3 Simple Tricks for Transmuting Anxiety
It has been a tough 1.5 years for a lot of us. Mental-emotional health as a society was not optimal before 2020, and it certainly was not made any better by the events that followed.
Here are three of my top tools for managing my own anxiety and the top recommendations that I discuss with patients and clients.
Breathwork
When we experience anxiety, anger, fear, or other “negative” emotions (note: I don’t believe that emotions themselves are negative, it is our reactions that can be marked as detrimental), we lose circulation to our higher brain areas (see: prefrontal cortex) that allow us to problem solve and remain rational. This is an issue, because we then continue to behave from these lower-level brain regions (see: “reptilian” brain) and are consequently unable to resolve conflict in a productive way. Breathing is perhaps the only way to influence our central nervous system directly, and wonderfully, we have control over this process.
Thus, one of my favorite ways to combat anxiety is to get very intentional about my breathing. If you’re new to breathwork, this can feel tricky. And even as someone who likes to practice intentional breathing, if I am very worked up, the act of focusing on my breath feels HARD, perhaps even further anxiety-provoking. Sound familiar?
What has worked for me recently is to do breathing meditated by Wim Hof. The premise of these breathing exercises is to breathe in succession for a few minutes to boost your oxygen levels, and then hold your breath (one complete round) for a few rounds. Wim Hof has performed small preliminary studies that have shown this technique to be anti-inflammatory for the body. You can find his research on his website: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/science. There are many free recordings available online and Wim himself has courses and training available if you are interested in diving further.
Another helpful technique is to focus on “heart-centered breathing.” One of my favorite resources for learning the science behind this is the HeartMath Institute (www.heartmath.com). The research here is focused on the connection between the heart and the brain, and our ability to achieve and maintain a high-quality heartbeat state they call “coherence.” The institute also has technology that allows for real-time biofeedback, so that you can see when you are and are not in coherence. I used this during my naturopathic medical training before shadowing a doctor that was very reactive and elicited extreme resistance in me to being in her presence. The technology allowed me to step into the clinic with a calm demeanor, and that tool has stayed with me in difficult situations throughout my career as a highly empathetic human and doctor.
Movement
As a former competitive athlete, I’ve always loved to move. But sometimes, when you’re feeling down, prescribed movement can feel much more like a daunting task than a “pick me up.” When I feel resistant to moving my body, I KNOW it is a sign that I have gone too long without simply moving. The trick here is to move intuitively. Not every day is a day for strenuous HIIT workouts and sweaty yoga classes. There is a time for slow, restorative movement, walking around the block, and/or yin style yoga.
The ability to listen to my emotions and lean into what my body needs allows me to choose which practice is in alignment with my mind, body, and heart at that moment. The key is to just start. There is ample research on the benefits of walking and the brain. If you can get walking, even if for 5 minutes, you are giving your mind, body, and spirit feedback that you are worth it. And you are! After 5-10 minutes, you may start to feel slightly more clear-headed, which allows you to pivot and choose another movement (or continue walking) to work through and release any ruminating thoughts.
Nature
This might be the single most important tool for me (other than breathwork). As a modern society, we have become extremely disconnected from Nature. Nature has the unique ability to pull us out of our small-mindedness and into a greater perspective. Whether you stand in a field, on the beach, in the grass, in a garden, or in outer space, you are receiving the intelligence of a system that has known for thousands of years how to balance and realign. If you can, going barefoot (also known as Earthing), has been shown to be extremely beneficial for the body. If you can’t go outside, holding a stone, watering a plant, or opening a window are all ways to reconnect with nature. We are part of nature, and I believe a large part of our dis-ease is in fact disconnection from ourselves as a fundamental component of nature, of the cycle of life. Nature teaches us about life and death, about seasons of life, and about the interconnectedness of individual parts to vast ecosystems. You don’t have to do anything but put your feet in the grass. Or better yet, bring a journal and write anything and everything that you feel in that moment. You might just be surprised how much release you feel. Nature quite literally and metaphorically, takes our carbon dioxide and our problems and transmutes them into oxygen, allowing us to breathe again. Give it a try and see how you feel.
If you’re looking for a little more support or more tips for managing anxiety, you can schedule a 1 on 1 consultation with me where we will go deep into the uniqueness of you. During these sessions, we identify ways to not only manage stress, but cocreate a plan for your return to wellness and balance.