Do you know what to do when anxiety spikes??

Have you found an effective way to quiet the “monkey mind” of all the what ifs and worries so you can find natural anxiety relief?

 

Do you ever feel like your brain just won’t take a break from the hamster wheel? Are you lying awake at night, unable to sleep because you feel restless even though you’re exhausted? Natural anxiety relief never feels further away. 

If you suffer from anxiety, I’m sure you’ve experienced the above situations or something very similar to them! As an anxiety warrior myself, I know how easily anxiety can spike and make you feel completely overwhelmed and full of fear and worry.  

One of the most perplexing things about anxiety is it looks and feels different for everyone. Some of us manifest different symptoms at different times, and some of us have the same recurring symptoms when anxiety spikes. I know for me, I’ve had numerous symptoms of anxiety that seem to evolve and change depending on where I’m at in my life.

Because it can look so different each time, I’ve found one of the best solutions is to have an “anxiety tool kit” ready at all times. This tool kit is an array of options I always have available to me so I am prepared with many different natural solutions to find relief! 

So what are these natural solutions? How do you best use and implement them? And how might you choose which one could be best for you?  

In this post, I’m going to take you through five of my favorite anxiety relief tools I’d recommend to have at your disposal:

• Eating a healthy, balanced meal
• Lemon Balm tea and tinctures
• Tulsi Tea and supplementation
• Taking a “breath break”
• Easy yoga pose (Feet Up the Wall and Corpse)

So, if you’re currently finding yourself dealing with spikes of anxiety and all the what ifs and worries, then this post is for you! Get ready to feel empowered to find your relief!

 

Natural Anxiety Relief Tool #1 | Eating a healthy, balanced meal

Because I’m a Holistic Nutritionist, I’m sure you guessed this one was coming!

But why is eating a healthy, balanced meal a solution to a spike in anxiety?

One of the biggest reasons is because anxiety can be caused by a blood sugar imbalance. Anxiety can especially spike when there is a big drop in blood sugar, which causes a production of cortisol – the stress hormone!

I see this quite often with my clients. They get up early after not sleeping well, start chugging coffee because they need the caffeine to wake up, and then maybe eat a granola bar on their way out the door. Five hours later after being glued to their computer; they’ve eaten nothing else; their caffeine buzz has worn off; and they feel restless, jittery, worried, and cannot focus whatsoever.

Sound familiar?

Some of my clients even feel like they’re starting to have an anxiety attack where their heart begins to race and their breathing starts to come closer to hyperventilation.

A HUGE reason why this happens is because when your blood sugar drops, it throws off your body’s natural flow of energy production. And again, this spikes the production of your stress hormone, cortisol, which only fuels your anxiety flare!

When this happens and your anxiety spikes, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to sit down to a healthy, balanced meal.

How do you know if what you’re eating is healthy and balanced? Here are your key points to remember to create a meal to relieve anxiety:

• Keep it organic
• Choose whole foods over processed foods
• Make sure it includes something green (not green M&Ms: I’m talking about a green vegetable here) 😉
• Make sure it includes complex carbohydrates, plant-based protein, and healthy fats

Remember: you are what you eat. And if you’re eating crappy, processed, junk food all the time, guess what? You’re going to feel crappy, fatigued, and junky all the time!

So when anxiety spikes and you need some relief, use the power of food as medicine and bring yourself back to feeling focused, calm and free of worry!

If you want to learn MORE about incorporating an anxiety relief diet, you can read any of these other blogs I’ve created just for you!

3 Smoothie Recipes for Anxiety Relief

Simple Steps to Relieve Anxiety with your Diet

How Diet Contributes to Fatigue & Anxiety

 

Natural Anxiety Relief Tool #2 | Lemon Balm Tea and Tinctures

One beautiful little herbal tincture I carry with me ALL THE TIME, is Melissa Officinalis, also known as Lemon balm. This beautiful and powerful herb has been well researched (like in this article), and there are studies that support its effectiveness in anxiety relief. 

Lemon balm and I have been best friends for a long time, and that’s because it is effective at calming anxiety in the moment! It is a wonderful remedy to use when you have a spike in anxiety and need to get yourself calmed down quickly.  

For example, one of the triggers I have for anxiety spikes is feeling rushed. The moment I feel behind, like someone is waiting for me or I am late for an appointment, BOOM! My anxiety starts to go through the roof!

When this happens, I immediately dig into my purse and pull out my lemon balm tincture. I take a full dropper of the tincture, take a deep breath, and then continue on my day.

It does take a few minutes for the lemon balm to start working, but just knowing relief is coming helps me feel better! But my favorite thing about lemon balm is how portable it is and that it can come everywhere with me!

I started using lemon balm when I got back in the dating world after my divorce; I’d get really nervous about going out on dates. The excessive nervousness was so bad I’d have to take some lemon balm about 15-20 minutes prior to my dates just to make sure I wasn’t freaking out with anxiety when my date arrived!

Another great thing about lemon balm is that you can also find it as an herbal tea and drink it throughout the day. Some clients I’ve worked with have found they like it best at night to help calm them down before bedtime. I’ve also had clients who love drinking it three times a day to keep their moods calmer throughout the day.

Whatever you’re called to try, do it!  

Even though lemon balm teas and tinctures are pretty easy to find at just about any health food store, I highly recommend getting it from reputable companies and sources. One of my favorite companies for tincture is Herb Pharm, and you can get it directly through my online dispensary (Simply search “Lemon Balm Herb Pharm” after you create your account):

Nutrition 27 online dispensary

If you’re more into teas than tinctures, Traditional Medicinals brand makes an amazing Lemon Balm tea I find at many local health food stores.

If you haven’t tried lemon balm yet when anxiety strikes, I’d highly recommend having some on hand for when you’re looking for an immediate way to find natural relief! 

 

Natural Anxiety Relief Tool #3 | Tulsi Tea and Supplementation

Another quick and easy anxiety reliever to have in your tool kit is some Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil.  

Tulsi can be incorporated into your routine either by drinking teas or by taking supplements. Personally, I’ve found the tea to be quite refreshing at all times of day, and being that it is caffeine free, it’s a great one to use at night too.

Tulsi seems to be one of the herbal remedies my clients most enjoy. I’ve incorporated this tea into dozens of healing plans at the time of writing this post, and it has been very effective for my tribe!

I love the brand Organic India (also available at my online dispensary) for the Tulsi Teas. They even make a few that contain green tea (so you can have a touch of caffeine if you’re weaning off coffee) or plenty of herbal options if you’re caffeine free.  

I’ve personally been loving the Tulsi Peppermint flavor lately because it is very cooling and refreshing for a desert summer!  

I also love to use their Tulsi Sweet Rose flavor too, as rose is a powerful plant for cultivating self-love and self-worth. (Always important for anxiety warriors.)

And if tea isn’t your thing (Hey, I get it. It’s not for everyone!), there are some great capsules you can get through my dispensary from Gaia Herbs. The liquid phytocaps that Gaia makes are easily absorbed in the body and very effective in helping to reduce stress and relieve anxiety. Simply search for “Holy Basil Gaia Herbs” after you create your account and it will come right up in the search.

 

Natural Anxiety Relief Tool #4 | Taking a “Breath Break”

One of the simplest and easiest things you can do when you’re having an anxiety flare up is take a “breath break.”

I know you’ve probably heard of breathing as a natural anxiety relief remedy before, but if you’re here reading this article, you probably needed the reminder. 😉

Your breath is an amazing gift, and sadly, most of us are terrible breathers. And what I mean by terrible is we, sadly, have forgotten how to breathe correctly!

Breathing is meant to be DEEP breathing.  I’m sure we’ve all seen, either in person or on a video, a new born baby sleeping. Do you remember how the baby’s belly rises and falls? That is exactly the way we all need to be breathing, but most of us just aren’t!

Taking a “breath break” is a great way to get your “rest and digest” nervous system activated and calm your anxiety down in the moment.  And it’s as easy as this:

1. Take a break from whatever you are doing.
2. Move your body into a comfortable position. (Get outside and ground into the earth if you can and have time!)
3. Take a moment and just notice where your breathing is at right now. (Is it shallow? Does it feel restricted? Does it feel fast-paced?) No need to judge, just notice your starting point.
4. Slowly inhale through your nose, and count. (It doesn’t matter if you inhale to a count of 2 or 6, just do your best to make it slow and even.)
5. Pause for one moment at the top of your inhale.
6. Slowly exhale out your mouth, and count. (Make a “sigh” sound if you can. Again, it doesn’t matter what the count is, just do your best and keep it slow and even like the inhale.)
7. Pause for one moment at the bottom of your exhale.
8. Repeat steps 4-7 as many times as you have time for!

Going through this simple “breath break” for 2 minutes can be beneficial, butf you have the time, working up to 5 or even 10 minutes can offer you longer-lasting anxiety relief!

I love this simple tool because it can be done ANYWHERE at ANYTIME. We always have to breathe anyway! (You know, since oxygen is required to live and all.) So by taking this extra step to be mindful of your breath, and ensure you’re using your full breath, you can find a deeper sense of calm and comfort throughout your day when you notice your anxiety flaring up!

 

Natural Anxiety Relief Tool #5 | Legs up the Wall & Corpse Yoga Poses

Okay, so I’ve talked to you about some diet, herb, and supplement ideas for natural relief from anxiety. And we’ve touched on the power of focusing on your breath for anxiety relief in the moment, too.  

The last thing I want to introduce you to is two simple yoga poses that are amazing tools to calm an anxiety spike!

These aren’t necessary poses you’re going to want to incorporate while you’re out shopping or while you’re at the office (unless you’re brave!), but when you’re at home (or even out in nature) they are wonderful tools to use. Both poses are pretty much exactly like they sound, but let me explain each of them for you.

 

Legs Up the Wall Pose (aka Feet up the Wall Pose):

As you could have guessed, this pose involves putting your feet and legs up the wall!⁠

This pose is an excellent way to help calm the body down and reset and activate the Rest & Digest nervous system. In times of stress or on difficult days, this powerful pose can help to bring you more peace, comfort, and tranquility.⁠ Even if you can get into this pose for 2-5 minutes, you’ll experience its powerful benefits! 

To gently move into this pose, scoot your bottom all the way up against a wall while on your side. Then, rotate onto your back and lift your feet up against the wall! Keep the legs extended and the feet flat.

For beginners, or those with more limited mobility, if it is uncomfortable to straighten your legs, you can use a chair. Simply lay on the floor, fold your legs at a 90 degree angle at the knees, and rest your calves on the seat. This makes the posture easier, and it is still very effective in helping to calm the mind and body.⁠

 

Corpse Pose (see woman laying down in photo above):

Like Legs Up the Wall pose, this pose is similar to how it sounds. (Except you’re alive and breathing!)

To get into Corpse pose, lay flat on your back with your arms at your side. You can lie on a yoga mat, on the ground, or on a sofa or bed to make sure you’re comfortable!

Once you are flat on your back, rotate your palms up, relax your shoulders, and let your feet comfortably fall apart. Just lie there and be still. (Oh, and try not to fall asleep!)

That’s it!

 

When you get into either of these positions, the key piece is to just BE. Sit in silence, focus on breathing in slowly and gently through your nose, and exhale slowly and gently through your nose. Be still, and just focus on your breath.⁠

These two powerful, yet simple, yoga poses are great options you have available whenever you need natural anxiety relief! Remember, just two to five minutes in either pose can do wonders to help bring calm, tranquil, peaceful emotions back into your day.⁠  

 

Know Your Natural Anxiety Relief Tools Before Anxiety Spikes

 

So are you ready to expand your anxiety relief tool kit?

If you’re currently dealing with spikes of anxiety and all the what ifs and worries, I hope you’ve learned a few new tools to incorporate for anxiety relief! 

Remember, anxiety looks and feels different for everyone, and so does each person’s toolkit.

Some individuals find loads of relief just by incorporating some herbs. Some find that making healthy dietary changes is enough. And some people even find that some yoga and breathing provide all the anxiety relief they need! If you’re still trying to figure out what tools might work for you, I encourage you to give these natural tools a try to see how they work for YOU. 

As you try them out, remember that part of the solution lies in you having them available when anxiety spikes! This is instrumental for finding relief when you need it.  

If you need to, keep a memo on your phone of these options or bookmark this page, so you remember the tools you have in your toolkit when anxiety has your mind cluttered with worry. Having the supplements/teas on hand and some healthy meal options in your home prior to needing them is going to be important, too!

When you do give them a try, I encourage you to be gentle with yourself and remember healing takes time. It may take a few days or even weeks to get the full benefits of your new tools. So do your best, keep practicing, and have patience as much as you can.

If you want a more customized tool box for your anxiety relief, I’d be honored to create one for you! 

I’m always excited to speak with you about what we can do together to help you align with your truest and highest self so you can alleviate anxiety for the long-haul.

Remember, you are worthy and deserving of  a calm, tranquil, peaceful, and quiet mind, dear ones!

You’ve got this, and I believe in YOU always!

 

Much Love,

Susan Renee

P.S.  Hungry for more natural anxiety relief tools?  Join my newsletter! It’s loaded with inspiration, anxiety-relieving tips, recipes, meal plans and more tools to help you find natural anxiety relief. I hope you’ll join me as I lead our tribe of peaceful warriors dedicated to finding natural anxiety relief!

P.S.S. If you liked this article, you may also like:

From Worrier to Warrior: A Journey to Anxiety Relief

From Anxiety to Trusting in Life’s Perfection

The Power of Positive Language for Anxiety Relief

7 Self-Care Practices to Cultivate Self-Love