I suffer from anxiety and have for several years. I know many others who do as well. I understand why I do. I understand the stress I am under and why I choose to continue to do the things that I do that cause the stress. But this does not seem to help me with anxiety. I always thought anxiety was a product of uncertainty and not knowing.  But I know.

This blog post is even a product of anxiety because I was writing this in my head while I was trying to sleep the other night and then I remembered my secret weapon. And after stewing for about 30 minutes as to why it took me so long to think of this remedy, I finally took it, relaxed and went off to sleep.

Let me know if this sounds familiar:

• Do you find yourself lying in bed at night, wide awake, with an overactive brain and a pain in your chest that makes you wonder if you are going to die?
• Does the pressure of needing to get things done actually make you do less?
• Do the butterflies in your stomach make you feel like throwing up?
• Do you sometimes wish you did not need sleep because you could really use the extra time – after all you can’t relax to go to sleep so it would be great if you could just skip it…

If so, then you know what anxiety feels like and this is what I have been experiencing this summer. And I thought I had my anxiety under control but apparently not.

The frustrating part is intellectually I understand what I have taken on and the short time frame to execute these tasks. I am sure you do as well. So if we understand it, then why do we feel the anxiety and why can’t we just turn if off?

As I lie in bed at night, I frequently tell myself “I get it – I am anxious. So brain – knock it off so I can go to sleep” Doesn’t work.

What does work? Here are some basics:

Exercise During The Day: Making sure you get some physical exercise will help the brain relax and also help reduce anxiety. One study found that people who did 150 minutes of exercise per week had a better quality sleep and more energy and focus during the day. Exercise also has been shown to lower anxiety and depression.  Just do not do strenuous exercise close to bedtime.

Boost GABA: This is the neurotransmitter that helps keep us calm. If you are someone who chooses to smoke dope to calm down, you are raising your GABA levels and that is why you feel so relaxed. Studies show that GABA is effective when taken as a supplement, usually showing a benefit within an hour. Low progesterone in women can interfere with GABA which may be why women experience more anxiety in the latter part of their cycle.

Up Magnesium Levels: A deficiency has been linked to disruption of the HPA axis which regulates our stress response and may contribute to anxiety.

Feed The Gut: Dysbiosis (lack of good bacteria) has also been linked to interfering with the HPA axis. Probiotics can help with anxiety along with other gut health strategies.

Meditate: Yes, I hate to say it since it never works for me but if you are able to control your mind through the practice of mediation, then you have a an ability to eliminate anxiety when it strikes. Mindful meditation has been shown to help with reducing the occurrence of anxiety.

These are simple strategies that can help but I do have a secret weapon which I discovered by accident. I was trying to have a nap but the chest pain from the anxiety was so annoying and disruptive, it would not let me sleep. At the time, I thought the pain was due to gastritis and damage to my esophagus from taking too many supplements (at once) which tend to get stuck. My remedy for gastritis is a combination of honey, turmeric and black pepper. To that I always add cinnamon to make it taste better.

So I took the remedy, thinking it may help and sooth my esophagus as well and within 20-30 minutes I literally felt myself relax. I did not expect this – it was not why I took it but I had inadvertently discovered a means to lower anxiety and relax, with no supplements to get stuck in my throat.

As a matter of fact, I have never had a supplement provide such a noticeable result.

In researching the ingredients, I found studies that indicated honey, cinnamon and turmeric all lower anxiety and of course, black pepper is known to aid the absorption of nutrients.  So the next time you feel those butterflies in your stomach and the pounding of your heart in your chest because your brain will not stop talking to you, try this:

1 tbsp raw honey

1/8 tsp turmeric*

1/8 tsp real Ceylon cinnamon*

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Mix it together in a small bowl and eat it with a spoon.

*You can use as much as 1/4 tsp each of the cinnamon and turmeric if you like but you may need a bit more honey to have it mix well. If you are not sure how you react to turmeric or cinnamon, start with 1/8 tsp as per the recipe.

In about 30 minutes you should feel this sense of peace and wellbeing as you calm down. This is not just for sleeping, it will calm you down for daytime activities as well.

If you have any great, natural anxiety-lowering techniques, please share in the comment section.

PS. I started feeling anxious as I wrote this. I guess I am just too excited to share this with you.

PPS: Ceylon cinnamon is the one that is used in studies (all studies for cinnamon including for blood sugar) to show benefits. Unless you buy a brand that states it is real Ceylon cinnamon or cinnamomum zeylanicum, then you are probably buying Cassia cinnamon which is not the one you want. I buy the one from Roots Alive which can be found at the health food store. It comes in a 200 g bag so it is also a good value.

References:

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