4 Natural Ways To Begin Reducing Anxiety
Many people look for solutions to their anxiety that don’t involve medication. In some cases, medication hasn’t worked for them and they’re looking for another way to address their problems. In others, it isn’t an option for reasons of health, finance, or personal belief. While anxiety is closely linked to the chemistry and balance of our bodies and brains, it’s also something that we can take positive steps to address naturally.
Here are 4 Natural Ways you can reduce your anxiety.
Love Your Body
Anxiety is a kind of stress that is rooted in concerns about our future, and pain in our past. All too often, that anxiety makes it difficult for us to take care of ourselves in the present. One of the best ways you can start getting your anxiety under control is by taking care of your physical needs. Like anything else, caring for yourself takes practice, and may not come easy.
Some of the first steps you can take on this front include:
Get a Full Night’s Sleep
Set the stage for a restful night by banishing screens from your bedroom. Set limits, and place your phone out of reach if it’s something of a compulsion. Doom scrolling through political arguments on Facebook or listening to people yell at each other on cable news is not a recipe for a stress-free night.
Commit to Regular Exercise
Even a small amount of regular exercise can have a tremendous effect on reducing anxiety. Carve out 5-10 minutes each day to go for a quick walk in the sun.
Limit Alcohol & Caffeine
Both these substances are drugs that can impact your mood, linked to anxiety and depression.
Relaxation Techniques
Mindfulness is the art of acceptance without judgment. While your first instinct might be to assume this means hours of meditation and serenity, in reality, it means grounding yourself in the present to keep your mind from wandering into worry, regret, or fear.
Some examples of mindfulness practices include:
Breathing practices
Body scan/check
Mindful observation
The key is to let sensations linger and examine them objectively. Tastes, textures, scents in the air, or the brush of the wind against your skin. Mindfulness is being present in your current reality so that you can let go of your anxieties.
Re-Draw Your Social Circle
At times, we may find ourselves surrounded by negativity. Sometimes that can even come from people we love. When that happens, we don’t need to cut anyone out of our lives—but we should consider other ways to balance their influence. Expanding your social circle to emphasize safety, connection, and lack of judgment can help you to feel safe.
Some ways to re-establish those circles include:
Indulge in childhood hobbies
Pick up a new sport or activity (bike riding, hiking, pottery)
Look for a book club, online or in person
Seek out spiritual community & fellowship
Consider what parts of yourself you may have neglected over the years. Reconnecting with them may help you re-establish a sense of agency and confidence in yourself.
Therapeutic Methods
There are a number of different types of therapy that can help you limit or reduce your anxiety, including but not limited to:
Psychodynamic Therapy
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing
Trauma-Focused Therapy
Oftentimes our anxieties are rooted in childhood trauma or major life changes. Therapy is one of the best, non-invasive ways to identify and heal old wounds that you may not even realize you’re carrying with you.
Schedule a Consultation
If you’re interested in learning more ways you can get grounded in the present, please don’t hesitate to contact me to schedule a consultation today for anxiety therapy. As a therapist, I work closely with my clients to help them learn the skills and techniques that work best for them to manage their anxiety.
