We all need a 3A.M friend. Someone we can rely on. Someone who is always there for us. Someone who helps solve our problems. But when anxiety becomes your 3A.M friend, you can’t rely on it. Anxiety relief can be difficult to achieve. You cannot and should not accept anxiety as a part of your life. You must fight it and do everything possible to overcome it. Is it easy? Not when anxiety is simply not an emotion but a mental disorder that can handicap your life.

In most cases anxiety disorder isn’t diagnosed because people fail to report their anxiety. As a medical condition it is hard to diagnose and unless a patient visits a doctor with complains, it hardly ever gets medically treated. It happens because most people do not recognize the symptoms early enough. Moreover the symptoms of anxiety overlap with that of other mental disorders such as depression and suicidal tendencies. Most importantly, anxiety is also an emotion that is commonly experienced by everyone once in a while. While in most cases anxiety cannot be alarming, it should ring alarm bells when the over-whelming sense of doom, fatigue, sleeplessness and other such symptoms persist.

What is Anxiety?         

Clinically anxiety disorder is more than a mere emotion that starts interfering with your daily life. It is the body’s reaction to threat – either real or perceived; fear, impending sense of doom etc. There are five recognized forms of anxiety disorder – generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and social anxiety disorder.

When to Seek Anxiety Relief?  

It is important to recognize anxiety disorder so that you can get treated early. Anxiety relief is only possible when you recognize the symptoms and how they are affecting your daily life. A few things to note are –

  • Does It Interfere With Your Life–While everyone gets anxious from time to time, if it becomes bothersome you should be worried. If your anxiety gets in the way of your daily routine, you must act. In most cases anxiety disorder dictates a person’s life choices –participation in family or social events, making drastic career choices etc.
  • How Severe Is Your Anxiety–Anxiety disorder is constant, overwhelming and severe. If your bouts of anxiety do not last over a period of time, isn’t severe or persisting, you may not be suffering from anxiety disorder.But when the anxiety attack is followed by physical symptoms such as dizziness, trembling, increased palpitation, breathlessness, it can be serious.
  • When Do You Feel Anxious – We normally get scared or feel anxious when confronted with a stressful event. But when you feel anxious even when there is no cause of worry or fear, it could be a case of anxiety disorder. Exaggerated fear, a strong sense of danger even when things are normal are a few signs of anxiety disorder.

Anxiety Relief – Hacks to Lead a Better Life      

How to get anxiety relief? Once you identify the symptoms, note their severity and how they interfere with your daily life, you must seek relief. Contrary to popular belief anxiety relief isn’t complicated. In fact ideally you can seek relieve at home without medical intervention. So what can help to relieve anxiety? You would be surprised that there are a few simple hacks that you can try at home. Let’s take a look.

  • Get Enough Sleep – One of the major fallouts of anxiety is lack of sleep.It is very difficult for an anxious mind to sleep.However proper sleep, of at least 6 to 8 hours, is necessary for your mind. A well-rested person can think rationally, be a better judge of difficult situations and react less aggressively in tense environment.
  • Watch Your Diet –What you eat and when you eat also reflect on your mental health, eating oily food, snacks and other junk food can help relieve stress for sometime. But in the long run they not only harm your physical being but also your mental capacity. A well-balanced meal is ideal for the body as well as the mind.
  • Exercise –Exercising helps not only relax the muscles but also the stressed nerves. Make sure you walk a mile or two every day. Alternatively you can also practice yoga or join the gym.
  • Meditate – Waking up to a few minutes of solitude is helpful in calming the stressed mind. Try to meditate and practice deep breathing.
  • Do Not Procrastinate – Over-thinking, deeply analyzing will not help you manage your stress. If you procrastinate for long, you will only increase your anxiety. Use your free time wisely. Develop a hobby and learn to enjoy it. Do not simply sit and think about things beyond your control.

Herbal Supplements and Anxiety Relief

There are several over the counter herbal supplements available in the market that help get relief from anxiety and depression. They are not strong medicines with major side effects but mostly made using 100% natural ingredients. These medications help in keeping stress in control and can also help relieve anxiety. Some of the ingredients used in such herbal supplements are –

  • Ashwagandha – Ashwagandha is one of the most widely used medicines in Ayurveda. It not only promotes well-being and good health but also supports the adrenal systems and metabolism – two things that when balanced can reduce anxiousness.
  • Chamomile Extracts–Chamomile is a soothing herb often used in preparing tea. Its relaxing nature helps control stress and anxiety. 
  • GABA– GABA or gamma-aminobutryic acid is an important inhibitory neurotransmitters that calms the brain and also blocks the nerve signals that triggers anxiety.
  • Magnesium – Magnesium is a great stress reliever. It encourages relaxation and lessens the feelings of anxiety.
  • B-Vitamins – The Vitamin B family is full of nutrients that are essential for our body. Vitamin B6 and B12 are of primary importance as they helps in the production of serotonin – the right supply of which controls stress and anxiety.

Anxiety disorder is a real thing. It is not simply in your head. If you think you are suffering from it, talk to someone. Seek medical help. Most importantly bring lifestyle changes that will help you lead a happier life. It isn’t too late to fix things yet.