Professional strategies and "home remedies" can help you suppress occasional anxiety as well as more consistent anxiety associated with a diagnosed anxiety disorder. For these strategies to help you suppress your anxiety over the long term, you should implement them as permanent changes to your lifestyle. Leading a healthy lifestyle can also improve your fitness and energy levels as well as helping to control your anxiety.
Step 1
Eliminate foods and habits that can exacerbate anxiety from your daily diet and routine. For example, if you smoke, quit, and if you drink multiple cups of coffee a day, limit yourself to one cup a day or switch to decaffeinated coffee. Nicotine and caffeine, both stimulants, can heighten anxiety, according to MayoClinic.com. Alcohol can also exacerbate anxiety, so avoid it entirely or strictly limit your drinking.
Step 2
Choose healthy foods and avoid snacking on high-fat or high-sugar foods. A healthy diet should emphasize whole grains, low-fat dairy products and fruits and vegetables, and should include lean meats, nuts, legumes and eggs, according to the CDC. Eating small meals throughout the day can help manage your blood sugar and lower anxiety, according to MayoClinic.com. Include foods that provide omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Sources of omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, walnuts, canola oil and flaxseed, according to the CDC. Include food sources of tryptophan, an amino acid that can improve your mood, in your daily diet. Food sources of tryptophan include milk, cheese, soy, nuts, peanut butter and bananas.
Step 3
Exercise on a daily basis. Aerobic exercise can improve your mood, lower your risk of depression and increase your energy levels, according to the CDC. Good sources of aerobic exercise include, running, walking briskly, biking, swimming or working out on an elliptical trainer or stair-climber.
Step 4
Leave time in your schedule for a good night's sleep each night. You should get about seven or eight hours of sleep a night. If you have trouble sleeping or think you may have insomnia, consult a doctor.
Step 5
Experiment with meditation, yoga and other relaxation techniques. These practices can help lessen anxiety, according to MayoClinic.com.
Tips and Warnings
- If your anxiety interferes with your ability to function in daily life, you should seek professional help. If you consistently experience excessive anxiety and worry without cause, you may have an anxiety disorder. Seek treatment early on for this condition before it worsens.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Anxiety---Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- MayoClinic.com: Depression and Anxiety---Exercise Eases Symptoms
- MayoClinic.com: Coping with Anxiety---Can Diet Make a Difference?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Nutrition for Everyone---Unsaturated Fat
