One of the many reasons developing your emotional intelligence is essential is to ensure you are able to identify your emotions correctly. Once identified, you can take an active approach to turn any challenging emotion down a notch or two. You can also be mindful of what triggers your feelings so that you are better able to avoid the negative response altogether.
Anxiety has been on the rise since the pandemic began, and it’s not a surprise with the added worry of getting sick, the societal ripple effects that occurred as COVID19 spread across the world, and the stress of adjusting to our new normal; all of which inspired me to focus on the emotion of anxiety in this post. Check out my tips below to help you personalize your approach and reduce the feeling of anxiety in your life.
Everyone Struggles With Anxiety
Anxiety is a common emotion most of us feel in times of change, transition, or uncertainty. This could be after losing your job, starting a new career, moving to a new city, a relationship comes to an end, or anxiety about an upcoming test, evaluation, or employment assessment. Its symptoms often include racing thoughts, insomnia, tummy troubles, worry, and fear. These types of anxiety will pass, even if it lasts days, weeks, or even several months.
If anxiety is chronic, lasts more than six months, and interferes with your quality of life, your emotions may have developed into an anxiety mood disorder. Anxiety disorders are more common than many of us realize, affecting over 18 percent of the population pre-pandemic. The post-pandemic percentage has too many variables to calculate accurately, but the number keeps climbing.
It is also important to note that women are twice as likely to develop an anxiety disorder than men.
Anxiety Is Highly Treatable
Whether passing or chronic, anxiety is highly treatable. Unfortunately, fewer than 40 percent of those struggling with anxious thoughts, worry, and fear seek help. Help can come in many forms, including traditional therapy, alternative therapy, and self-guided solutions such as turning to nature and meditation.
Like most things in life, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so you must identify what works for you. It will likely be a variety of methods, and your methods may vary by the cause of your anxiety or your season of life.
For example, how you minimize anxiety before your annual performance review may vary from how you manage the anxiety of speaking in public.
If left untreated, chronic anxiety leaves your body in a perpetual state of stress and fight or flight mode, which can lead to decreased immunity, increased physical pain, and increased risk of depression and self-isolation.
Natural Methods Of Reducing Anxiety
Once you have accurately identified your emotion as anxiety, it’s time to take an active approach. Here are a variety of natural methods of reducing your anxiety.
Hormonal Imbalance
Both low and high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can leave you feeling anxious, as well as an imbalance in your estrogen or testosterone levels. Women’s risk for anxiety can shift during puberty, the week or so prior to menstruation, and during both perimenopause and menopause.
So, head to your physician for a complete physical and request to have your hormones tested. Then, you can discuss natural methods of balancing your hormones. For example, if your serotonin is low, many natural remedies below will boost this feel-good hormone. However, short-term hormone therapy may be advised by your physician as well.
Get Your Heart Pumping
It is easy to forget, but physical fitness is not just for strength, weight loss, weight maintenance, but also whole-body health. The reason why you feel energized and uplifted after a heart-pumping physical activity is that it raises your body’s “happy hormone” serotonin. And no, you don’t necessarily have to break a sweat to enjoy this anxiety-minimizing benefit, as even a brisk 10-minute walk can be effective.
To further reduce anxiety, choose a rhythmic or repetitive movement that can help you get into a meditative state that will refocus your attention. Activities could include swimming, dancing, jogging, cycling, or any fitness machine that requires you to perform somewhat rhythmic movements—rowing, elliptical, treadmill. Or give yoga or meditation a try.
Aromatherapy
Studies show that aromatherapy can noticeably reduce anxiety. If you are new to aromatherapy, ensure you are purchasing pure essential oil without any synthetic additives. Non-toxic ways to enjoy essential oils may include:
- An atomizer.
- Electric plug-in.
- Soy or beeswax candle.
- Topical roller.
- Essential oil in a glass bottle.
- Also, consider lavender or rose-infused Epsom salt for a bath, or put a few drops of essential oil in the shower to create a steamy sensory experience.
The best essential oils for both anxiety and relaxation are:
- Lavender
- Bergamot
- Sweet orange
- Sweet marjoram
- Peppermint
- Frankincense
- Myrrh
- Rose
- Custom anxiety & relaxation blends
Spending Time In Nature
Just like taking an Epsom salt bath combines aromatherapy with a soothing bath, look for ways to incorporate the anxiety-reducing items on this list. For example, take your brisk walk or bike ride in nature. Or go hiking, swimming, or play water sports. Leisurely time in nature can also calm your symptoms.
It’s not just the fresh air that can minimize stress, depression, and anxiety—but natural elements catalyze the parasympathetic nervous system. Setting this system in motion slows your heart rate, conserves energy so that you feel less emotionally drained, boosts immunity, and lowers high cortisol levels.
Not to worry if you live in an urban area as you can head to a park and lay under a tree to enjoy these benefits, but the more immersive, the better.
Nutrition
Anxiety causes stress, which may tempt you to self-soothe with alcohol, sweet treats, caffeine, comfort food, or nicotine. While you’ll feel better for an instant, this approach is not sustainable healthfully and may leave you feeling worse over time. Instead, stock your kitchen with nutrient-rich foods, particularly those proven to ease anxiety, such as:
- Magnesium-rich: legumes, nuts, seeds, leafy greens, and whole grains.
- Zinc: cashews, egg yolks, oysters, legumes, sweet potato, and beef.
- Omega-3 fatty acids: avocado, walnuts, flax seeds, and salmon.
- B vitamins: avocados, almonds, or a B-complex supplement.
- Probiotic supplements or probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt sauerkraut, and Kiefer.
- Herbs, spices, and teas with ginger, turmeric, lavender, chamomile, rose, lemon balm, or anxiety tea blends.
Use the tips above to take both a proactive and reactive approach to your anxiety. As always, I am here to help if you are searching to personalize your nutrition to balance your mind, body, and spirit!
With Wild Mint Love,
Kimberley Hall
