So many of us are effected by things that cause us anxiety, stress, and overwhelm. The pandemic, work struggles, health issues - it can be difficult to stay positive and find the head space to work through the bad days. Anxiety is our body's natural response to stress, and with 1 in 6 people in the United Kingdom are currently experiencing anxiety or stress-related symptoms; it's important to identify your triggers so you can learn to cope with and manage your anxiety attacks. As someone who lives with a panic disorder, I've found living simply can help make it more manageable through using natural methods for stress relief, gentle exercise, slow decluttering, introspection and self-discovery. These are a few of the ways to make things feel better when you're struggling with anxiety.
Natural Stress Relief
Along with my daily supplements for health and well-being, I've added natural stress relief into my self-care routine to help with the symptoms of anxiety. These remedies help with restlessness, fatigue, headaches, and panic attacks, as well as difficult falling and staying asleep. Ever since I was diagnosed with panic disorder, I've used a stress-relief spray to help manage my symptoms on a day-to-day basis. When I've had trouble sleeping, I've relied on natural sleep supplements to maintain a healthy sleep schedule.
Anxt create natural products to assist in alleviating stress, worries, and nervousness. Made in the UK using ethically-sourced high quality extracts, Anxt's natural aids are a highly effective way to tackle anxiety. They contain the ancient medicinal herb, Ashwagandha, and the adaptogenic herb, Bacopa Monnieri, to help relieve stress, aid sleep, increase energy levels. The amino acids 5-HTP and L-theanine to help with the production of serotonin and your body's ability to relax; Lemon Balm for its calming effect, and Rhodiola Rosea to help with fatigue and depression.
The Anxt Day and Night Pack contains a Daytime Spray and Night Capsules to aid you throughout the day and into the night. The Daytime Spray is formulated with natural ingredients to comfort and support you during times of worry when sprayed under the tongue. The Night Capsules are a gentle herbal sleep supplement made with non-drowsy natural ingredients to aid with falling (and staying!) asleep so you can get a peaceful night's rest.
Gentle Exercise
Slow living in a city isn't easy. There are very few green spaces nearby where I live, and developing a habit of daily walks has taken a while to embrace. Going on gentle walks once or twice a day was one of the habits I developed during lockdown, and will continue after the pandemic is over. Swimming is one of my favourite ways to exercise, especially wild swimming in lakes and rivers so I do that as often as the weather permits. If you're not able to go on daily walks or don't have a local green spot or river to enjoy, there are plenty of other gentle exercises to participate in. Perhaps yoga, dancing, or cycling would be a better fit. Introducing gentle exercise into my daily routine has had one of the biggest impacts on my mental health and physical well-being over the last year.
Self-Discovery
Whenever I'm feeling anxious or worried, checking in with myself to ask a few simple questions helps to refocus my priorities and ensure I'm making time for and prioritising the things that matter the most to me in my life. Worrying doesn't fix anything so re-directing that energy away from the things we can't change and towards the things we can is important in protecting our mental health. Self-reflection helps ease our anxiety and stress by refocusing our attention on the changes we can make to redirect our energy, time, and money onto the things we do have the power to influence. Living a considered life of self-discovery in this way can help manage your stress and anxiety symptoms.
Feel Good Music
Music has a powerful effect on my mood so I choose songs that not only make me feel good but also reflect how I want to feel. I've created days-long playlists with relaxing lo-fi music that I play while I'm at home or in my studio. These playlists help me stay calm and focused while also reducing stress and anxiety. When you're struggling with nervousness or worry, listen to music that will help you to feel the way you want to feel. Calm, relaxing music to soothe you while you take a break, go for a walk, or finish your work.
Decluttering
Less mess equals less stress. I can't concentrate when my apartment isn't clean and tidy, which has a knock on effect on my mental health and well-being. As a result I try to maintain a clutter-free home, regularly asking questions about the things I own and decluttering my unwanted possessions in a way that is slow and responsible. This extends to setting social media boundaries by unfollowing, muting, and blocking accounts I find unhelpful or toxic. Regularly decluttering your home, assessing why and how you use social media, as well as developing healthy home habits can assist with reducing anxious thoughts and nervousness.
