Natural Stress Cures

Anxiety is one of those things that is so common yet can cause a lot of disruption to your life. In this article, I focus on some of the natural approaches you can take to help cure your anxiety and lead a stress-free, happy life.

Probably the king of natural herbal remedies is St. John’s Wort. It is a safe herbal remedy which can be bought in shops in many countries. It comes from the Hypericum Perforatum plant -- a yellow-flowering herb which grows wildly in many meadows throughout the world.

St. John’s Wort is a very popular herb, and is known as the “happiness herb”. Many people find that it greatly improves their mood, relaxes them, and even improves their sleep and dreams. It also has hardly any side effects, and many people even report having no side-effects at all.

Another herb worth considering is Valerian. Its plant name is Valeriana officinalis, which has pink sweet-smelling flowers and grows in the northern hemisphere from June until September. It is often referred to as nature’s valium, because it acts in a similar way but without the same side-effects.

Another natural thing you can do is Yoga. Yoga gently stretches, exercises and tones your body whilst simultaneously relaxing the mind. Whilst doing yoga poses, you move into them smoothly, in time with your breathing, and hold them for a specific number breaths. A lot of people find this to be the most calming form of exercise available. Consider joining a local yoga class, or purchasing one of the many instructional DVD’s or books available.

Walking is also fanastic because it is a natural anxiety reliever. It relaxes the mind, integrates the left and right sides of the brain, and also reduces your blood pressure. Try to walk whenever you get the opportunity. At work, use the stairs rather than the elevator. If you need to go shopping to buy something, consider walking instead of driving your car. Use every opportunity you can to walk.

Another great technique to de-stress is to simply become aware of your breathing. You do not need to control your breathing, just gently be aware of it. You can either, stop what you are doing and sit quietly to be aware of your breathing, or you can become aware of your breathing whilst you are doing something else. This will not distract you from what you are doing; it will just calm your thoughts but make you more alert at the same time.

Also, if you are feeling anxious about things either in the past or in the future, try writing about them. Writing has been shown to be fantastic for calming the mind. When you write, you put your thoughts into words and this helps you get some perspective on them. Writing about what's worrying you can be as beneficial as talking to someone. It feels like a weight has been removed from your shoulders.