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How to Treat Your Anxiety Naturally and Boost Your Happiness Levels

  • July 29, 2020
  • 6 min read
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How to Treat Your Anxiety Naturally and Boost Your Happiness Levels

If you are constantly battling feelings of anxiety, then you know how difficult it can be to experience consistent happiness. Instead, you feel overwhelmed with negative emotions and tend to have a rather adverse outlook on the world. Now, if your condition is rather extreme, a medical professional may prescribe medication to help overcome this issues. However, if you suffer from a milder bout of anxiety then there are lots of natural remedies for anxiety that you can try to improve your general mood and thought process. Here are the most effective options: 

Consume a Balanced, Healthy Diet 

As you are well aware, your body and mind need proper nutrition to be able to function properly. So, by consuming the right foods in the proper amounts, you are equipping your body with the necessary tools. On the other hand, if you eat the wrong type of foods, then you can make your anxiety even worse. 

This is why it is important for you to eat a balanced diet every day. Make sure that you are getting enough of proteins, unprocessed carbs, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals. It is also important to eat regular meals so that you are able to have better control over your moods. Last but not least, you may want to avoid certain foods. This includes overly processed items and anything that contains too much sugar, unhealthy fats, preservatives, and additives. You should also stay hydrated which means drinking adequate amounts of water every day. 

Drink Your Worries Away 

While you should certainly limit the amount of alcohol that you drink when you’re anxious (it will only exacerbate your symptoms later on), there are lots of other beverages that you can turn to. In particular, you may want to start drinking a bit more of certain teas. A lot of people know to sip chamomile tea if they are feeling stressed out and research has shown that they are right to do that. 

Essentially, chamomile tea can help to induce a sense of calmness, often bordering on sedation. Due to this, it is a good idea to sip some chamomile tea in the evening. If you don’t want to have to deal with sedative effects, then you can always try some green tea. It contains L-theanine which helps to lower blood pressure and a rising heart rate. So, it can help to ward off your anxiety. 

Get More Exercise 

If you have ever felt a buzz after some moderate or strenuous exercise, you have your brain and body to thank for that. See, whenever you push your body enough, it produces an increased amount of serotonin and norepinephrine. These send feel-good messages to your brain that create an improved mood for you. In fact, research has shown that exercise can help to reduce the risk of anxiety and depression. 

This isn’t all that a good workout is capable of doing for you, however. There is also some evidence to suggest that exercise makes it easier for you to deal with the various stressors in your life. As a result, even when you are faced with obstacles or problems, you may find that it is simpler to feel happiness in such circumstances. Keeping this in mind, you may want to grab your workout gear and exercise for no less than half an hour a day to reap the rewards of your physical activity. 

Get Enough Sleep 

There appears to be a two-fold relationship between sleep and anxiety. On the one hand, most people are aware of the fact that anxiety disorders can make it difficult for you to fall or stay asleep for as long as you need to. On the other, most experts now agree that a lack of sleep can actually make your anxiety worse. See, sleep deprivation tends to activate the parts of the brain that are responsible for emotional processing. This can lead to excessive worrying which can be even more harmful to individuals who are already struggling with anxiety. 

To overcome this, you should try to get seven to eight hours of sleep, every day. By doing this, your brain will be better equipped to evaluate various situations at face value. This can prevent you from overanalyzing details unnecessarily and significantly reduce your anxiety. There are a number of tactics that you can utilize to make it easier for you to fall asleep and remain sleeping. This includes getting plenty of exercise, following a healthy diet, and meditating to help calm your thoughts.  

Get Warm 

There is no denying that the sensation of warmth can make you feel a lot better. Whether it is because you have been sipping a hot drink or have been sunbathing outside, the heat can improve your mood. There is some evidence to suggest that being warm can actually help to reduce the effects of anxiety. 

If possible, you should try steaming in a sauna or sitting in a warm bath for the best effects. In addition to boosting your mood, you will also be able to relax your muscles which will help to further cut down on your feelings of anxiety. So, the next time that you begin to feel anxious either head out into the sun for a while or simply take a warm bath. 

Learn Deep Breathing Techniques 

The more anxious or frazzled that you get, the more likely it is that you will begin to experience fast or erratic breathing. It is not uncommon for your heart rate to increase as well. To prevent a panic attack or anxiety from worsening, it is a good idea to learn some deep breathing techniques. 

This means taking a long, slow breath and then holding it for the count of three before releasing the breath. It is a good idea to practice this technique so that you can employ it whenever you feel yourself becoming anxious. By using this tactic, you are forcing your body to start breathing at a more normal rate. As a result, you are able to move from a panicked state to a calmer one. 

You should try all of these techniques on a regular basis. This way, you will find that you are calmer and happier and in a much better condition to deal with most symptoms of anxiety. 

Author Bio: 

Tracy Plunkett is a writer with a passion for fitness, health, and photography. When she isn’t writing or blogging, she can be found following her passion for music. Of course, her trusty dogs aren’t too far behind, wherever she goes. 

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