Anxiety Slayer™ with Shann and Ananga
Health & Fitness:Mental Health
#476: We’re covering five common causes of anxiety to be mindful of. Listen in to know the triggers to look out for and how to stop them from escalating your anxiety.
Ayurveda (India’s ancient science of life) teaches that the over-stimulation of the nervous system is the leading underlying cause of anxiety.
Too much incoming information overloads our nervous system. Social media, news, intense movies, noise, change.
Many of us live with constant noise and visual stimulation, even when we’re in bed trying to sleep there may be the rumble of traffic or aircraft or some other noise – these things are agitating to our nervous systems, and our nervous system becomes overwhelmed and overtaxed, and then we start to experience anxiety.
Ayurveda teaches that the mind is very sensitive and easily disturbed.
That is true for all of us; it is the nature of the mind to be disturbed. Accepting that fact and knowing how to help the mind feel safe and calm is one of the great lessons of personal development.
Find out about getting support for calming anxiety with an Ayurvedic lifestyle consultation with Ananga
Caffeine is a primary culprit in provoking anxiety.
Symptoms caused by caffeine include:
feeling wired, anxious, or shaky
Coffee doesn’t give energy, it sets off a reaction in the body that provokes stress hormones to provide a burst of alertness.
Caffeine jolts the body into flight or fight mode.
Most relevant for Anxiety Slayer listeners to note is that caffeine can spark anxiety episodes because it can make us feel like we’re having an episode.
The physical responses to caffeine can feel the same as the symptoms of anxiety.
For example:
Look out for caffeine in over-the-counter medications, as well as in coffee and energy drinks.
When unwanted thoughts arise, they often trigger an anxiety story in our head - something we fear, something we want to avoid at all costs, but the mind gets hold of the thought and starts expanding it into anxious predictions and possible outcomes and we get dragged along for the ride.
What helps? We need to be mindfully engaged in whatever we’re doing. Even if it’s chopping vegetables, washing dishes, taking a shower, whatever the activity is, we need to practice being present in the moment.
(again from Ayurveda) Change can increase anxiety. Especially for the vata body type. We become unsettled and ungrounded when our days are disordered and erratic.
What helps?
Set yourself a daily routine and follow it as much as possible: Try and get up and go to bed at the same time each day Eat regular meals - this will also help keep your blood sugar steady
Eat breakfast: Favor a warm nourishing breakfast like oatmeal made with almond milk with some chopped dates and cinnamon.
Bring Warmth into your day: warm baths soft, warm bed
Practice replacing the need to be perfect and simply show up in your best light.
Please stop being too hard on yourself
What helps?
Replace your expectations with invitations and intentions
Self-compassion - Be gentle and loving with yourself
Do you dread upcoming social events?
Are you missing out on time with your family, or friends because you feel out-of-place in social situations?
We understand, Ananga suffered from severe social anxiety as a youth and Shann often experienced stress and social anxiety as a public speaker. In this course, we share the techniques we used to overcome social anxiety. And how you can too.
Learn How to Feel Calm and Confident in any Social Situation this Holiday Season.Journaling practices to clear your mind and ease anxiety
Best of Anxiety Slayer: How to Cultivate Mindfulness and Calm Anxiety with Marc Lesser
How to make choices that support anxiety recovery
Overcoming Health Anxiety: Healing practices to improve your mental well-being
How to stop your mind dwelling on unwanted thoughts
How to let go of your anxiety identity with John Strelecky
How to start your day with more peace
How New Year Resolutions can increase anxiety, and what to do instead
Quick and easy ways to feel calm again when anxiety flares
Anxiety Slayer Best of 2022 How can I help myself when my anxiety gets triggered?
How therapy can help you transform your life with Phil Stark
Setting boundaries to ease social anxiety
Preparing for anxiety free travel over the Holidays
How to calm social anxiety this holiday season
Magnesium and Anxiety Relief with Dr. Carolyn Dean
How to relieve anxiety at bedtime
Waking with anxiety and can’t get back to sleep
How to slay your health anxiety
How to be more present with your teen during challenging times with Sue DeCaro
Anxiety relief for children
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Mental Oasis
The Angry Therapist Podcast
Happiness Spells
Optimal Living Daily - Personal Development & Self-Improvement
Bryony Gordon’s Mad World