6 Natural Ways to Manage Your Anxiety Disorder

The problem of anxiety is becoming more and more common among people nowadays. In fact, it is one of the most common psychological conditions in the United States. As per the Santa Ana medical clinic doctors, more than 18 percent of people in the country are suffering from a type of anxiety. And given the lifestyle of the people nowadays, the number doesn’t seem to go down any soon. 

However, did you know you can treat your anxiety disorder yourself?

I’m not joking! The condition is actually highly treatable. And in most cases, you don’t even need a doctor’s help. As per the data, out of all the anxiety patients, on average, only 22 percent have a condition at a chronic level. In contrast, 43 percent of anxiety patients have very mild symptoms. Given this, the doctors of Santa Ana Medical Clinic confidently say that you can treat or at least manage your anxiety disorder yourself.

But how exactly you can do that?

Here are a few ways you can manage your anxiety effectively.

Exercise Regularly

You already know the physical benefit of exercising. But did you know it can help you stay fit mentally too? And I’m not saying it without any proof. There are various studies that support the fact that exercising can help you ward off all your anxious energy.

For instance, there was a 2015 evaluation of 12 random clinical trials, which found that exercising may be a great way to reduce anxiety. However, the study also mentioned that some high-level research is needed to determine the effectiveness of it.

Furthermore, exercising may also help people manage the anxiety that is induced by some stressful circumstances. For example, a 2016 study suggested that exercising may be a great way to deal with anxiety due to quitting smoking.

Various experts say that exercising may be as effective in managing anxiety as medications, minus the side-effects. Plus, the effects are not just short-term. You may keep experiencing relief from your symptoms for several hours after exercising.

Meditate

When we are talking about how to manage anxiety, how can we miss meditation? It had to be on the list. 

Meditation is a great way to manage your anxiety and stress, as it helps you remove all your chaotic thoughts off your mind and replaces them with the feeling of mindfulness and calm. Plus, you don’t even have to spend a lot of time on it. Even 10 minutes a day are enough.

There are a lot of meditation styles, including mindful meditation, spiritual meditation, and focused meditation, etc., that may help you. And you don’t even need to focus on perfection initially. Just try to do it in whatever way you can for around ten minutes every day, and you’ll see the difference.

You should note that certain types of meditation are even used in therapies nowadays. The research shows that it can be quite effective in treating mood and anxiety-related disorders.

Manage Your Time Strategically

Many of us start feeling very anxious if we have too much on our plate at once. This may include work, family, health, and many other things. However, having an already laid plan of when and how you need to do the things may help you keep your anxiety at bay.

When you have everything already planned out, you focus on only one thing at a time. And this way you can converge all your energy to what you have in hand, without worrying about the future. 

A very easy way to start with managing your time is to use online calendars and book based planners. Break up all the tasks you need to do and allot a specific time to each one of them. This way you will be able to accomplish all your work individually, without feeling anxious. 

You should also resist the urge to do several things at a single time, as this only degrades the quality of your work.

Sleep

If you suffer from anxiety, it’s very important for you to get all the rest you need. And here are a few tips to make it possible:

• Sleep only at night when you are really feeling tired.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, or large meals before bed.
• Don’t read or watch TV in bed.
• Don’t use your phone or computer in bed.
• Keep the room cool and dark.
• Do not pressure yourself if you’re not able to sleep. Just get up and move somewhere else until you are sleepy.
• Write down your thoughts before you go to bed.
• Sleep at a fixed time every night.

Spend Some Time With Your Pet

Your pet can help you manage your anxiety very effectively. In fact, this is the reason why so many people nowadays are applying for ESAs (Emotional Support Animals). Pets are great at providing you with the love and companionship you need to manage your psychological condition.

And it’s not only me who’s saying this. A 2018 research showed that pets can help people with various mental conditions, including anxiety. A 2015 review also suggested that spending some time with your pets and grooming them can help be effective in managing stress and anxiety related to trauma. There are various other studies supporting the fact that pets can help people manage various psychological conditions very effectively.

Though most people prefer dogs, cats, or some small mammals, if you have allergies, you may also go for a non-furry pet. A study in the year 2015 suggested that taking care of even some insects, such as crickets, can improve your psychological well being.

Try Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is also a great way to manage your stress and anxiety. It uses the fragrance of the essential oils in order to enhance your health and promote well being. 

You may inhale the oils directly or add them to a hot bath or diffuser. And in certain cases, you may even apply them directly to your skin. However, you should note that not all scents work for everyone. And thus, you need to experiment a little here.

The studies suggest that aromatherapy may help you with:

• Keeping yourself relaxed
• Sleeping better
• Boosting your mood
• Reducing your blood pressure and heart rate

Some of the oils that may help you with your anxiety are:

• Lavender
• Grapefruit
• Clary Sage
• Ylang Ylang
• Bergamot

Takeaway

If you are suffering from anxiety, the above ideas may definitely help you. However, you should keep in mind that these tips may only help you manage your condition. They can’t replace professional help.

If the above methods help you with your anxiety symptoms, great! But if you see no improvement after trying these, you probably have the condition at a far worse level. In that case, don’t hesitate to contact Santa Ana medical clinic and seek out professional help as soon as possible.