We understand that you’re anxious, freaked out, and feeling depressed. Your heart is racing, breathing rapid and shallow, the mind is imagining negative thoughts. You wish all could just go away. You wish you can just sleep and relax. All these mean one thing – anxiety. This article will show you the best natural remedies for anxiety and depression relief.
Whatever you’re going through, whether you’re simply just freaking out or it’s full-blown anxiety and depression, then you might want to try these natural remedies for anxiety and depression relief.
Anxiety can be a disturbing condition. It can result in a decline in your overall body health.
Anxiety and depression can be difficult to get rid of even when you treat it with conventional medication.
These natural remedies will address the major cause of your problem.
Causes of Anxiety
Anxiety can affect anybody. It has been discovered that 40-60 percent of those with anxiety are more likely to experience signs of depression. This makes the problem even more difficult to properly take care of.
Scientists have concluded that it is impossible for those who experience anxiety to successfully achieve some short or long term remission (1).
No one, (including health experts and researchers) is entirely sure of the true causes of anxiety.
However, researchers believe it’s most likely a combination of some factors that are responsible. These factors include environmental and genetic factors (2).
However, researchers have not relented. Research is being conducted to study the areas of the human brain that are all responsible for anxiety (3).
Types of Anxiety Disorders
An anxiety disorder is a form of mental illness. It occurs when your anxiety is out of control to the point that it begins to affect your life.
There are 5 major types of anxiety disorders and they are;
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is one anxiety disorder that is known to be characterized by obsession and compulsions.
These compulsions include behaviors such as counting, cleaning, or hand washing.
However, they only help in providing temporary relief. They increase anxiety when they are not performed.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
This type of anxiety disorder is characterized by chronic anxiety, tension and also exaggerated worry.
This happens even when there is nothing provoking you.
Social Phobia
Social phobia is also known as social anxiety disorder. It is characterized by overwhelming anxiety in your daily social situations.
It can be the fear of drinking or eating right in front of others.
Alternatively, it can also be the fear of talking in informal and formal situations. In its most extreme form, a person can experience symptoms anytime they are surrounded by other people.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is one anxiety disorder that is very common. It develops after exposure to an ordeal.
It can also develop after a terrifying event that a person witnessed or threatened with grave harm physically.
Panic Disorder
This is another type of anxiety disorder. It is usually characterized by repeated and unexpectedly episodes of extreme fear.
It is followed by some physical symptoms that can include shortness of breath, abdominal distress, and chest pain.
Victims can also experience dizziness and heart palpitations.
What is Anxiety Attack?
An anxiety attack is a feeling that is characterized by worry, fear, overwhelming apprehension, or even distress.
Anxiety attack occurs gradually. However, it may become worse for the victim as one stressful event nears.
Anxiety attacks can be different from person to person.
The symptoms can also be different from one individual to another.
This is simply because not everyone can experience numerous symptoms of anxiety. These symptoms can also change over a period.
The symptoms of an anxiety attack can include the following.
- Fear
- Sweating
- Feeling dizzy or faint
- Dry mouth
- Tingling or numbness
- Shortness of breath
- Distress
- Hot flashes or chills
- Restlessness
- Worry and apprehension.
12 Natural Remedies for Anxiety And Depression Relief
The good news is there are so many natural remedies to get rid of anxiety relief that very safe.
These nondrug natural remedies for anxiety will help to calm your body, mind, and soul.
We have explained below the 11 best natural remedies for panic attacks and anxiety cure.
1. Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine Intake
Most of us cannot start the day without a cup of coffee. This helps us to kick-start our day and gets us going throughout the day.
However, too much caffeine can affect the body’s ability to effectively manage anxiety.
Too much of caffeine triggers the production of cortisol. The cortisol is a stress hormone that puts your body in a “fight for survival” mode.
Alcohol, on the other hand, can change the chemistry of your brain over time. This reduces the ability of the brain to manage stress.
2. Get Adequate Sleep
A lack of sleep can also contribute to anxiety and depression. It can result in insomnia.
Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms of anxiety. It is important you always prioritize your sleep.
Make sure you sleep at night whenever you feel tired.
Avoid watching television or also reading in bed.
In other words, it is important you have a defined sleep schedule. Get at least 8 hours every night and avoid any form of distraction.
Getting adequate sleep is one of the best natural remedies for anxiety.
3. Quit Smoking
This one of the most effective natural remedies for anxiety.
Apart from the fact that it is harmful to your health, it can also cause anxiety and depression.
Though we sometimes reach for a stick of cigarette whenever we feel stressed, you must know that it is just a short-term fix.
Over time, this habit may worsen your anxiety.
Researchers have everything gone a step further. They discovered that the earlier you begin smoking in life, then the higher the chances of being affected by an anxiety disorder later in life (4).
4. Exercise Regularly
Staying active is actually one of the best natural remedies for anxiety relief.
Regular exercise is great not just for your physical health, but also your emotional health.
It works to ease anxiety for most people. You might notice that you experience relief from anxiety for hours after you work out.
5. Take Chamomile Tea
If you’re looking for one of the best herbal remedies for anxiety and depression, then the chamomile tea is your answer.
Regular users of chamomile tea mostly call it the anxiety tea.
Chamomile tea not only helps you have a peaceful sleep, but it is also one of the most effective natural remedies for anxiety.
The good thing also is that it is completely safe and effective.
Chamomile tea works by binding together with the brain receptors just like how Valium works.
The effectiveness of chamomile tea has also been confirmed by numerous researchers (5).
6. Reduce Your Intake of Sugar
Most of us probably know by now that sugar is bad for our health.
What you probably do not know is that consuming even moderate amount of sugar can worsen many health problems, of which depression and anxiety are among.
Researchers have discovered that there may be a link between sugar, production of neurotrophin, and also our anxiety levels.
Neurotrophin is a protein that is present in our brain. BDNF is the name of this protein.
People that are disturbed by anxiety have a chronic low level of BDNF.
This makes researchers believe that the presence helps the brain to manage stressful conditions.
Sugar suppresses the brain’s ability to manufacture BDNF.
This translates to mean that a diet which is high in sugar can affect the body’s ability to cope with stress.
7. Always Consume a Healthy Diet
It is important that you abstain from processed foods if you are one that frequently experiences anxiety.
This is because processed food contains some chemicals such as preservatives, artificial colorings, and also artificial flavorings that can cause your mood to change.
If you notice that your anxiety gets worse after eating, then it is important you check and change your eating habit.
You must remain hydrated and consume a healthy diet. A healthy diet contains complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and vegetables and fruits.
You should also try as much as possible to stop consuming processed foods. Do all these and you would have discovered one of the best natural remedies for anxiety.
For more heart-healthy diet check out –3-Day Cardiac Diet: Lose 10 Pounds in 3 Days with Heart Healthy Foods
8. Embrace the art of meditation
Do you realize the effect meditation can have on your body?
The main aim of meditation is to eliminate those chaotic thoughts off from the mind and replace these thoughts with a sense of mindfulness and calm of the moment.
Health experts and researchers have discovered that meditation can actually be useful as a natural cure for anxiety depression (6).
9. Ashwagandha
The ashwagandha tea just had to make our herb list as it is one of the best herbal remedies for anxiety and depression.
It does this by working as one stress-relieving adaptogen.
Scientists have discovered that Ashwagandha helps to reduce the stress hormone known as cortisol by up to 25% (7).
It has also been noticed that this herb helps to fight off all kinds of anxiety, most especially agoraphobia which is simply the fear places that are open (8).
10. Lavender Essential Oil for Anxiety
The lavender essential oil is one of the most popular aromatherapy oils that can help you reduce anxiety and panic attack.
It has calming anxiety property by impacting the limbic system, the part of the brain that controls emotions.
Directions
- Add several drops of lavender oil with a teaspoon of carrier oil like jojoba oil.
- Then add and stir the mixture into warm bathwater before sitting in it for a few minutes before you go to bed at night.
10. Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin B12 and also B6 has a lot of benefits and these include the promotion of mental clarity, support for the body’s nervous system, and also the balance of the body’s blood sugar level.
Once a body is deficient in vitamin B12 and B6, it can lead to anxiety or even depression.
You can take vitamin B supplements if you notice that you are deficient in the vitamin.
12. Magnesium Supplement for Anxiety Relief
There is no doubt that this is one of the best natural anxiety supplements out there.
A human body that is deficient in magnesium can lead to tragic anxiety.
This is because magnesium is an integral part of the chemical reactions which are important for improved mental health.
It is one of the best natural remedies for anxiety and depression relief.
Conclusion
Anxiety is quite normal in our everyday lives. However, when the anxiety gets totally out of control, then it needs urgent care.
We have explained above the best natural remedies for anxiety relief.
You can perform this anxiety treatment at home.
They are definitely the best natural remedies for panic attacks.
Pete
A very good general information you got there. Dark chocolates are a natural and delicious way to relieve anxiety attack.