Your head and hands are dampened with a cold sweat. Your heart rate is beating faster than it should. Your mouth is dry and you can barely breathe. You feel nausea deep within the pit of your stomach. Anxiety has set in again, and you struggle to gain control of both your body and your mind.

Sound familiar? Many of us suffer from anxiety. For some, it’s an occasional thing, brought about by stressful situations in life. From moving house to changing job, these life changes can bring about those anxious feelings. For other people, their feelings of anxiety go beyond the norm. Even the little things bring about panic attacks, and daily living becomes more difficult. You can take this anxiety test to see where you fall on the spectrum.

If you experience anxiety, for whatever reason, and to whatever level, there are some things you can do to manage how you feel. Read on to discover some calming solutions to help manage your own anxiety.

Tips to calm anxiety

Photo by Brad Halcrow

Take herbal supplements

While your doctor may prescribe medication, there are other, more natural products available that can also be taken. From CBD oil to Chamomile, these supplements are proven relaxants that come with little to no side effects. If like me, you’d rather not be medicated, then there are a host of herbal supplements available for anxiety and you just need to explore places like Blessed CBD, and maybe try a few different things out, in order to find the one that works for you.

Research terpenes

You can also research how to use strain specific terpenes to help soothe anxiety. Terpenes are natural organic compounds produced by plants. They are the source of fragrance and play a role in attracting pollinators.

Terpenes can help with anxiety by interacting with our brain receptors. This is because terpenes create a calming effect and sedative properties. Terpenes can help with anxiety by reducing stress and calming the nerves.

The first step to using terpenes for anxiety is to find a terpene that has an aroma that you enjoy. There are many different types of aromas, so there is bound to be one that will work best for you.

If you’re looking for a way to reduce your stress and lower your blood pressure, then try lavender or peppermint oils! These two terpene profiles have been shown to reduce stress levels and blood pressure.

Exercise more

Physical activity is a proven way to battle the effects of stress, as it releases calming chemicals into your brain. It also bolsters your immune system, giving you added physical and mental strength to offset feelings of anxiety.

Practice meditation

Learning a few meditative techniques, you will be able to manage your breathing, which as alluded to earlier, can be very erratic when anxiety sets in. Meditation will also help you to centre yourself, helping you to focus your mind on something other than the stressor that is causing you to feel anxious.

Try yoga

Great for both meditation and exercise, yoga can be brilliant at combating anxious feelings. There are even specific practices targeted at anxiety, so search YouTube to find a suitable flow to do in the comfort of your own home.

Think positively

When feeling anxious, your mind goes into overdrive, focussing on the negative rather than the positive. Turn this around, so when you do feel anxious, do something to accentuate the positive, such as writing grateful thoughts in a journal. By practicing positive thinking regularly, you will also alleviate the chances of you feeling anxious in the first place.

Talk to people

When you’re feeling anxious, you may fall into that pattern of retreat, suffering alone rather than burdening others with your fretful thoughts and behaviours. However, talking to somebody else does help. Not only will you benefit from their reassuring presence, but you may also gain a better perspective on the situation that is driving your anxiety.

Visit your doctor for professional advice

They can refer you to a counselling service to help you get to the bottom of whatever it is that makes you feel anxious. Talking to someone and receiving the right therapy could really help to resolve those anxious feelings or at least learn how to deal with them when they strike.

I can’t guarantee you will escape anxiety in your life, but you can reduce the symptoms involved. These suggestions will help you manage how you feel, no matter what life throws at you. I feel like anxiety, especially social anxiety for me, will always be a part of my life and something I’ve just come to accept, but I hope I can learn to manage the anxiety better as time goes on and not miss out on so many social events because of it.