By Enyeribe Ejiogu
In the weeks leading up to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, and against the background of their strategic importance to the country, there was real concern as to the outcome of the polls. For many people, the concern graduated to the level of anxiety, which in certain situations can become a serious medical disorder.
Anxiety is a feeling of nervousness, unease, or worry that typically occurs in the absence of an imminent threat. When feelings of fear or nervousness become excessive, difficult to control, or interfere with daily life, it means that the person involved may be showing signs of anxiety disorder.
Most Nigerians are exposed to stress in their daily work or other life activities, which can lead to an anxiety disorder. Medical science has determined that anxiety disorders have a complicated network of causes, including environmental factors, whereby some elements in the environment around an individual can increase anxiety.
Anxiety has been shown to have deleterious effects on the health of individuals who suffer from it. Anxiety is a form of psycho-somatic manifestion, which of course affects the central nervous system. Long-term anxiety and panic attacks can cause the brain to release stress hormones on a regular basis. This can increase the frequency of symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and depression.
Some people exhibit overthinking, which is described as an evil partner of anxiety. One of the horrible hallmarks of any type of anxiety disorder is the tendency to overthink everything. The anxious brain is hypervigilant, always on the lookout for anything it perceives to be dangerous or worrisome.
Interestingly, anxiety is part of life as all human beings feel it from time to time. Therefore, a degree of it is good for the body.
However, when you do feel anxious, there are a few things you can try to help calm your emotions. If you feel anxious often and nothing seems to help, talk with your doctor about other ways to manage it. Below are some natural ways to manage anxiety.
Exercise
You don’t have to train for the Olympics — a 10-minute walk can do the trick just as well as a 45-minute workout. Either can make you feel better for a few hours, like aspirin for a headache. And if you exercise regularly — at least three times a week — you’re less likely to feel anxious in the first place.
Get out, get close to nature
Potted plants in the house or pictures of nature, can make you feel less anxious, angry, or stressed. But it’s better if you get out there. You’ll give your mood a boost, and it can lower your blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and stress hormones, which all go up when you’re anxious.
Gardening
Get out there and let your fingers feel soil, get dirty too. Gardening or even plant corn, vegetables around your house and generally caring for them makes your brain release mood-boosting chemicals that can help calm your anxiety. Plus, you’ll get some exercise and spend time outdoors, both of which can be good for you, too. So if you have the space have a small garden, grow snails and keep poultry. If you don’t have your own farm, volunteer time at the farm of good friend or neighbour who has a garden – they will love you for the help. Bonding this way is also exciting and healthy.
Sex
It may be the last thing on your mind when you’re anxious, but sex can lower your body’s stress response. And a healthy sex life, especially with a committed partner, can help make you happier and healthier, and that can help keep anxiety away, too.
Meditation
This is one way to whittle your worries down to size so you’re aware of them but they don’t get in your way. Meditation helps you focus on your breathing and keep your mind free of thoughts. When a concern sneaks in, you try to dismiss it quickly and clear your head.
Yoga
This is a form of meditation: You put your body into certain positions that can strengthen and stretch your muscles and other tissues. At the same time, you try to keep your breath calm. It can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and make you less anxious. But there are some yoga positions you shouldn’t do if you have certain conditions, so talk to your doctor before you start.
Aromatherapy
Simple smells like lavender, chamomile, and rosewater may help calm you. They come from concentrated oils you can breathe in or rub on your skin. Scientists think they send chemical messages to parts of your brain that affect mood and emotion.
Massage
Therapists press, rub, squeeze, and push muscles and other soft tissues with their hands, fingers, forearms, elbows, and sometimes even their feet. It can help with sore muscles and other issues, and it may help ease anxiety and stress.
Biofeedback
A trained therapist guides you to think of things that make you anxious, while a computer reads your brain waves and gives you feedback. With your therapist, you practice calming strategies and watch the feedback on the computer to see how they’re working. Over time, this can help you control your anxiety.
Sleep
Sleep recharges your brain and boosts your mood and focus, and you’re less likely to be anxious if you get enough of it. Block out seven to nine hours every day. To get better sleep, go to bed and wake up at the same time. Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet, and don’t watch TV or use the computer right before bed. Regular exercise also can help with sleep, but try to do it in the mornings and afternoons — night workouts can mess with your slumber.
Limit alcohol
You may find a couple of drinks relaxing, but too many can rewire your brain and make you more anxious. Heavy drinking also can affect your work and home life and cause other health problems, which can add to your anxiety. No more than one drink a day for women, two for men, is a healthy rule of thumb.
Set priorities
Figure out what you have to do right away and what can wait. A to-do list can help you break up large projects into smaller tasks and keep you focused on what to do next. Ask for help when you need it, and let go of things that aren’t that important.
Keep a journal
This can help you look for patterns and figure out what makes you anxious. Family events? Work? School? Too much caffeine? Maybe it only happens when you’re hungry. When you find yourself worked up, try to write down what you’re doing and thinking.
Once you know what’s causing your anxiety, you might be able to manage it better.
► Adapted from www.medicalnewstoday.com, www.everydayhealth.com