How To Calm Anxiety: 6 Ways To Cure Nervousness And Boost Confidence

Known as the anxiety disorder, this condition may be easily dismissed as overreacting or overthinking but it’s an actual illness that should be addressed right away.

What exactly is anxiety disorder?

Defined by experts as a term that covers a wide range of various psychiatric disorders, it’s a condition where the sufferer experiences an overwhelming feeling of fear, anxiety, or panic. 

It often results in having an extended duration or a severe reaction that is disproportionate to the trigger.

It also typically manifests in physical discomforts like increased heart rate, hyperventilation, and shakiness.

It might not sound too serious to some people, but it can come to a point that the sufferer will be incapacitated by the overwhelming rush of emotions. The severe panic attacks that can come with the condition make things worse.

Anxiety disorders affect sufferers in various ways, depending on which condition they have. Some can still function like everybody else but with a lingering feeling of fatigue.

Some sufferers also exhibit behavioral changes and resort to isolation which makes it difficult for them to live normally.

The good news is, easing anxiety is not impossible to do. There are lots of ways how to manage and treat the condition to improve your mental state in the long run.

There are even a number of natural ways how to go about it that can work for a lot of sufferers.

What are they? We’ll discuss them in detail below:

Before we discuss the best natural ways in getting rid of anxiety, it’s important to figure out whether you are actually suffering from the condition. Even experts say that it can be hard to tell “normal” anxiety and anxiety disorder.

So, aside from seeing a doctor, what are the other signs that can tell you if you might be suffering from such an ailment?

Here are a few common symptoms of anxiety disorders that can clue you in if you’re suffering from it:

If you’ve noticed these symptoms and you feel like the overwhelming feelings of fear and anxiety are already affecting your day-to-day life, seeing a doctor would be a great idea. This can help you get a diagnosis and address your condition properly.

Wondering what can be causing your anxiety? Even experts aren’t completely sure what causes anxiety disorders. They presume it’s a mix of environmental factors, changes in your brain, and genetics.

Doctors believe that some people are more prone to having the condition than others, however.

There are also some cases wherein the disorder is a symptom of another condition. In such instances, it becomes a physical ailment more than a psychiatric one.

Looking for ways how to cure anxiety? There are actually lots that you can do to manage this condition.

These techniques can help reduce its frequency and severity and might even completely help you recover from the condition in the long run:

If you’ve been trying to get in better shape in any way lately, it will seem like everyone’s just telling you to get moving.

Exercise seems like the catch-all solution for various health issues and if you’ll think about it, it actually makes perfect sense.

It’s no secret that physical activity works wonders on your body. It feels quite magical, really, as it’s what every expert will tell you to do if something’s wrong with your health. If you’re wondering why it’s because it’s the best tool in combating stress.

How? Experts say that it’s mainly because of these three things:

When you’re stressed, your body produces more stress hormones known as cortisol and adrenaline. These make it impossible for you to relax when you need it the most.

If you have a general anxiety disorder, your adrenaline and cortisol levels will also be elevated. 

The anxiety, worry, and tension you’ll feel are all counted as stress, so the connection between stress and stress hormones should be expected.

By exercising, however, you can actually lower your cortisol levels. The physical activity can help clear your mind, letting you stop worrying and allowing you to relax a bit.

Some experts also say that being forced to breathe deeper help in clearing out your mind and relaxing your tense body muscles. These can then help in calming you down.

It can also induce the release of endorphins which lessens the feelings of pain and triggers a positive feeling. It can then boost your mood right away, switching your frown upside down.

Stress and sleeplessness is a deadly combination even if you don’t have anxiety because of its vicious cycle so you can expect it to be worse for those with anxiety.

If you don’t get enough sleep, you’ll feel lethargic and sluggish. You’ll also be irritable because you’re tired. 

It’s also highly likely that you’ll be more stressed because you’re just not performing the way you want to.

And as stress is a major cause of sleeplessness, being stressed can also keep you from getting ample shut-eye. This can then result in you not getting enough sleep and ending up tired and irritable the next day.

These can then make your anxiety worse as studies show the link between sleeplessness and anticipatory anxiety.

It turns out, sleep deprivation can trigger parts of your brain that will make it harder for you to process emotions.

Exercise, however, can help you sleep better as it busts stress hormones quite effectively. It can then help you relax and lower your stress levels, letting you function better during the day.

Exercise also has a psychological effect that’s hard to achieve through other means. It boosts confidence in many mostly because of the endorphins released in your system.

There’s also the fact that you know that you’re doing something good for your well-being that you’ll start to feel better about yourself. These can then help improve your mental state and keep anxiety at bay.

At this point, it’s not a question of can you get rid of anxiety with exercise but which exercises will help you get the job done.

According to experts, stretching and cardio workouts are your best bets if you want to reduce anxiety through exercise. 

Cardio is highly recommended by experts because of its effective ability to get your heart pumping. It’s also one of the easiest ways to get you moving which is the very first step to getting in better shape.

The fact that there are tons of different ways how you can enjoy cardio makes it all the more a better option for those with anxiety.

It can help you choose the method you’re comfortable with but you can also take the opportunity to try something new and challenge yourself for the better.

Stretching is another highly recommended method as it can also help you focus on the mindful part of the routine.

Yoga, for example, consists of a wide array of stretching and mindful exercises. Its combination will help you get a good workout while improving your mental well-being.

You can also opt for a sport or other physical activities to get the workout you need to combat anxiety. As long as you enjoy the activity and you’re willing to do it, then it can be a great way to use exercise to manage your anxiety disorder.

Often recommended to insomniacs to help them sleep better, writing down your worries and fears can help you face what’s stressing you out even if they’re just words on paper.

By doing this, you’re taking the first step in clearing your mind and recognizing what’s eating you.

It will be a lot like pouring what’s running in your head into a piece of paper so you can release the pent up stress that they’re causing you as well.

It lets you express what you’re thinking about without the fear of any judgment or backlash from your listener.

Paper is pretty neutral and won’t react violently to your thoughts. This gives you a safe space for your worries, letting you come into terms with them in your own pace.

The act of writing your thoughts down is also believed to be quite therapeutic. While you write down what worries you, you can take the time to reflect and contemplate each worry. You might even be able to assess whether they’re worth worrying about or not.

How to calm anxiety with this trick? Experts recommend allocating some time in your daily schedule for some expressive writing.

Doing this regularly will help you prevent a build-up of stressors, improve your sleep, and let you perform your tasks better.

This might sound easier said than done but practicing mindfulness is possibly the best way to ease and reduce anxiety.

By practicing mindfulness, you can direct your mind towards positive things and keep your mind off harmful ones.

What is mindfulness exactly, you might be wondering?

You don’t really have to meditate to do this technique as there are lots of other activities that will let you be with your calm thoughts. If you’re very anxious, however, guided meditations can be of great help to you.

There are classes that you can sign up for this and they tend to be very helpful. If you’re not too keen on trying to relax around complete strangers, you can also opt for online guides and tutorials in meditation.

Aside from meditation, you can also do other activities to practice mindfulness.

Experts recommend the following activities to help you get in touch with your thoughts better without meditating:

What goes in your body has a great impact on your health so it shouldn’t be too far-fetched that your diet also has an effect on your anxiety.

What you eat can have an effect on how you feel, so if you eat the wrong things, it can make your anxiety worse.

For example, complex carbohydrates are recommended for those with anxiety disorders because the body metabolizes them slowly and steadily.

Because of this, your blood sugar level is maintained at an even level. It can then help you feel calmer.

Foods rich in zinc, omega-3 fatty acid, and vitamin B are also said to help reduce anxiety.

Certain food items are also considered as “feel good foods” that can boost the body’s release of dopamine and serotonin. Regular consumption of these food items can also help in easing anxiety in sufferers.

While a lot of people turn to alcoholic beverages to unwind, they’re not exactly the best drinks if you’re suffering from anxiety. According to experts, heavy and long-term drinking can worsen your anxiety.

Some might argue that they have actually experienced relaxation after knocking a few bottles so why not drink to unwind? Alcohol is a known depressant and sedative so it can help you loosen up and relax.

It can help you take off your mind from your worries like some anti-anxiety medications do. So, yes, if you’ll think about it, alcohol should be an effective food item to ease your anxiety easily.

The only problem with alcohol is, you can build a tolerance in the consumption of these food items.

As a result, you’ll eventually lose its positive anti-anxiety effects. You’ll then need to drink more if you want to get stuff off your mind. 

This can then take a toll on your physical and mental well-being. As a result, drinking alcohol regularly isn’t a good, natural way to get rid of anxiety.

Another food item that you should stop consuming if you have anxiety is caffeine. Why? The biggest reason would be the fact that it puts your body on edge. Being a stimulant, it can get your heart and mind racing and your hands shaking.

It stimulates your body’s fight or flight response which is also the very thing that makes you very anxious.

So if you’re already anxious and you’ll still drink caffeine that can make you even more anxious, you can expect a bad time.

Being a stimulant also makes it bad for your shut-eye which, in turn, is essential in combating anxiety.

Caffeine’s effects will linger in your system for up to four to five hours, so if you drink a cup of jo late in the evening, it can also sabotage your zzz’s.

Like any other condition, you can also opt to take supplements for anxiety. There are tons of products available so you have lots of choices when it comes to which one to take.

Most of them are generally safe to take but there can be instances where their ingredients can interact with other medications. This is why you still need to carefully choose which one to take.

Among our top recommended supplements for anxiety are NooCube and Mind Lab Pro.

These two nootropics offer highly effective formulations. These make them beneficial for those who are suffering from anxiety. 

To know more about benefits of using Mind Lab Pro read my product review here:

If you’ve struggled in finding ways how to cure anxiety, these tips might just be able to help you out.

These all-natural techniques can be safe options in addressing your condition so they can be worth a shot. 

They’re also very easy to execute even though they will require some determination and willpower to get started. Give them a try and you might just find yourself in a better state of mind after a while.