wear. Dental care. All these things fight off depression. Believe it.
- Exercise: Physical exercise produces endorphins which are the brains feel good chemicals. This has a real effect on sadness and worry. Thats a fact.
- Meditation: There are many different types, much research shows Transcendental Meditation improved focus and lowers anxiety. Look into it.
- People: Positive, healthy relationships make us feel better about ourselves. Talking to others can help us gain new perspective and objectivity.
- Kindness: Kindness is incredibly powerful. Being kind to others and to yourself pays massive dividends in improving mood and self-esteem.
- Spirituality: Regardless of your beliefs, or lack of them, seriously consider seeking a path toward spirituality. It is scientifically proven to help both depression and anxiety.
Chamomile Tea Can Solve Everything
According to a 2014 study, chamomile tea may be a powerful ally against the effects of generalised anxiety disorder. The study saw those who took German chamomile capsules of 220mg five times daily had a greater reduction in anxiety-related test scores than the placebo control group.
Furthermore, a 2005 study found that chamomile extract acted as a sleeping aid and helped sleep-disturbed rats to fall asleep easier.
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St Johns Wort: A Possible Herbal Solution
St. Johns wort is a popular herbal treatment for depression in Europe. American physicians are more divided about its usefulness.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine , St. Johns wort doesnt appear to be effective in treating major depression. But it may benefit people with mild-to-moderate forms.
St. Johns wort may have serious interactions with medications, herbs, and supplements. To be safe, always consult your doctor before taking it.
Things You Dont Say To Someone Who Is Depressed
Researchers also found that those who frequently snacked on nutrient-poor savory foods were more likely to experience everyday mental lapses, lower mental well-being, and higher anxiety, stress, and depression.
Very little is known about how diet may affect mental health and well-being, and while we did not directly examine causality here, our findings could suggest that frequently snacking on nutrient-poor savory foods may increase everyday mental lapses, which in turn reduces psychological health, said Nicola-Jayne Tuck, lead author and a doctoral student in the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University. It is possible that changing what we snack on could be a really simple and easy way to improve our mental well-being.
Tuck added, Overall, its definitely worth trying to get into the habit of reaching for the fruit bowl.
References
Field, D.T., Cracknell, R.O., Eastwood, J.R., et al. High-dose Vitamin B6 supplementation reduces anxiety and strengthens visual surround suppression. Hum. Psychopharmacol. Clin. Exp. . doi.org/10.1002/hup.2852
Schaub, AC., Schneider, E., Vazquez-Castellanos, J.F. et al. Clinical, gut microbial and neural effects of a probiotic add-on therapy in depressed patients: a randomized controlled trial. Transl. Psychiatry 12, 227 .
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Drink Green Tea Instead Of Coffee
Experiencing intense, short bouts of anxiety can raise your blood pressure and stress your heart. This wont hurt you once in a while, but over time it can damage your heart and blood vessels.
A compound called L-theanine, which is present in green tea, can help reduce anxiety and limit its effects on your heart and blood pressure. Instead of a morning cup of coffee, try a few cups of green tea to feel focused, energized and relaxed.
Chai Hu For Depressive Disorder
Chinese herbal medicines have already been employed for thousands of years in a number of Asian countries to cure various psychiatric disorders. Several single herbal medicines are commonly used in the therapy for depression, such as Hypericum perforatum, Crocus sativus and Lavandula angustifolia et al. Among these single herbs, Chaihu was one of the most frequently used for the treatment of depression in numerous Chinese herbal medicine formulas .
The Bupleurum genus of the Apiaceae family consists of about 185 to 195 kinds of plants and it is initially characterized in the book Shennongs Herbal for the treatment of psychosomatic disorders. Pharmacological studies in depression models have been performed on several species, such as Bupleurum chinense DC., Bupleurum yinchowense and Bupleurum falcatum L. . In the last several years, a number of studies have been performed on Bupleurum chinense DC, which grows predominantly in the northern and northeast part of China . Originally documented in the classic book Treatise on Cold Induced Febrile Disease as a chief component of an ancient formula Xiao Chai Hu Tang from about decades before Christ, Bei Chaihu is one of the most important components of Chaihu-Shugan-San, and reportedly has remarkable antidepressant-like pharmacological activities in animals .
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Natural Remedies For Depression: Find Hope Again
May 11, 2018
Did you know that 1 out of 7 individuals will suffer from depression symptoms at some point in his or her life? Today, depression is one of the main causes of disability in developed, as well as low and medium income countries. In fact, around 150 million people suffer from depression worldwide.
The World Health Organization predicts that depression will become the second most prevalent disease worldwide by the year 2020. But what are we doing to prevent and treat this life-altering mood disorder? The typical treatment antidepressant medications dont work for every person with depression and also come with a slew of side effects. However, sometimes people dont know where to turn to find a treatment that wont bring on more health problems.
The good news is there are natural remedies for depression that are effective and help address the root cause of the disease. If youre looking for a natural way to improve your depressive symptoms, studies suggest that you should focus on eating an anti-inflammatory diet one similar to the Mediterranean diet that provides critical vitamins and minerals for hormone balance and brain function. A moderate to high level of physical activity/exercise has also been shown to prevent against depression. Additionally, using essential oils for depression and making other lifestyle changes to control stress are some of your best options.