For many women (and men) anxiety is a constant part of everyday life. Beyond Blue estimate that one in three women and one in five men will experience anxiety at some point in their lives. This makes anxiety the most common mental health condition in Australia today.
The severity of anxiety varies greatly between individuals, from mild to moderate symptoms which may be annoying but not life altering, to full blown anxiety disorders such as generalised anxiety disorder (or GAD), panic disorder or OCD which make day to day functioning difficult. For those suffering the latter, support from a qualified professional is essential. A sympathetic GP is the best point of call for helping you to access mental health support services like medicare subsided psychologist sessions and if necessary, a referral to a psychiatrist for advice on whether medication may be necessary.
For those suffering mild to moderate anxiety, there are a plenty of strategies that can be utilised to help manage and alleviate the physical and mental symptoms you may be experiencing. What’s most important is remembering that you are not alone in experiencing anxiety, and that identifying as having the condition does not make you any less of a person or mother.
Many women feel intensely guilty about experiencing things like anxiety and depression, thinking that it somehow makes them a ‘bad mother’ or incapable of coping. This is absolutely untrue. Anxiety is caused by a myriad of factors that are usually intertwined and ‘feed off’ of each other. These may include:
- Family history
- Personality factors – especially A-type and/or perfectionist personality types
- Ongoing stress
- Physical health factors
- Traumatic events or experiences
If you’re experiencing anxiety and it hasn’t reached a level where you feel it’s interfering with your life, the following might be helpful.
1. Exercise
One of the easiest ways to manage anxiety and anxious thoughts is to get outside and get moving. It is thought that exercise is helpful in managing mild anxiety due to its ability to change brain chemistry, improve sleep, improve coping ability and act as a distraction from immediate worries. A small study that evaluated exercise training in women with Generalised Anxiety Disorder compared six weeks of supervised exercise with a further 6 weeks of no exercise/no other treatment. The exercise sessions were twice a week for approximately 15 minutes at a moderate intensity. Both aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise was more more effective than no treatment in reducing anxiety. Click HERE for some great exercise ideas.
2. Meditation
While the jury is still out, evidence wise, as to whether meditation directly impacts anxiety levels, the anecdotal evidence for it’s ability to calm the mind and improve mood is strong. There are a variety of different types of meditation available but it is thought that Mindfulness based therapies and simple breathing focused exercises are the most effective. You can find plenty of resources for learning how to meditate online and in the app store.
3. Fish oil supplements
You may have heard about the benefits of taking fish oil for overall mental and physical health and wellbeing. There’s also some evidence that it can be beneficial for helping manage anxiety as well. Fish oil supplements contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). These compounds are capable of increasing activity in the prefrontal cortex, enhancing neurotransmission, and reducing inflammation.Most people can benefit from taking fish oil, especially as many of us don’t eat enough oily fish.
4. St John’s Wart
Commonly used to help treat depression, St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a small fowering plant which can help calm an anxious mind due to the compounds hypericin and hyperforin. It is believed that these compounds increase the supply of certain neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in the brain that are thought to be affected in anxiety including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. St John’s Wart is available at supermarkets, chemists and health food stores but does interact with a number of prescription medications, including anti-depressant SSRI meds. If you are taking prescription medication it is best to check with your GP or pharmacist before trying St John’s Wart.
5. Diet
There has been plenty of research into the importance of a nutritionally sound diet including the positive impact it can have on anxiety. Taking care of yourself through eating well and making time to move can have a lasting impact on your self worth and inner dialogue. Motivating Mum Rachel overcame her social anxiety after finding that healthy eating and exercise equalled a healthy head space.
If anxiety is an issue for you or you’d like to speak to someone about how your feeling, Beyond Blue and PANDA both have excellent resources to help support and reassure.
Every month on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge, we run a BRAND NEW 28 Day Menu with a different theme so you NEVER get bored!
Next months theme is the SLOW COOKING AND ONE POT WINTER WONDERS! – Perfect for the chilly winter weather, SUPER easy to whip up and still just as healthy.
If you are curious about the 28 Day Challenge recipes then we have a 28 Day Challenge recipe pack for you to try HERE.
Find a delicious range of healthy recipes, packed full of energy boosting ingredients and nutrients together with easy to achieve exercise.
