Ayurveda, the main culprit of anxiety symptoms is the unbalanced Vata dosha. Since most will be too anxious to read a long Ayurvedic explanation, here’s some practical ways to manage anxiety.
The recommendations below not only aim to balance Vata dosha, but also to calm down your fight-flights sympathetic nervous system, to improve the tone of the vagus nerve, (it plays a very important role in relaxation, and to increase production of the “happy neurotransmitters” in the brain, such as serotonin.
🌬️ Daily deep breaths - don’t wait until you get anxious, establish a practice of taking slow, deep, diaphragm breaths* in the morning and before bed for 10 minutes. If you control you breath, you control your mind.
💻 Reduce screen time - the excessive exposure to screen lights and overload of information will increase anxiety to a hundredfold. Also if the type of information is stress-causing,(i.e.: the news) it’s even worse.
😴 Practice sleep hygiene* - lack of sleep, in quantity and quality produce anxiety, that produces insomnia, that produces anxiety…. (You get the idea)
🕰️ Live in the now - whether you’re washing dishes or socializing, try not to think of what to say or do next, there’s no anxiety in the present moment. Mindfulness is not overrated.
🧘🏽♂️ Meditate - choose from the dozens of meditation practices that are out there, 10 minutes a day will help you tremendously and it has a cumulative effect.
💨 Balance Vata dosha - practices to balance vata dosha vary depending on each individual. The best rout is to consult with an Ayurvedic practitioner.
+ a few no-brainers but good reminders nonetheless:
🏃🏽♀️ MOVE: don’t overthink this just start moving, and it’s more helpful if you’re doing something you enjoy!
🌳 Leisurely activities, connection with nature, community, pets are proven to lower anxiety levels.
🍎 Eat more naturally and less packaged, processed foods.
It’s not a magic pill and it takes work, but don’t give up, be disciplined and calm and bliss will find you!
To a balanced life!
Namaste,
Grazie Prokopetz, Doctor of Ayurveda