Aromatherapy And Essential Oils
Heres a fun one. If you find yourself struggling to relax at home and take your mind off things, consider looking into aromatherapy or an essential oils diffuser. We know this may seem like a hoax, but the ever-increasing popularity of this concept in addition to some recent scientific research seems to suggest that there is something to it.
According to one 2012 study, which tested the effects of lavender aromatherapy on middle aged women with insomnia, suggested that the soothing scent of lavender oil reduced short-term heart rate and eased long-term sleep issues.
Here Are 10 Things You Can Do To Manage Stress
Meditation – Meditation involves deliberately focusing your attention inwards either with or without specific guidance or the use of a mantra. It can give you a sense of calm and can help you gain a new perspective on a stressful situation.
Breathwork – Focusing on your breath and utilizing deep breathing techniques can help ease the elevated physiological changes you experience when stressed. When your body is calm, then you are more focused and able to think clearly. Different techniques can be used in different situations, but even the simplest 5-breath focus effort can yield incredible results.
Mindfulness– This ties into the two techniques above, but I particularly like the 5…4…3…2…1 mindfulness technique which grounds you in the here and now by activating all of your senses. Heres how: focus on 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste. Try it! This is just one version of mindfulness, which is thought of as paying attention to something, for a given period of time while removing as much judgment or expectation from the equation.
Gratitude journal – Taking a few minutes a day to think about the things in your life you are grateful for can change your perspective on life for the better. I personally use the 5-Minute Journal every morning to help me prepare for the day, especially because it helps bias my thinking towards gratitude .
Anxiety And Sleep Research
There is, however, plenty of research on how anxiety can affect sleep and vice versa.
According to the ADAA, research shows that sleep disorders occur in almost all psychiatric disorders.
In a small 2015 study , researchers examined the relationship between cognitive behavioral therapy and sleep quality in people with anxiety. Researchers found that both sleep quality and sleep latency improved in participants who responded to CBT.
The researchers believe that targeting sleep problems during anxiety treatment might be beneficial for those who have trouble sleeping.
Its important to remember that it can take time to find the right treatment approach for your anxiety. Because of this, you and your doctor may choose to use a variety of different treatment options.
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Managing Anxiety Vs Curing It
There is a considerable difference between managing anxiety and curing anxiety. Managing anxiety does not mean it no longer exists. It means that you have learned skills or utilized medications to bring your symptoms under better control.
Most individuals can learn to manage their anxiety. Curing anxiety insinuates that you will likely never suffer from anxiety again. Anxiety is just like most chronic illnesses there is rarely a cure, but almost always a way to manage it.
When To See A Doctor
Constant anxiety that makes it difficult to sleep at night can affect your daily quality of life. Your work or school performance may worsen, and you may find it hard to complete your normal daily tasks.
If anxiety and lack of sleep are affecting your life in this way, its important to reach out to a doctor or mental health specialist for help.
For some people, nighttime anxiety can lead to insomnia. Insomnia is defined as persistent trouble falling or staying asleep. Chronic insomnia can have negative health effects, including an increased risk of:
- health conditions, such as high blood pressure and a weakened immune system
- mental health conditions, such as depression
- accidents
Whether your doctor makes a diagnosis of anxiety, insomnia, or both, reaching out is the first step in the treatment process.
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How Science Can Help
The way you cope or handle things in life has a direct impact on how much anxiety you experience tweak the way youre coping, therefore, and you can lower your anxiety levels. Here are some of the top coping skills that have emerged from our study at the University of Cambridge, which will be presented at the 30th European Congress of Neuropsychopharmacology in Paris, and other scientific research.
Do you feel like your life is out of control? Do you find it hard to make decisions or get things started? Well, one way to overcome indecision or get going on that new project is to do it badly.
This may sound strange, but the writer and poet GK Chesterton said that: Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. And he had a point. The reason this works so well is that it speeds up your decision-making process and catapults you straight into action. Otherwise, you could spend hours deciding how you should do something or what you should do, which can be very time-consuming and stressful.
People often want to do something perfectly or to wait for the perfect time before starting. But this can lead to procrastination, long delays or even prevent us from doing it at all. And that causes stress and anxiety.
Using do it badly as a motto gives you the courage to try new things, adds a little fun to everything, and stops you worrying too much about the outcome. Its about doing it badly today and improving as you go. Ultimately, its about liberation.
Give Yourself An Exit Strategy
Sometimes, anxiety is due to feeling out of control. You cant always be in the driver seat of your life, but you can take steps to identify your triggers and cope with circumstances that cause anxiety.
Does the thought of going into a social situation or meeting new people make you want to jump off a bridge? As everyone at a party engages in exciting conversations, maybe you see yourself holding up the wall and counting down the seconds until youre put out of your misery. You drove with friends and cant leave, so you spend the entire night looking like the punchbowl attendant. Its this fear that makes you decline invitations and sleep through the weekends.
But what if you had an exit strategy in place before leaving the house? For example, instead of carpooling with your party animal friends, you could drive yourself. This way, you can leave if your anxiety starts to build and you cant handle another minute of awkward interactions. The more in control you feel, the less anxiety youll have.
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Identify What You Can Control
Some stressors are things you cant control, but many stressors do offer you a degree of control. If that upcoming exam is bothering you, then you have the control of determining what and when to study. If the sink full of dishes is causing you excess stress, you can decide to work on it for 15 minutes to make headway or ask someone to help you with it.
How Can I Treat Anxiety Naturally
Most experts agree that, before resorting to allopathic medication as the primary treatment for anxiety, its essential to focus on cultivating a healthier lifestyle. That means getting rid of any substance that can exacerbate the symptoms of anxiety.
Regular physical activity and a good nights sleep are also crucial if we wish to get a handle on our feelings of anxiousness.
Here are three science-backed natural treatments for anxiety:
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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious potentially debilitating condition that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a natural disaster, serious accident, terrorist incident, sudden death of a loved one, war, violent personal assault, or other life-threatening event. Symptoms can include anxiety, depression, flashbacks and nightmares.
These conditions often require help and treatment from medical professionals, and can be the cause of frequent episodes of poor sleep.
Stop Paying Attention To Nothing
We get stress because we attach to some things more importance than they deserve. We bother and worry about trifles, and then in the evenings we drink beer to relieve the tension. Try to take it easy.
Were you reprimanded by your chief? So what?
This is simply a measure that seeks to improve the corporation staff productivity and increase its profit.
Directors try to influence their subordinates, causing them feel embarrassment, appealing to their concept of responsibility in order to manipulate them for their own purposes.
Why should this concern you? Why should you worry about some scolding?
At work, you just make money thats it. Forget about your chief behavior and about your colleagues glances, if this is not applied to your goal of earning money.
Was someone rude to you in a traffic jam? So what? Why should someones upset nerves or excessive self-love spoil your mood? Let the man remain with his own negativity without transferring it to you.
Realize the things that are really important in your life. Maybe, it is your happiness and health and your relatives happiness and health? Then all the rest: work, your status, the way strangers treat you all these are nonsense. Do not pay any attention to them!
Every time, when a problem related to these trifles occurs, ask yourself: So what? What next?
Did someone draw ahead of you and cut off you on the road? So what?
Do people at work gossip about you behind your back? So what?
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Tips On How To Manage Anxiety
The best way to combat anxiety is to commit to a comprehensive treatment program. Overcoming anxiety needs to be a lifestyle, meaning that it is something you work towards on a consistent basis. Think about the last time you wanted to get fit for the summer. You knew you had to exercise, but you couldnt just do it sporadically it required consistent healthy eating and exercise to achieve your fitness goals. This is the same with managing anxiety.
That being said, there are various tactics that can help you better manage anxiety and can be integrated into your life at home, without medical intervention.
Cognitive behavioral therapy and other forms of talk therapy can be useful, but the following represent how to overcome anxiety without medicine.
Reduce Anxiety With Exercise
This is not news, perhaps, but exercise is an excellent stress-reliever! According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, studies have found that regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self esteem. Remember the stress hormone adrenaline released from your fight-or-flight response? Exercise naturally reduces this hormone, allowing your body back into a state of equilibrium and relaxation. In addition, physical activity helps release those feel-good neurotransmitters called endorphins, making you feel happier and less anxious. Aerobic activities also have the added benefit of allowing you to think of something other than what you might be worried about, serving as a form of active meditation.
You dont need to run a marathon to get the benefits of exercise, either. Go on a hike, go to a yoga session, or play a game of tennis with a friend whatever you enjoy! Any form of exercise will help with stress management, and youll get all of the other added health benefits along with it.
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Identify The Source Of The Stress
Take a moment to think about what is getting to you. If you could wave a magic wand and make your sources of stress go away, what would those be? Being able to pinpoint your source of stress gives you perspective and a certain amount of power over it, whether its caused by things like a work deadline, a pile of undone laundry, an upcoming exam or an argument with a loved one.
Simple Ways To Relieve Stress And Anxiety
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Stress and anxiety are common experiences for most people. In fact, 70% of adults in the United States say they feel stress or anxiety daily.
Here are 16 simple ways to relieve stress and anxiety.
Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to combat stress.
It might seem contradictory, but putting physical stress on your body through exercise can relieve mental stress.
The benefits are strongest when you exercise regularly. People who exercise regularly are less likely to experience anxiety than those who dont exercise .
There are a few reasons behind this:
- Stress hormones: Exercise lowers your bodys stress hormones such as cortisol in the long run. It also helps release endorphins, which are chemicals that improve your mood and act as natural painkillers.
- Sleep: Exercise can also improve your sleep quality, which can be negatively affected by stress and anxiety.
- Confidence: When you exercise regularly, you may feel more competent and confident in your body, which in turn promotes mental wellbeing.
- Try to find an exercise routine or activity you enjoy, such as walking, dancing, rock climbing or yoga.
Activities such as walking or jogging that involve repetitive movements of large muscle groups can be particularly stress relieving.
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Easy Ways On How To Relieve Anxiety Naturally Without Medication
Anxiety can be relieved to a great extent even without medication. Here are some ways in which you can do it.
Anxiety can be relieved to a great extent even without medication. Here are some ways in which you can do it.
It had been so long since Emily walked through the doors of her classroom. She had experienced several panic attacks since childhood. And they only got worse as the years progressed. She had tried everything. Her prescription drugs were helping, but she was so afraid that she would choke on the pills, that she stopped taking those too. Then one day, her parents took her to visit a home, meant especially for people with anxiety disorders. She saw young and old people there. Some sitting listless and staring away into nothingness. And some were hyperactive, jumping at every small sound or movement they saw or felt. It was at that moment that Emily decided what she had to do. She had to take matters into her own hands. She had to learn to relieve her anxiety without medication, because she really could not bear to pop another pill. Lets help her with some tips on managing anxiety without drugs.
*Disclaimer: Though these methods can be used by people experiencing anxiety symptoms, it in no way means that they must abandon any medical treatment that they are undergoing for the same. They can definitely be used as complementary ways to relieve stress and anxiety, but not as the only one.
Limit The Amount Of Alcohol You Drink
Alcohol can be both good and bad for your health. By drinking alcohol only in moderation generally one drink a day for women, or two a day for men you can potentially lower your blood pressure by about 4 mm Hg. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
But that protective effect is lost if you drink too much alcohol.
Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can actually raise blood pressure by several points. It can also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
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Alternatives To Prescription Medications For Anxiety:
- St. Johns wort : This herbal remedy affects GABA transmitters in the brain, which are thought to promote a feeling of calm. While it is commonly used to ease depression, some studies show the herbs efficacy in reducing symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder.3 However, St. Johns wort is not recommended for those taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors like Lexapro, Prozac, or Zoloft.4
- Magnesium : Taking a magnesium supplement can also reduce anxiety and depression, according to studies, with some users reporting positive effects on sleep and memory.5,6 Some adverse effects of taking magnesium include flushing and hypotension, and the supplement should not be taken by those with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease, or kidney disease.7
- 5-HTP : 5-Hydroxytryptophan is an amino acid that helps the body produce the neurotransmitter serotonin. Low serotonin levels are linked to anxiety and depression. In a study of fibromyalgia patients, 5-HTP had a significant effect on improving anxiety and fatigue.8 Adverse reactions include nausea, heartburn, gas, and feelings of fullness.9 Like St. Johns wort, 5-HTP should not be taken by those taking SSRIs because too much serotonin may lead to a dangerous condition known as serotonin syndrome.
Stress Drugs For Stress And Anxiety
While there are currently no drugs specifically for stress, there are enough for anxiety that should have roughly the same overall effect. But because of the adverse reactions and the physiological and psychological dependency risks, even these should be used extremely sparingly.
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Quick Ways To Reduce Stress
Taking care of your long-term mental and physical health is an important part of stress management. However, there isnt always time to take a nap, hike a fourteener, or read a novel. Thus, here are 25 ways to reduce stress in five minutes or less. From eating chocolate to meditating, there is a quick stress-relieving tactic for everyone.
1. BreatheSlow, deep breaths can help lower blood pressure and heart rate. Try pranayama breathing, a yogic method that involves breathing through one nostril at a time to relieve anxiety. The technique is supposed to work the same way as acupuncture, balancing the mind and body.
2. Listen to Music No matter what the song, sometimes belting out the lyrics to a favorite tune makes everything seem all right. If youre in a public place, just listening to music can be a quick fix for a bad mood. Classical music can be especially relaxing right before bedtime.
3. Take a Quick Walk When youre feeling overwhelmed or having trouble concentrating, go for a quick stroll around the block. Youll get the benefits of alone time, physical activity, and a few minutes to gather your thoughts.
4. Find the Sun If its a sunny day, head outside for an easy way to lift your spirits. Bright light can be an effective treatment for people who suffer from depression, and can even cheer up otherwise healthy people.
8. Rub Your Feet Over a Golf Ball You can get an impromptu, relaxing foot massage by rubbing your feet back and forth over a golf ball.
12. Be Alone
