Almost everyone in their life experiences some form of temporary anxiety at some time.

Particularly in these ever changing times where this is uncertainty about the future, changes to our way of life and constant fear messaging being pushed out by the mainstream media, it can compound our anxiety unless we know how to manage it effectively.

Anxiety is elevated and sustained when you focus excessively on the things you can't control instead of the things you can.

Anxiety is definitely a very real problem suffered by many people in the community.

So whether it's for you or someone you know, here we want to share with you some helpful tips that can be useful in better managing anxiety that can help to move forward with greater clarity, confidence and conviction.

First, what exactly is Anxiety?

Anxiety is defined as a feeling of apprehension or lingering fear.

The cause of this uneasiness is not always simple to identify or recognise, which can actually exacerbate the level of anxiety and distress.

In fact, many people describe anxiety like this... “Everything just stresses me out. I am always worried.”

Anxiety is the phenomenon of feeling like you're perpetually trapped in a toxic or uncontrollable state, where you feel powerless or unable to make a difference and improve the situation.

What are the Symptoms of Anxiety?

Anxiety is an emotion often accompanied by various physical symptoms. It can burden your body and your mind just as depression can.

Common symptoms of anxiety include:

• Chronic Fatigue
• Confusion
• Mild panic attacks
• Mental fog
• Constant shortness of breath
• Irritable mood swings
• Sleeping difficulties
• An inability to concentrate
• A lack of sex drive
• General restlessness or constantly feeling “on edge”
• Frequent bad dreams or nightmares.

People who tend to experience excessive anxiety are also prone to other conditions that range from heart disease to headaches.

Also, the kidneys are extremely sensitive to emotional stress, because on top of each kidney sits the adrenal glands and the adrenal glands are responsible for energising the body and producing the 'stress hormone' known as cortisol.

A certain amount of cortisol is healthy and helps you to perform basic daily functions, including work and exercise.  However, if the kidneys or adrenals become overwhelmed - usually due to emotional factors or a poor diet - excess cortisol is produced, which can easily lead to fatigue, tension and anxiety and even impair other important bodily functions such as restful sleep and healthy digestion.

What Causes Anxiety?

Anxiety is usually a response to some kind of unrelieved or unresolved stress, tension, fear or uncertainty that one may be experiencing.

It can be caused by any number of personal, social or physical problems, such as financial challenges, work related stress, negative media, struggles with identifying purpose, self worth or a toxic intimate relationship.

Anxiety can also be triggered from vulnerable situations where one may be judged or criticised by others.  

One of the most common causes of anxiety, is having an ongoing burden of responsibility to others - it could be to your spouse, your children, a close friend, an ageing parent, your boss, or your employees.

As you can see, anxiety is an emotion that can be caused by a wide range of factors that are not always easy to isolate or define, which is what makes it such a common condition that needs effective self care tools to manage it effectively.

Anxiety Disorders

When anxieties interfere with your ability to function on a daily basis and actually lead a normal life, it is usually clinically referred to as an anxiety disorder.

For people with anxiety disorders, dominant feelings of worry and fear tend to exist every single day which can be inescapable and crippling.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

General Anxiety Disorder is an interesting phenomenon because it involves excessive, unrealistic worry and tension, even if there is little to worry about or to provoke the anxiety.

People with GAD worry about the simplest of everyday life events. They can’t stop worrying about their health, money, kids, spouse, or social circle.  They will always find something to worry about and tend to always expect the worst.

This worry is often unrealistic and out of proportion to the reality and truth of what is going on around them.

But for someone who suffer from General Anxiety Disorder, they tend to always 'see the glass as half empty' rather than 'half full' meaning they can't seem to focus on the bright side of anything.

Social Anxiety Disorder

When a person has excessive or unreasonable fear attached to being in a social environment, it is called social anxiety disorder or social phobia.

The underlying fear a person with social anxiety disorder has is making mistakes and being embarrassed or humiliated in front of others. The fear may be made worse by a lack of social skills or experience in social situations.

The anxiety can build into a panic attack.  Because of this, the person endures certain social situations in extreme distress or may avoid them altogether, even though there are many positive elements associated with healthy social environments. 

Self Care Remedies For Easing Anxiety 

1. Choose Your Focus

To beat feelings of anxiety it's crucial to be very conscious of where you place your focus.

You've probably heard the saying, "where focus goes, energy flows". 

In other words, if you're constantly focussed on the source of your pain or stress, or you're in an environment that you know triggers your anxiety, it will tend to amplify and can even feel inescapable.

On the other hand, the more you're able to focus on positive messages, uplifting people, meaningful projects and place yourself in happy environments, the greater the positive impact will be on your overall emotional state and level of anxiety.  

Choosing your focus effectively is a learned skill that you may need to consciously and proactively work on in order to better manage anxiety, but it's well worth the effort to work on this mental skill.

2. Move Your Body

Movement is emotional medicine.

Not only is movement foundational to your physical health and wellbeing, it is also a powerful way to reduce and manage stress and symptoms of anxiety.

Scientifically, movement works because it activates natural 'feel-good' chemicals such as dopamine and endorphins, which are potent molecules that stimulate the happiness and fulfilment centres of the body and brain. 

If you're physically able to walk, walking outdoors in clean, fresh air for 30-45 minutes per day should be a non-negotiable for you every single day, particularly if you suffer from anxiety.

When you walk outdoors, all of your senses are involved and you're able to connect with nature which is extremely healing and therapeutic.

Of course many other forms of movement can be wonderful for reducing anxiety and stress and boosting your self confidence, self esteem and sense of accomplishment. 

Whether it be trail walking, lifting weights, swimming, yoga, pilates, circuit training or cycling, the key is to find an activity or form of regular exercise that you can stay consistent with.

Yoga, meditation and tai chi are particularly useful modalities for alleviating anxiety because they emphasis breath with movement which can have an extremely calming and restorative effect on the mind and body.  

Another wonderful way to ease anxiety is to practice "Earthing" or "Grounding". This type of activity is simply about connecting your bare feet with the earth, usually walking on the sand or grass is best. 

Earthing can help ease anxiety for two reasons - one, because being out in nature is emotionally healing in its own right.  But secondly, because when you connect your bare feet directly with the earth, the body is able to absorb the energy and healing electrons which are prevalent beneath the earth's surface which is known to reduce inflammation in the body, as well as balance you emotionally.

When it comes to movement, no matter which type you choose to do, just make it a priority every day and you will go a long way to better managing anxiety and your mood.

3. Eat Clean Food 

Though you may not consciously realise it, when you eat, you not only feed your stomach but your emotions as well.

Food creates an emotional response in the body which can be either positive or negative.

On the negative side, it is why too many people suffer from obesity, primarily due to their connection to the wrong type of food and their dependency on food for comfort.

On the other hand, a positive relationship with healthy food can have a dramatic influence on your emotional state because of the way it speaks differently to all of your senses.

A clean diet means a diet rich in foods in their natural state and as close to source as possible.

It also means embracing ALL of the colours of foods from nature's table, which mirror the colours of the rainbow - Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.

When you eat the foods that are naturally in season and you expose your senses to the complete spectrum of colour and variety that is available, your emotional connection to food changes, which can be a very powerful tool for effectively managing anxiety.

It's important to avoid processed, packaged chemical foods and refined sugars and grains as much as possible as these foods can all cause emotional blockages to develop.

Instead, fill your diet with fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains to ensure that your body and cells receive the vital nutrients needed to manage your health and anxiety levels.   

This will ensure you'll receive enough of the crucial vitamins and minerals for emotional wellbeing that include:

• Vitamins A, B & D
• Calcium
• Copper
• Manganese and;
• Magnesium 

Here are some basic staple foods to build your diet around to help prevent and deal with anxiety:

• Dark leafy greens - lettuce, rocket, spinach, collard, silver beet etc.
• Good fats - avocados, macadamia nuts, walnuts, pecans, flaxseed oil and extra virgin oil 
• All yellow and orange foods that are in season, because of the way that they stimulate feel-good chemicals in the body and brain e.g. Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Oranges, Lemons, Bananas, Mangoes, Peaches, Nectarines & Pineapple 
• Whole grains such as Barley, Oatmeal, Organic Wild Rice & Quinoa
• Sea vegetables such as Sea Kelp, Nori & Kombu
• Kimchi and sauerkraut
• Organic Dairy e.g. yogurt, soft cheeses and grass-fed butter

Learn more in our blog, Top 7 Reasons to Embrace a Plant-Based Diet & How to Do It

The following are specific items that you should consider eliminating or greatly reducing if you are prone to anxiety because of their chemical content:

• Hard Alcohol such as liquor, spirits and commercially produced beers & wine that contain preservatives and chemicals.  Instead, look for naturally fermented varieties produced by micro growers and breweries to enjoy in moderation 
• Energy Drinks and Sodas which are loaded with chemical colourings and preservatives 
• Trans Fats & Hydrogenated Oils such as vegetable oil, shortening, cookies, cakes and frozen foods
• Processed Meats such as salami, sausages, pickled meats and bacon
• Refined Sugar & Grains
• Artificial Sweeteners 

Not only do these foods and drinks promote inflammation in the body, they contain fast sugars that can cause rapid mood swings and fatigue.

Learn more in our blog, Overcoming Sugar Addiction & The Best Natural Substitutes

By the same token, having too much caffeine or alcohol can also lead to moodiness, nervousness and anxiety.  So, if you're going to enjoy these beverages, just be sure to not over do it and to choose trusted, local sources rather than commercial chemical varieties wherever possible.

4. Practice Deep Breathing

When viewed in a state of calm, many problems seem far less insurmountable.

Breath work and breathing consciously as a practice can be a very powerful tool for creating harmony and balance within the body to help you stay centred, calm with a sense of inner peace.  

This means deep breathing can help clear the mind and keep your problems in perspective.

Most people travel through life only breathing subconsciously to survive and not using the breath as a self care tool.

When you breathe deeply, you allow your lungs to expand and take in fresh, electrically charged air which positively impacts the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing a sense of inner peace to the body.

Try the following first thing in the morning, out doors if you can in a peaceful place, to help get your day off on the right foot:

1.  Breathe in through your nose

2.  Fill your lungs right up & hold for a count of 5

3.  Slowly breathe out through your mouth for a count of 5

4.  Repeat 5 times.  This simple exercise can be very effective for reliving anxiety and creating a sense of calm before you go about your day.

Even though breathing is something that you can easily take for granted, don't underestimate the power of conscious deep breathing as a daily practice for helping to manage anxiety and find inner peace.

5. Try Daily Meditation (10 minutes)

Similar to breath work in the sense that it evokes a sense of inner calm, meditation however is specifically designed to help clear and quieten the mind.

Since a major source of anxiety is uncertainty caused by the stimulus around you, meditation can help because it is all about practicing stillness and decluttering the mind.

It can also help you find new perspective and to focus on positive aspects of your life, which is very important for managing anxiety effectively.

Choose a quiet place where you can sit, close down your eyes and meditate for 10 minutes.  Breathe deeply and calmly and centre and try not to think of anything in particular other than just clearing your mind and practicing stillness for the full 10 minutes.

If this doesn't work for you, try an App such as CALM which you can download to your iphone and which releases daily 10 minute guided meditations.

6. Get Enough Sleep

One of the worst contributors to anxiety is a lack of quality sleep.

Not getting enough sleep can wreck havoc on your nervous system and your ability to cope with stress.

For best health, you should aim for 8 hours of restful sleep every night in order to recuperate and support your body's natural metabolic and restorative processes.

There was a reason why sleep was anciently considered "the greatest gift".  Sleep is the gift or reward you receive for practicing every day self care.  It is also the 'go-to' for when you're feeling run down or burnt out, to help you recharge, refresh and promote harmony and balance within your body. 

If you have trouble sleeping, it's important to start by assessing your pre-bedtime routine.  You can learn more in our blog,  Sleep: 5 tips to help you receive the greatest gift

7. Embrace Essential Oils

Essential oils can have a subtle effect on the body's chemical and energy systems.

For this reason, aromatherapy is widely regarded as a natural remedy for easing anxiety and stress with both topical and inhalation applications.

One of the best essential oil varieties known to have relaxing and calming effects on the mind and body useful for relieving anxiety is Lavender.

Lavender essential oil promotes feelings of calmness and peace, as well as reducing physical stress and muscle tension.

Suggested uses for lavender include diffusing a few drops next to your bed whilst you sleep, inhaling directly from the bottle, placing a couple of drops onto neck, temples, wrists or soles of your feet morning and night. 

Lavender is also a fantastic oil to add to hot bath soaks with epsom salts to help you relax and unwind.

You'll find a full range of calming essential oils in our store at tolmanselfcare.com 

The Main Takeaway

Anxiety is a common emotion that is usually a function of some type of ongoing fear, uncertainty, or lack of control one may have over their life.

Even though anxiety is a common problem, the good news is that it can usually be effectively avoided (or managed) by following some basic steps and self care practices.  

Remember, anxiety is a form of emotional energy - and where focus goes energy flows!

For this reason, the starting point for dealing with anxiety needs to assessing your environment, your perspective and the everyday aspects that trigger anxiety in the first place.

Next, it's important to find self care tools to lean on, like those shared with you here, and you'll go a long way to better managing anxiety or making it a thing of the past.

Tolman Self Care.