Suffering from Anxiety? Consider these 4 Physical Interventions
written by
Veronica Max, APRN, FNP-C
There's been a lot of content in recent years about anxiety and most of it focuses on the "mental game" of anxiety - like having an awareness of anxious and worrisome thoughts, mindfulness, reframing anxious moments, etc. All of which are certainly helpful! Addressing one's "internal conversations" are important when seeking solutions for anxiety. But anxious thoughts are only part of the conversation. When you're anxious, your body is also telling you something.
Yes, anxiety often stems from and is symptom of deeper issues, unresolved traumas, and unexpressed emotions - which all get stored in the physical body. It's intertwined. And so the solutions to anxiety should also intertwine.
So while seeking mental and emotional support, we'd like to share ways you can also offer your body physical support.
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Generally speaking, when someone is anxious. Here's what happens...
The body increases cortisol and adrenaline levels (aka the "stress" hormones). Whenever the body experiences these kinds of "adrenaline rushes" it burns through the body's micronutrients. And when you take into consideration that we live in a "stressed out" society that consumes a calorie-rich and nutrient-poor diet, the persistent battle with anxiety starts to make more sense.
Anxiety can manifest physically in quite a few different ways. Some common anxiety symptoms include:
Chest pressure
Difficulty breathing
Shortness of breath
Nausea
Vomiting
My Own "A-ha!" About Anxiety
Like most people, I didn't realize that I was walking around anxious all the time. For me, I thought it was normal (or just annoyingly normal) that I felt easily flustered and constantly harried throughout the day. I was forgetting "little things" all the time and yet my mind was also always running and ruminating.
In hindsight, I can see that my body felt very buzzy; I had a lot of pent up energy inside of me. There was no inner sense of calm or stillness. Ever. And on some days, after having my morning coffee, I felt like I was crawling out of my skin.
But all of that was "normal." In my mind, it wasn't anxiety; it was just life. What else could I expect as a business owner and mother to 4 kids? This is how anyone would feel, right? ... Well, turns out, no. It doesn't have to feel like that.
When thing got bad enough, I finally forced myself to slow down, and support my body in ways that would calm down my entire nervous system. And since then, my life has objectively gotten more complex - with a growing business, moving houses (twice), and starting a school with my husband. All of these would have sent me back to a buzzing body and a running, ruminating mind. But instead, I've had such a stronger and steadier sense of stillness and calmness throughout.
f. Sometimes that might include working with a mental health professional. And in the journey to relief, there are some physical components that should also be part of the conversation when addressing anxiety.
Below is a short list with brief descriptions on some of those physical components and considerations. We encourage our UltraPersonal Healthcare members who are interested in learning more to reach out. We also have a "Calming Protocol" that'd we'd be happy to share with any members who would like a quick reference guide with more details. Just call or text us and we'll send it your way!
Going Outside
The body was "designed" for life outdoors, but modern society is designed for life indoors. It's no wonder that so many anxious moments feel like "the walls are closing in." The walls might actually be part of the issue.
When you go outside, your body responds. Light energy (UVA, UVB and red/IR light) allows vitamin cofactors and micronutrients to be used within your body. Sunlight also helps your body to produce 'happy chemicals" like serotonin, dopamine, proper GABA/glutamate balance, and more.
Another benefit of going outside is that it expands your peripheral vision, a process known as orienting. Orienting is what wild animals do after they have run from a predator. They then shake off excess, unused survival energy and then orient in order to help the nervous system know it is really safe. Plus, orienting with the head/neck by fully rotating from one side to the other activates the vagus nerve.
It's so easy to let your thoughts ruminate in a room. And when you go outside, there's a visceral response. An ease and calmness that comes from realizing (and re-realizing) that you're part of something bigger. It literally expands your awareness. (And now you can see how mental and physical solutions start to intertwine.)
If you're an UltraPersonal Healthcare member, ask your provider about our Sun Exposure Protocol for more details on how to support your body with intentional sun exposure.
Breathing
It's absolutely amazing how interconnected the breath is to the body. Certain types of breathing can relax you body and downgrade your parasympathetic nervous system, while other types of breathing can actually induce physical symptoms of anxiety.
Here are two of my personal favorite breathing exercises for calming the nervous system.
Pranayama Breathing and “Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia.”
Supplements to Consider
Before taking any supplementation, you should consult your healthcare provider. Generally speaking, the supplements we have found helpful are multiform magnesium (like chloride spray, magnesium glycinate, and others), L-theanine, and sometimes myoInosotol.
If you're an UltraPersonal Healthcare member and are curious about how supplements can help you from experiencing unnecessary anxiety (and it's physical symptoms), call or text us. We're happy to help you figure out which ones are best and at what dosages.
Avoid Coffee
So, I might have saved the more challenging one for last because I know that many of you read the subheading "avoid coffee," and scoffed with a, "yeah right."
But please, just hear me out.
Caffeine only makes your battle with anxiety that much harder. And drinking multiple cups of coffee each day makes finding relief from anxiety a steep uphill climb. (Pun intended.)
Our patients have cut back or cut out coffee with some of these tips and tricks:
Cut back on coffee over a period of a few weeks.
Delay drinking your coffee. When we wake up, our cortisol levels (a "stress" hormone) are high, because that's what helps up wake up. So drinking coffee only exacerbates those bodily stress levels. Delaying your coffee, by 2-3 hours after waking, gives your body time to deplete the cortisol because you introduce caffeine.
If drinking coffee, make it a vehicle for helpful nutrients, like l-glutamine or collagen.
If you love the ritual of coffee, consider starting your day with a different kind of warm beverage - herbal or decaf teas, cocoa tea, bone broth (a personal favorite), hot water with lemon, or mushroom coffee's like Chaga.
Give yourself a cutoff time. Strop drinking coffee sometime around noon.
Conclusion
Our providers are happy to listen and help if you feel like you're struggling with anxiety and/or experiencing physical symptoms that might be related to anxiety. Not only can we offer some physically-focused prescriptions, but we are also connected to a fantastic network of mental health professionals and other holistic options.
Call or text at: 512-489-9813
Or email us at: hello@ultrapersonalhealthcare.sprucecare.com