I’ve become very adept at recognizing when my anxiety has reached beyond a healthy level, a critical awareness to manage stress, even with high-functioning anxiety. I can feel the blood rushing, and my heart feels like it is beating out of my chest. Thoughts seem to swim through my head, and my breathing becomes shallow—I feel as though I am on fire. It can happen very suddenly, and there I am, awash in emotion.
Recognizing the symptoms of anxiety is the first step in managing it. To calm anxious feelings, here are some helpful natural remedies.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
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What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety comes from the fight-or-flight response, which is a survival mechanism. When faced with life-threatening situations, we get a surge of hormones that prepares us to fight or flee. As a result, our hearts pound, muscles tense, internal alarms go off, and we are on high alert. Unfortunately, in today’s world, this response may be triggered by more annoying things than harmful ones. Therefore, unknowingly, we can be triggering this response numerous times throughout the day, which can put your system into a state of low-grade chronic stress.
A healthy dose of stress teaches us how to cope; some apprehension keeps us safe. For example, looking both ways before crossing the street to ensure we are safe from ongoing cars is a good habit, but continuous or high-level anxiety can be debilitating.
Related Reading: Know the Difference Between Healthy vs. Chronic Stress
Symptoms of Anxiety
So I've named a few of my own symptoms but let's give you some more so you can learn to spot it early on. This way you can try one of the remedies before it gets out of control.
- rapid heartbeat
- sweats or chills
- nausea
- faster breathing
- shortness of breath
- light-headedness
- inability to focus
- churning in stomach
- tightness in chest
- can interfere with sleep
- muscle weakness
Fortunately, there are natural remedies for anxiety, some within ourselves.
The Human Body's Natural Relaxation System
The human body has a natural relaxation response designed to counter the fight or flight response. This response triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of the nervous system that helps the body rest and relax. It can put you into a physical state of deep relaxation, which changes your physical and emotional responses to stress. In turn, it decreases your heart rate, blood pressure, rate of breathing, and muscle tension. In other words, your body and mind feel the physical effects of stress relief.
There’s no one way to trigger the relaxation response; it is different for each person. Some people engage in a combination of destressing activities such as yoga and meditation. The best way to get the most out of whatever stress relief activities you choose is to make them a regular practice. In general, 20-30 minutes a day is considered reasonable and can be broken into two smaller sessions.
Sometimes understanding yourself and investing in your emotional health is helpful and can impact you, creating a happier and calmer life.
Check out this course to help with your anxiety!
Healthy Ways to Deal with Anxiety and Stress
1 - Shift stress with deep breathing.
There are many ways to combat anxiety and invoke the natural relaxation response, and most of them include deep breathing or Diaphragmatic Breathing. Unfortunately, many people have become accustomed to shallow chest breathing, which increases tension and anxiety. Deep breathing fills your diaphragm and encourages the full oxygen exchange, incoming oxygen, outgoing carbon dioxide.
Harvard Business Review writes, “Research shows that different emotions are associated with different forms of breathing, and so changing how we breathe can change how we feel.” When we inhale, our heart rate speeds up, but when we exhale, it slows down. Therefore, if you are agitated, it’s helpful to lengthen your exhale. Try breathing in for a count of four, then breathing out for a count of eight. Pay attention to how you feel.
Another easy breathing exercise is called Box Breathing. Imagine drawing a box, inhale to the count of four, hold your breath there for a count of four, exhale to a count of four, then hold your breath there for a count of four. Let your belly expand and contract as you breathe. Repeat this sequence several times until you feel yourself relax.
2 - Try the Apollo Wearable
One of the best uses of technology is in the health field—tech is revolutionizing how we exercise while also increasing our knowledge about our bodies. When you are stuck in a pattern of anxiety, the right technology can be a great support and retrain your body. Coupled with mindfulness, they're a dynamic combo!
Apollo is a wonderful, new wearable that helps our bodies deal with stress and assists us to relax and recover, improving our body's resilience. It can be worn on the wrist, ankle or clipped onto clothing for a comfortable wear. Its scientifically validated technology trains your nervous system to bounce back from stress more efficiently. Go from "fight and flight" to "rest and digest" and experience calmer feelings, clear your mind to focus better or stay energized by choosing and adjusting the vibes to your needs. These wearables make unique gifts and have been a big hit!
3 - Practice guided imagery.
Guided Imagery (GI) or visualization is another technique to change how you feel quickly. GI is one of my favorite tools because it’s simple, doesn’t take long, and can be done almost anytime, anywhere. In essence, GI means mentally visualizing peaceful scenes to promote a state of relaxation. These images distract you from your anxious state and allow the mind and body to focus on positing thoughts and sensations. It is focused relaxation that quickly creates harmony between the mind and body. The place can be anywhere, a favorite memory, somewhere you wish to visit, or simply a quiet scene that fills you with comfort. It’s best to add as much detail as you can relating to each of the senses. What do you see? How does it smell? Do you feel a gentle breeze on your face?
As a child, I loved spending the night at my grandparent’s house. My grandfather was the cook of the family and was always in the kitchen making something delicious. The smell of bacon in the morning will always remind me of him. My grandmother and I would curl up on the couch and watch TV while she rubbed my back. And when it was time for bed, she laid next to me until I was just about asleep, then, leaving the hall light on, would slip to her room at the other end. Those memories calm me every time.
Related Reading: "Struggling with Anxiety? Learn How to Calm Yourself."
For me, regular yoga practice makes a huge difference in managing my anxiety. But then, if I find myself feeling anxious throughout the day, deep breathing, guided imagery, and essential oils are easy methods that I apply to return to balance.
If you'd like to learn more about emotional intelligence or want personalized coaching, contact us at support@heartmanity.com.
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