A few weeks ago I published an article that touched briefly on my personal struggle with anxiety and some natural things that I have done to help manage it. Since writing that article it has received a lot of attention which made me realize that this is something that many many people suffer from. I also realized that there are way more than 3 things that I do to help with anxiety so I’m going to expand on that article more today.
I look at health with a holistic approach. There is no magic bullet. I wish there was. I wish I could say that if you use this certain essential oil your anxiety will be gone forever…not too realistic! You have to look at a number of things and that’s why I keep recognizing more and more things I do that help me, so let me share 3 more tips today.
Sleep:
Sleep is a HUGE trigger for anxiety. When you don’t get enough sleep it messes with your energy levels, hormones and mood and increases your risk for anxiety. When you go for days without a good nights sleep your body gets exhausted and is less able to handle stress. Get to bed early and wake up early. The more sleep you get before midnight the better. Strive to get to bed 30 minutes earlier and keep bumping it up until you find the perfect balance. Neuroscientists have found that sleep deprivation fires up areas of the brain associated with emotional processing. The resulting pattern mimics the abnormal neural activity seen in anxiety disorders.
Sugar:
Because we are eating much less healthy these days we are suffering from nutritional deprivation. This brings on many problems including mood (anxiety) disorders. Adult rates of depression and anxiety have tripled since 1990. Eating an excess of sugar is and epidemic right now. We eat an average of 500 pounds of sugar each year, per person! Generally I really try to avoid sugar. If I start eating too much sugar I really notice some negative effects. I start to feel hot, sluggish, irritable and I get sick much easier, and because of these lovely side affects it’s just better for me just stay away from sugar all together. In Julia Ross’ book “The Mood Cure” and “The Diet Cure,” she talks about how sweet dessert foods and white-flour starches are two big problems when it comes to balancing mood, and that they are really more like drugs. Many of her clients have been freed from moodiness just by dropping these two items from their diet. Swap out sugary treats for fruit, over time it will become almost as satisfying and just as sweet:)
Exercise:
Exercise is a huge factor in balancing our mood. It boosts seratonin which is a natural chemical in our body that is in charge of maintaining mood balance. Growing up I always made exercise a priority. I realized how much it boosted my mood, increased my energy and reduced my stress. For the passed 5 years as I have been more anxious and tired and not feeling my best I have pushed exercise off the list because I felt like I just didn’t have the energy for it. I would try to do some high intensity workout then feel sore for days, extra tired and then get sick. I finally wised up and decided to start doing a 40 minute pilates video at home. I have felt so much more calm and patient since I’ve started exercising again. Now that I’ve found a good balance of a workout that isn’t too hard but still stretches and works my muscles and burns off stress I have renewed my love for exercise. Please if you don’t get any physical exercise, start today. There are so many different options for workouts. I personally like to experiment with videos and do them at home on my own time. My kids kind of like watching and trying to do them with me. It’s cheaper and more convenient than a gym membership. If you struggle with anxiety, burn off some stress and get moving. It doesn’t have to be high intensity, just get moving! It will also help you sleep better.
Anxiety is a real thing that affects about 15 million Americans ALONE! The positive thing is that we can do many things to help manage it. I hope you found some hope and will try some of these tips. If you haven’t read it yet, head over and read my first article on 3 Natural Tools I’ve Used To Overcome Anxiety for more tips to manage anxiety naturally.
Have a wonderful healthy day:)
~Hannah
