Anxiety can be a debilitating condition that can affect daily life. If you’re suffering from anxiety, there are a variety of ways to control the condition. One way to help get rid of anxiety is to take calming herbal remedies that will target anxiousness and alleviate stressful feelings.
About Anxiety
Anxiety is a broad term to describe a group of disorders that cause intense fear and worry. For many people with anxiety, the anxiousness is pervasive and occurs in situations that most people would not find worrying. Depending on the type of anxiety, the person may fear social situations or have certain specific phobias that cause them to panic or become extremely stressed.1
Anxiety can begin in early childhood and may be diagnosed as separation anxiety—when the child fears being separate from their parent. Anxiety that begins in childhood may carry over into adulthood. Some adults develop anxieties that they didn’t have during childhood.1
Anxiety is usually characterized by the suffering of episodes whereby the intensity of the anxiety peaks, causing what’s known as a panic attack. During these peaks, the person suffers a variety of physiological symptoms, including shallow breathing, elevated heart rate, excessive sweating or trembling.1
Natural Remedies for Anxiety
Anxiety doesn’t have to be a debilitating condition. You can get rid of anxiety with the right combination of calming exercises, self-care practices and herbs to reduce stress and tension. The following are the best natural products for easing nerves and anxiety:
St. John’s Wort - St. John’s Wort is an herbal remedy with sedative properties. It has been used traditionally to treat both anxiety and depression. Taking St. Jonh’s Wort for anxiety can help you to calm your nerves and relax tense muscles.2
Valerian - Valerian root is a versatile herbal remedy with many benefits for anxiety, depression and insomnia. For anxiety, valerian acts as a mild sedative by causing the brain to release a chemical called GABA into the brain—an inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces neuron activity and stops anxiety.3
Kava - Kava is a plant traditionally used for ceremonial purposes and it also acts as an inebriant. Kava contains compounds that activate chemicals in the brain that operate on the nervous system, delivering anti-anxiety effects similar to prescription pharmaceuticals.4
Passionflower - Passionflower is an herbal remedy taken to help with relaxation and for treating insomnia. As a natural calming herb, it may help some people with generalized anxiety disorder to alleviate mild anxiousness.5
Ashwagandha - Ashwagandha is used in Ayurvedic medicine as an adaptogen herb. It can be taken to treat anxiety and works by improving the body’s ability to adapt to stress responses so the effects of anxiety are minimized.6
GABA - GABA is gamma-aminobutyric acid—a neurotransmitter responsible for inhibiting stress and anxiety. Taking GABA supplements boosts the level of this chemical in the brain, alleviating feelings of anxiousness.7
References:
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-st-johns-wort/art-20362212
- https://draxe.com/valerian-root/
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/integrative-mental-health-care/201703/kava-is-effective-and-safe-treatment-anxiety
- https://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/herbs/passion-flower/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4270108/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12662130