Anxiety triggers are different for every person, yet, regardless of your walk or life, we all feel anxiety; that heavy sense of worry towards current or imminent events and towards outcomes you can’t know or control.
Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed and just want to hit the pause button on life or are facing a full-blown anxiety attack, stop. Take a deep breath and a moment for yourself. Here’s what you can do when anxiety gets the best of you.
1. Acknowledge your anxiety
Feeling anxious is a normal part of living. Anybody can feel nervous in the face of unwanted outcomes or the unknown. When it gets overwhelming, it’s important to acknowledge that you feel anxious and not deny it.
Accepting that you feel anxious empowers you to understand what’s causing it. This mindfulness towards your feelings gives valuable insight into what you can change, let go off, and seek help with. Even a 5 minute break to breathe and check in with yourself is enough to retake the reigns when life seems overwhelming.
2. Prioritize your basic needs
Anxiety can be mild or severe, depending on your physical wellbeing. Think of anxiety like a big party. All the music, people, food and high energy are inevitable, but how you react towards what’s around you dictates how you feel on the inside. A fed and well rested individual is likely to enjoy everything going on in a party as opposed to a tired and hungry individual who may find the party taxing to an already fatigued body.
Anxiety works in the same way. When you feel like there is too much going on and it’s making you anxious, take a moment to see if your most basic needs are met. Are you rested, are you fed, are you hydrated? This makes all the difference in your mental and emotional resilience. A healthy body supports a healthy mind, so go ahead and prioritize your basic needs in order to stay centered. You’ll face what makes you anxious in much better stride or you may not even feel anxious at all.
3. Care for your gut
There is a clear relationship between anxiety and your gut health. This is why when you feel nervous you experience ‘butterflies’ in your stomach or you feel nauseous when you’re emotionally distressed. Your gut is known to be a ‘second brain’ where chemicals that regulate your mood are secreted.
Care for your gut health with a high fiber and whole foods diet paired with digestive aids such as apple cider vinegar and probiotics and experience a positive change in your mindset.
4. Improve your nutrition
While a positive attitude and healthy gut can help you navigate through emotional stress, there are specific herbs and amino acids that promote feelings of calm. Try incorporating the following into your diet to inhibit anxiety.
- Ashwagandha: An antioxidant that boosts the immune system.
- Lemon Balm: Increases your sense of calm and alertness.
- Passion Flower: A powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
- L-Theanine: Calms the mind while promoting focus.
- 5-HTP: Promotes the production of serotonin.
Do you have any healthy tips on how to manage anxiety? Let us know in the comments below.
If the thought of finding these herbs and amino acids individually give you anxiety, consider our CALM Anti-Anxiety capsules, which contains all of these compounds and work synergistically for supporting a peaceful state of mind.
