DID YOU KNOW? June 10th is Action Anxiety Day
June 10th is World Anxiety Day, known as Action Anxiety Day
We often hear the term, yet how do we define or describe anxiety?
According to Oxford Languages Dictionary, anxiety is:
noun
- a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.
- desire to do something, typically accompanied by unease.
psychiatry
- a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with compulsive behaviour or panic attacks.
Then there’s the Ayurvedic or wholistic perspective of anxiety: a hormonal imbalance of cortisol levels, which disrupts the natural balance within the body.
No matter which definition suits you during a moment of anxiety, it’s important to begin identifying what may be causing it. This starts with taking a moment to breathe. Sounds simple enough right?
It is, and yet taking a pause may seem impossible in the moment. It is vital once you remember to just try it. This pause (or breath) requires the mind and body to stop and send signals to calm the nervous system. You can then take some additional small steps to bring balance to your body, such as:
- practicing focusing on something you love to quiet the mind;
- observing your emotions, noticing what else you feel, thus beginning to regulate them;
- and gentle movements like walking or stretching.
All these activities you hear about often, but what about alternatives? For some of us, yoga and meditation are great, and for others, these activities seem to make us think too much. The key is learning to gradually make changes not only calming anxiety but also calming the nervous system as a whole.
Ayurveda looks at the mind, body and spirit as a whole, which means looking at some of the signals the body produces to alert an individual that something is out of balance or that your natural state tends to be anxious. Today we will look at one Ayurvedic dosha referred to as Vata.
Vata includes the elements of ether and air. Individuals with an imbalance (vitiation) of Vata, tend to have cold feet and hands, they are creative, active, alert yet restless, wake easily, have little willpower, their reasoning power is weak, and they can be nervous or fearful. A few more potential conditions could be a variable appetite and digestion, which means they tend to skip meals or forget to eat altogether. They may crave sweet, sour, and salty tastes and like hot drinks. The production of urine is scanty, and their bowel movements are often dry. They may even battle chronic constipation.
So to quiet anxiety in people with these conditions, one will need to balance Vata. Some effective techniques to pacify Vata are things like:
- drinking a calming herbal tea made up of valerian root and must;
- taking a relaxing bath with ginger and baking soda;
- drinking a cup of warm milk (or milk alternative) before bed;
- if your anxiety has your heart rate elevated, drink a cup of orange juice with a teaspoon of honey and nutmeg powder.
When there has been an imbalance in the body for long periods, seeking assistance with herbs, lifestyle changes and creating regular routines may be necessary.
There are two other types of doshas, which include Pitta and Kapha. Do you know which dosha influences your body and behaviours? Book today to discover your dosha type and how best to support yourself!
Book with Emma: https://thesamadhitree.com/our-team/emma-pavich/.
(Book an Ayurvedic Initial Consultation to discover your doshas or book a Marma Point Therapy session to soothe your nervous system)