Ever feel like your anxiety is taking control of your body, your mind, your life? With over 3million Australians living with anxiety, I can guarantee you're not alone!
Anxiety can impact all areas of your life from your sleep, your day to day functions to your relationships and your career. But, there is hope! Read on to see ways to naturally reduce your anxiety reactions and improve your overall mood & mental resilience.
Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety is a natural response to stress or perceived danger. It’s that feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear that often arises when faced with challenging situations. While some anxiety is normal and even helpful—such as feeling nervous before a big presentation—it can become problematic when it occurs frequently or excessively, interfering with daily life.
When anxiety kicks in, the body enters a “fight or flight” mode, preparing to respond to a threat. This triggers physical and mental reactions, including:
Increased heart rate: Your body pumps more blood to supply oxygen to your muscles, preparing for action.
Rapid breathing: Your breathing may become shallow as your body attempts to take in more oxygen to fuel the brain and muscles.
Tensed muscles: As your body braces for action, muscles tighten, leading to stiffness or aches.
Mental fog: Anxiety can cloud your thinking, making it harder to concentrate or make decisions.
Overthinking: The mind tends to loop through anxious thoughts, replaying worries or imagining worst-case scenarios.
While this response is beneficial in the short term, long-term or chronic anxiety can negatively affect both your physical and mental well-being. It can contribute to sleep disturbances, digestive issues, headaches, weakened immune function, and even emotional burnout. Understanding anxiety’s effects is the first step in managing it naturally and effectively.
The Two Anxiety Pathways: Bottom-Up and Top-Down
Anxiety can arise in the body through two key pathways: the bottom-up and top-down processes. These describe how sensory information is processed by the brain and how it can lead to feelings of anxiety.
Bottom-Up Anxiety: In this pathway, information from our senses (what we see, hear, smell, etc.) is sent directly to the brain, specifically the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for emotional responses. When the amygdala perceives a potential threat—whether real or imagined—it activates the body’s “fight or flight” response, triggering anxiety. This reaction can happen almost automatically, without much conscious thought. For example, you might feel anxious upon hearing a sudden loud noise or seeing something that reminds you of a past stressful event. This is the body’s natural way of protecting itself from harm.
Top-Down Anxiety: In this pathway, sensory information is processed more deliberately before it reaches the amygdala. The brain evaluates the situation, and if the sensory input isn’t perceived as threatening, the amygdala remains calm. In this case, anxiety doesn’t get triggered. For example, if you hear a loud noise but recognize that it’s just fireworks rather than something dangerous, the brain will process this information rationally, preventing the anxiety response.
The way anxiety is processed through these two pathways can differ from person to person. In some cases, the amygdala’s response is automatic and based on past experiences and previous traumas, that can then lead to a “false alarm” even when no actual danger is present.
If you experience chronic anxiety, your body more likely lives in the bottom up response due to your previous understanding, which can lead to you feeling hypersensitive and ruled but your minds instant responses to any sensory information. However, the amygdala has the ability to learn from new experiences. With the right tools and environment, it can be retrained to respond differently to the same stimuli, reducing unnecessary anxiety responses over time. Practices like mindfulness, therapy, and relaxation techniques can help create new, healthier patterns in the brain, allowing us to manage anxiety more effectively. These practices also have the ability to intervene when anxiety strikes- but it can take practice.
Natural Interventions for Anxiety
Managing anxiety doesn’t always require medications; there are natural interventions that can help calm the mind and body. These approaches target anxiety at different stages, from immediate relief to long-term changes in the brain’s circuitry.
Immediate Interventions
When anxiety strikes, having quick and effective tools on hand can help manage the immediate symptoms. These interventions work by calming the body and reducing the stress response.
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Also known as deep belly breathing, this technique involves taking slow, deep breaths that engage the diaphragm, allowing for better oxygen exchange. This helps activate the body’s relaxation response and lowers heart rate, bringing instant calm. The more you can practice this conscious breathing (especially when you're feeling good) the more likely it will become an unconscious habit.
Yoga: Certain yoga postures and stretches can help relieve tension in the muscles, slow down the breath, and calm the mind. Yoga also helps create a mind-body connection that promotes relaxation. Think child's pose or legs up the wall.
Aerobic Exercise: Physical activity, even a brisk walk, short run or a mini dance/shake session, can immediately reduce anxiety by increasing the production of endorphins, the body's natural mood boosters.
Short-Term Interventions
To manage anxiety in the short term, it’s important to regularly engage in activities that lower the brain’s "trigger level" or sensitivity to stress. This means reducing how quickly anxiety is activated when faced with challenges.
Regular Aerobic Exercise: Beyond its immediate effects, consistent aerobic activity helps regulate the stress response over time. Exercise enhances the brain’s resilience to anxiety by reducing the overall level of arousal in the body, making you less likely to experience anxiety in everyday situations.
Yoga: Practiced regularly, yoga not only serves as a calming tool in the moment but also helps build a more balanced, resilient nervous system. Its combination of movement, breathwork, and mindfulness keeps the mind and body in a state of balance.
Good Sleep: Sleep is vital for emotional regulation. Poor sleep makes the brain more reactive, while quality sleep helps lower overall anxiety. Establishing healthy sleep habits (like a regular bedtime and reducing screen time before bed- see below for more tips) can make a noticeable difference in how your brain processes stress.
Long-Term Interventions
For lasting change, natural interventions can work to rewire the brain and reduce the overall intensity of your anxiety over time. This is where addressing the deeper anxiety circuits in the brain, specifically the amygdala, comes into play.
Exposure Therapy: One of the most effective long-term approaches for treating anxiety involves exposure therapy, ideally done with a qualified practitioner. This technique gradually exposes a person to anxiety triggers in a controlled and safe environment, allowing the amygdala to “learn” that these situations are not actually dangerous. However, for this rewiring to happen, the amygdala must be activated. When the anxiety center is engaged but not overwhelmed, new, healthier responses can be created and stored for future reference, reducing the strength of anxious reactions.
Through a combination of immediate, short-term, and long-term interventions, it is possible to naturally manage and reduce anxiety. Whether through breathing exercises, consistent physical activity, or structured therapy, the goal is to calm the body, retrain the mind, and rewire the brain for lasting change.
Natural Treatments and Strategies for Anxiety
Managing anxiety naturally involves a holistic approach that supports both the mind and body. By incorporating a variety of lifestyle changes, dietary improvements, and natural therapies, it’s possible to reduce the impact of your anxiety and improve your overall well-being. Here are some key strategies to consider:
1. Reducing Stress
Chronic stress is a major contributor to anxiety. Managing stress levels is essential to keep anxiety in check. Here are some effective ways to reduce stress naturally:
Mindfulness and Meditation: Practicing mindfulness allows you to stay present and detach from anxious thoughts. Meditation has been shown to reduce stress hormones and promote relaxation.
Time in Nature: Spending time in natural surroundings, like parks or forests, helps calm the nervous system and reduce stress levels. The Japanese practice of “forest bathing” (shinrin-yoku) has been found to lower cortisol levels and promote mental clarity.
2. Improving Sleep
Poor sleep can exacerbate anxiety, while quality rest helps the brain reset and manage emotions. Here are some tips for improving sleep naturally:
Establish a Routine: Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm.
Create a Relaxing Environment: Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool to promote restful sleep. Avoid screens at least an hour before bed, as the blue light emitted from devices can interfere with melatonin production.
Herbal Teas: Calming herbal teas such as chamomile, passionflower, or valerian root can help ease the mind and body before bed, promoting better sleep.
3. Exercise
Regular physical activity is a natural way to reduce anxiety. Exercise releases endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemicals, and helps burn off excess stress hormones like cortisol. It also acts as a reset button for the fight or flight response, essentially closing the circuit (especially aerobic exercise).
Aerobic Exercise: Activities like walking, running, swimming, or cycling can lower overall anxiety levels by improving mood and reducing tension.
Yoga and Stretching: Yoga not only strengthens the body but also integrates breathwork and mindfulness, which are excellent for reducing anxiety and balancing the nervous system.
4. Sunshine and Light Exposure
Natural sunlight is a powerful tool for managing anxiety. Sunlight exposure helps regulate your circadian rhythm, improve sleep, and increase the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that stabilises mood.
Morning Sunlight: Aim to get at least 15-20 minutes of sunlight exposure in the morning. This can help to regulate your cortisol and boost your mood and energy levels for the day while supporting healthy sleep patterns at night.
Vitamin D: Sunlight is also a major source of vitamin D, which is critical for mood regulation. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to increased anxiety and depression. If you live in a climate with limited sunlight or primarily work indoors, consider a vitamin D supplement.
5. Hydrotherapy
Water-based therapies can help calm the nervous system and ease anxiety.
Cold Showers or Cold Plunges: Cold exposure stimulates the vagus nerve, which activates the parasympathetic (rest and digest) system, helping reduce anxiety. Moderate cold stressors can also lower brain inflammation. Starting your day with a cold/cool shower can increase alertness and calmness.
Warm Baths with Epsom Salts: A warm bath is an effective way to relax the body and mind. Epsom salts contain magnesium, which is absorbed through the skin and can help reduce muscle tension and promote relaxation.
6. Nutrients and Diet
What you eat can have a significant impact on your anxiety levels. A diet rich in essential nutrients supports a calm, balanced mind.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, omega-3s play a key role in brain health and have been shown to reduce anxiety.
Magnesium: This mineral is known for its calming effects. It helps regulate neurotransmitters that are involved in mood, such as serotonin. Leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are excellent sources of magnesium.
B Vitamins: B vitamins, especially B6, B9 (folate), and B12, support the nervous system and can help reduce anxiety. Foods rich in B vitamins include eggs, legumes, and whole grains.
L-theanine: Found in green tea, L-theanine is known to improve your response to stress, support your feel good neurotransmitter production to improve mood, reduce anxiety and promote relaxation without making you drowsy .
Probiotics: Via the gut brain connection, certain probiotic strains like lactobacillus & Bifidobacterium have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression by improving gut health and lowering inflammation.
7. Herbs for Anxiety
Herbal remedies have been used for centuries to treat anxiety. Some herbs work by calming the nervous system, while others help balance mood-regulating neurotransmitters.
Ashwagandha: A well-known adaptogen, ashwagandha helps the body resist stress and anxiety. It regulates cortisol levels and promotes a calm, focused state.
Passionflower: This herb is often used to reduce anxiety and insomnia. It works by increasing levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation.
Lavender: Lavender can be used as an essential oil for aromatherapy or taken orally in supplement form. It has calming properties that ease anxiety and promote relaxation.
Lemon Balm: A calming herb often used in tea, lemon balm helps reduce nervousness and anxiety by improving mood and cognitive function.
Anxiety can feel overwhelming, but there are many natural strategies that can help you regain control and find balance. Whether it’s through immediate tools like diaphragmatic breathing, long-term practices such as regular exercise and good sleep, or incorporating holistic treatments like sunlight, hydrotherapy, and herbal remedies, the path to managing anxiety naturally is well within reach.
By addressing both the physical and mental aspects of anxiety, these natural interventions work to calm the nervous system, improve mood, and rewire the brain for lasting resilience. The key is to experiment with different strategies, finding what works best for your unique needs, and giving your body and mind the support they need to thrive. Over time, these small but powerful changes can lead to a calmer, more balanced life, free from the constant grip of anxiety.
Remember, healing is a journey, and it’s important to be patient with yourself. If your anxiety feels overwhelming or persists, seeking support from a qualified practitioner can be a vital step in your journey to long-term relief.
Thanks for reading beautiful human! Samii BHSc- Naturopathy Sacred Natural Health Founder.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your health practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.
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