A Holistic Approach to Anxiety: How to Take Back Control

 Modern life is busy, busy, busy. With deadlines to meet, school pick-ups and drop-offs, and trying to earn a living whilst balancing a hundred other things at once, it is no wonder that as a species we have become overwhelmed. This has led to an increasing number of anxiety diagnoses across the UK.

It can feel like a lot to take back control when anxiety kicks in, but it is doable with time, patience, and consistency. Below, we look at how we can approach our anxiety holistically, to manage and treat symptoms.

Yoga

The true art of yoga is not about how flexible you can be or about how quickly you can move between poses, also known as asanas. Yoga is about a mind, body, and spirit connection in its purest form, and is a great way to come back to the body and the breath in times of anxiety and hardships.

Exercise in general is great for anxiety as it distracts the brain from intruding thoughts, and it also releases feel-good hormones like serotonin. A daily yoga practice could help you take back control of your anxiety, whether this is done at a yoga class or at home, following an online yoga video.

Breathwork

Breathwork is the art of connecting to the breath, controlling it, and focusing solely on it. In a lot of ways, this is a form of meditation where we focus on how we breathe, the sensations that arise, and how to release anxiety through deep breathing patterns. In fact, just breathing out for longer than you breathe in triggers a nervous system response and starts to relax you with just a few breaths.

There are a lot of different breathing techniques out there, so this depends on how far you want to go. An easy one to start with is the 5-5-5 method, which involves breathing in for a count of 5, breathing out for a count of 5, and repeating this 5 times. Doing this anytime you feel anxious can calm your mind and body and will allow you to manage your symptoms.

Acupuncture

Did you know that acupuncture is not just for aches and pains? Acupuncture, which involves the insertion of tiny needles into specific areas of your body, can promote energetic healing and could improve your anxiety symptoms. Before getting acupuncture in Bristol or the UK, the therapist will speak to you about what you want to get out of the session.

The therapist can then target specific areas which can stimulate feel-good hormones whilst reducing the level of the stress hormone, cortisol. If you are looking for Bristol Acupuncture, check out this experienced therapist in acupuncture who can assist you in overcoming and managing your anxiety symptoms.

These three holistic methods have been scientifically proven to help in treating and managing anxiety symptoms. The first step is finding a practice that makes you feel comfortable and works for you. This will be an ongoing process, but with time, you can take back control of your symptoms.