When you have a headache, you’re supposed to take a pain reliever like Advil or Ibuprofen. Muscle relaxers like Aleve are used when you sleep wrong and your back is out of whack or you’re sore from overdoing it. When you’re sick, a doctor will prescribe an antibiotic, antihistamine, or steroids.
Medications are used as a quick-fix solution for fixing a person when they’re feeling less than one hundred percent. But what if you’re struggling with anxiety and aren’t exactly a fan of using medications?
If you’re not a fan of medication, you’re in luck. There are alternatives for managing anxiety. Let’s look at the different ways to manage anxiety without medication.
Make Nutrition a Priority
Taking care of yourself can help you feel good from the inside out. These include activities that are essential to meeting your basic human needs. Anxiety can cause you to fixate on how you’re feeling instead of what you need. Make sure you’re fueling your body so that it can perform to the best of its ability.
This means eating at least three to five healthy and well-balanced meals during your day. Try to avoid gravitating towards foods that are high in sugar or fat. You may crave these types of things when you’re feeling anxious or dressed, but they can actually leave you feeling worse in the long run.
Stick to a Sleep Schedule
Anxiety can cause you to lie awake at night instead of falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night. Instead of counting sheep, you’ll be focusing on the various thoughts circulating through your head. Getting on a sleep schedule and routine can help your body and brain naturally get tired and feel more awake at certain times during the day.
You should be aiming for at least eight hours of sleep each and every night. You can do this by going to bed at the same time each night and waking up around the same time each morning.
Move Your Body
You can take care of yourself even further by finding time each and every day to move your body. Exercise is proven to help one’s overall mental health and wellness. When you move your body, your brain releases those feel-good chemicals known as endorphins. These work to naturally reduce stress and anxiety and improve one’s mood.
Move your body by going to the gym, running or biking, or dancing around in your living room.
Practice Mindfulness
A lot of anxiety comes from worrying about past actions or future events that haven’t occurred yet. You can work towards bringing your body and mind back to the present moment with the help of mindfulness. Here are some of the different ways you can incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine:
- Body scan
- Deep breathing
- Journaling
- Meditation
- Yoga
Do the Things You Love
Life is all about finding balance. It’s important to find time during your day to unplug from your work or even social media and technology to do the things that you love. Doing what you love is a form of self-care. Find activities that you enjoy that make you feel good and help you relax and unwind. This could include things like getting a massage, reading a book, going for walks, or spending time with friends or family. Make a list of things and activities that you love and go and do them!
Seek Additional Support
If you’re not a fan of medications, that shouldn’t prevent you from seeking additional support. There are several different ways that you can manage anxiety without medication. A therapist will be able to work with you to determine what’s best for you based on your signs and symptoms and overall goals of treatment. Reach out today to get started and learn more about anxiety counseling.
