If you deal with anxiety, you’ll know just how challenging and, often, debilitating it can be. One moment you might be fine, then suddenly your chest feels tight, your heart races, and your thoughts start to spiral out of control. Treatments can range from medication, to therapy, to simple self-care exercises, but if it’s natural home remedies for anxiety you’re looking for, you’ve come to the right place.
We’re not going to tell you that a bath or deep breathing is going to cure you of anxious thoughts completely. However, these simple remedies can help to offer temporary relief next time your anxiety attacks. Keep them in mind for whenever those panicky feelings start to kick in, and they may just help you relax – even for a little while – as you take back control.
What is the best natural anxiety reliever?
1. Try deep breathing
When you’re anxious, your heart rate speeds up and you may even experience a shortness of breath. However, one simple breathing exercise can bring your heart rate back down and divert your attention from what’s causing you distress. So, find somewhere to sit or lie down, hold your hand over your stomach, and take a deeeep breath in to a slow count of three. Gradually exhale to the same count and repeat until you start to feel calmer.
2. Take a relaxing bath
Sometimes, you need to take time out that’s just for you, so you can properly relax. If you have time, reach for a book and indulge in a soothing soak in the bath. Add the Bath Melt CBD Bath Bomb to warm water to enhance the peace-giving experience, which infuses the tub with muscle-soothing Epsom Salts, along with skin-softening Coconut Milk and Chamomile. Meanwhile, the comforting scent of Santal, Amber and Musk will fill the room and linger on your skin; a fragrance blend that’s scientifically formulated to make you feel calmer.
Top tip: Before you step into the bath, light the Power Down CBD Scented Candle. The scent matches the Bath Melt, so you get twice the calming for one indulgent soak.
3. Switch to decaf
Bad news, coffee lovers: caffeine can actually exacerbate anxiety thanks to the buzzy, switched-on feeling it gives you and the fact that it’s a stimulant. So, if you suspect your morning coffee could be making you more anxious, it might be time to switch to decaf or swap it for hot water with a squeeze of lemon.
If you’re a fan of herbal tea, you could even add a CBD boost with a dropper of the high-strength, orange-flavoured Bright Days CBD Oil Drops. Simply give your tea a good stir before you sip, then enjoy the juicy infusion.
4. Engage in exercise
Did you know? Serotonin is an anti-anxiety neurochemical that is released when you exercise, which explains why so many turn to movement as a form of therapy. So, try going for a run, hitting the gym, or doing a YouTube cardio class when anxious thoughts creep in, and the sheer exhaustion alone – never mind the flood of serotonin – might be enough to switch your stressed-out mindset.
5. Improve your sleep routine
Poor sleep and anxiety often go hand in hand with one another. When you’re tired, everything feels worse – every worry can seem insurmountable. So, to try and dial down anxious feelings day to day, work on improving your bedtime habits. Adding a sleep-supporting supplement to your routine is a quick, easy change you can make today. Try the delicious, vegan Sleep Gummies. All you have to do is take two gummies one hour before bed for a dose of calming vitamins and herbal extracts, including Vitamin B6, Zinc and Lemon Balm.
Or, make CBD part of your night routine with the new Good Night CBD Gummies. They team the power plant with Terpenes and Valerian, a herb that some believe may offer mind-calming, sleep-promoting properties.
6. Eat a balanced diet
When you’re hungry or dehydrated, your mood will often be affected (hangry vibes, anyone?). You might have even noticed a pattern of anxiety whenever you’ve skipped breakfast or haven’t drunk enough water. So, if anxious feelings are starting to surface, think back on what you’ve eaten that day, and try to maintain a balanced diet. That means plenty of water, vegetables, fruits and lean proteins to fuel and nurture your body. You don’t need to overhaul your eating habits drastically; simply ensure you’re getting enough of the good stuff throughout your day.
Make sure you’re getting enough of the right vitamins with supercharged supplements, too. Vitamin gummies are a quick, easy and delicious solution that make boosting your well-being almost too simple. Try the De-Stress Gummies, which we’ve packed with Vitamin B6, a mind-kind ingredient that promotes normal psychological function. It also reduces tiredness and fatigue – two all too common side effects of anxiety.
7. Make yourself laugh
We know – when you’re anxious, the very last thing you feel like doing is laughing. That’s why you might need a little help from a podcast, or a TV show, or a chat with a friend. It’s worth digging deep for laughter, because it releases all kinds of feel-good hormones in your body, including cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline) and dopamine. So, next time something makes you laugh, mentally file it away for the future, then try to call it back to the front of your mind as anxious feelings rise up.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for anxiety?
The 3-3-3 rule is said to help ease or distract you from your anxiety. Try it by:
- Looking around you and first naming three things you see.
- Listening carefully and naming three things you hear.
- Moving three parts of your body and naming them as you go.
By the end, many say they feel calmer and more focused.
Using CBD in your daily routine
Anxiety can often happen when you’re pushed outside of your comfort zone, and the daily habits that ground you are pushed to their limits. That’s why, where possible, it’s important to maintain some sense of a routine each day. Small healthy habits are easier to follow than bigger life changes, so stick with little things that feel familiar.
For us, an easy ritual involves taking our CBD each day, whether that’s chewing two orange-flavoured CBD Gummies or enjoying the Night-Time CBD Oil Drops after brushing our teeth. It’s one of many things we love about CBD – how simple it is to work into your day. Check out what Claudia Winkleman’s CBD routine looks like for more inspiration.
Up next: Are you a CBD beginner? Discover 5 of the most common CBD myths – all debunked.
