Many people with anxiety symptoms turn to alternative and complementary therapies as additions to their conventional treatments and medications. Regularly practicing these activities can lead to improved overall well-being and psychological awareness, strengthening the ability to manage stress. Some of the most commonly used therapies that might help ease anxiety are yoga, meditation, breathing retraining and biofeedback.
Yoga
What is it? Yoga is a mind-body exercise in which you learn and practise a series of postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama).
How might it help ease anxiety? Research suggests that yoga can help to enhance mood and well-being, balance stress, and improve muscle relaxation. It can also positively affect levels of certain brain chemicals that are at reduced levels in the brains of people with anxiety disorders.
Meditation
What is it? Meditation is a mind-body practice through which you learn to focus your attention, enhancing their mindfulness of your thoughts, emotions, and sensations.
How might it help ease anxiety? Through the practice of meditation, individuals often become more aware of negative thoughts that can contribute to anxiety, and may gain practice dismissing such thoughts to prevent worsening anxiety. Meditation can help you to more readily achieve a state of relaxation, which may help to attune you to your body's stress responses and to learn ways to better tolerate and react during moments of anxiety.
Breathing retraining
What is it? Breathing retraining involves learning breathing techniques that help to reduce shortness of breath and deliver adequate oxygen to muscles.
How might it help ease anxiety? By learning to modulate your breathing, you may be able to relax and learn to fend off some of the hyperventilation-related symptoms of anxiety, like chest pain, dizziness, and fainting.
Biofeedback
What is it? Biofeedback uses electrical sensors attached to your body to give information about heart rate, skin temperature, and other bodily functions.
How might it help ease anxiety? For some, biofeedback provides an opportunity to see exactly how their body reacts to stress. With this information, a person can learn ways to modify these stress responses and react better to anxiety.
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