Ayurvedic remedies to help with Anxiety

Ayurvedic remedies to help with Anxiety

As the world continues to open up post-pandemic, to help with anxiety you may be feeling with the varying events, I’ve put together some easy to implement tips that you can use straightaway.

It’s important to note that if your symptoms are severe that you seek appropriate medical advice from your GP to help with anxiety.

For milder symptoms that can support you day-to-day, using these tips together, will help you feel more calm and in control.

Anxiety according to Ayurveda

Anxiety, which is often associated with insomnia and feelings of fear, is due primarily to aggravation of vata dosha in the nervous system. So to heal anxiety, we have to balance vata.

Here are 5 effective Ayurvedic remedies to pacify vata, help with anxiety and fear and improve your sleep.

1. Relaxing Bath

A warm bath of ginger and baking soda will help you pacify anxiety. Use 1/3 cup ginger and 1/3 cup baking soda in a tubful of water. Soak for 10-15 minutes.

2. Almond Milk

Almond Milk helps to eliminate anxiety. Soak about 10 raw (not toasted) almonds overnight in water. Peel off the skins and put the almonds in a blender. Add 1 cup of warm milk. While blending, add a pinch of ginger and a small pinch of nutmeg and saffron.

3. Orange Juice

To help with anxiety that is accompanied by a fast heart rate, a cup of orange juice with 1 teaspoon of honey and a pinch of nutmeg powder can be effective.

4. Calming Pressure Point

Make a fist with your left hand, so that the fingers rest in the middle of the palm. Locate the point where the middle finger ends, in the “heart” of the palm. Then, with the thumb of your right hand, press firmly on this point in the centre of your left hand. Press for 1 minute. This will calm down the agitation of prana (breath/ life force/ vital energy), which causes anxiety.

5. Ayurvedic Massage

Giving yourself a full-body oil massage will greatly help to reduce anxiety. Vatas should use sesame oil, pittas, sunflower or coconut oil, kaphas, corn oil. Use 6-7 ounces of warmed up (not hot) oil and rub it over your whole body from head to toes.

Ordinarily this massage is done before a morning bath but if you have high anxiety or insomnia, you can also do it before going to bed.

A mini-massage is also effective to help with anxiety. Using the appropriate oil for your constitution, rub some on your scalp and spend a few minutes rubbing the bottom of your feet.

Summary for help with Anxiety

Everyone experiences worry and anxiety from time to time. But if severe anxiety continues for a long time or becomes overwhelming and interferes with your social or work life, then medical attention is required.

Be aware of your triggers and try to minimise them wherever possible. Planning and being prepared for potential triggers can assist you in managing your milder anxiety better.

Seek a talking therapist for more long-term support with anxiety.

Some content provided by Dr Vasant Lad

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Important Information

To reap the benefits of Ayurveda, you first need to identify your prakruti (core constitution/ dosha). The current imbalance of a dosha will be your vikruti. You can take a short quiz here to discover your prakruti so that you can use the tips in this blog to help you balance your dosha back to its core state.

Please note that this quiz is for general guidance. You should always get a full consultation to identify your doshas with a trained practitioner. The Ayurvedic content that I provide in my blog only covers some of the self-healing techniques that you can use to help alleviate symptoms of common ailments. For further information and to book a consultation, please visit the Ayurveda Pura Spa website here.

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