Do you ever have days where the feeling of emotional overwhelm is well…overwhelming? Did you know this could be a sign of anxiety & stress? 

While labeling our overwhelming moments as anxiety can sometimes feel too clinical, anxiety is a lot more common than you might think—affecting roughly 40 million adults in the U.S. alone. The reality is, there are many levels of anxiety, which can be brought on by multiple internal or external triggers, like decision making, crowds, thinking of the future, workload, or feeling out of control.  

So what do you do when you are feeling anxious, panicked, or stressed? Here are some simple practices for real wellness you can do to help shift your focus and find your center anytime, anywhere.

1. Calm Your Mind with Breathwork Meditation

Meditation and breathwork are incredibly beneficial practices to center your mind and calm you down following an anxiety attack. Studies show that meditation shrinks the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls anxiety and fear. But it’s also proven that meditation may slow down aging, build memory, and increase compassion. Breathwork meditation, in particular, refers to various breathing exercises and techniques in which a person consciously changes their breathing pattern to enhance mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness. 

We recommend this very simple 12-Second Breathwork Meditation to help you ground your body and energy. The US Navy Seals also teach this same technique, which they call “Combat Tactical Breathing,” to calm down during stressful situations like combat. According to an article by Harvard Health Publishing, titled Relaxation techniques: Breath control helps quell errant stress response, “Deep abdominal breathing encourages full oxygen exchange — that is, the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, it can slow the heartbeat and lower or stabilize blood pressure.” 

It’s easy to underestimate the amount of stress that our daily lives create, which is why we often normalize our busy schedules and growing to-do lists. However, applying this short breathing technique can assist in promoting relaxation. Yet, the best part about breathwork is that it’s a simple way to meditate you can do anytime, anywhere. All you need is a quiet and comfortable place to sit, be, and just breathe. 

2. Self-Soothe from the Inside Out with Aromatherapy 

Our sense of smell and taste are connected to the limbic system, which governs the emotions, behaviors, and long-term memories and biologically helps us determine threats like rotten food and enemies. While you may not be facing immediate danger or poisoning during an everyday stress-induced anxiety attack, we can utilize our sense of smell and taste receptors also to calm us down and feel safe.

Herbs such as calming Lavender have been studied for their effects on depression, anxiety, pain relief, and even convulsion. Lavender is often used in oral form or topical to soothe the nerves, assist with stress and sleep, and support mind-clarity and meditation.

Adding it to your meditation routine may enhance your experience and promote better relaxation. Simply use lavender essential oil in a diffuser, or place a drop or two into your palms before rubbing them together and inhaling the calming, soothing scent. You can also rub a little lavender essential oil on common surfaces around your home to elevate the vibe of your space such as your kitchen counter, tables, light switches, etc. 

3. Try Herbal Remedies to Restore Relaxation & Inner Peace

Believe it or not, herbal remedies were the first medicines we humans ever used. Essentially, they were the only real medicine we had until around 100 years or so ago. And, our bodies actually contain special receptors for their compounds. Meaning: we’re born into this world with abilities that can only be unlocked by the right plant substance. As such, there’s a whole catalog of herbs and plants you can use in a variety of forms to help reduce anxiety and restore balance within. From teas and tonics to juices, smoothies, and wellness shots—there’s no shortage of ways in today’s world to get the vital dose of herbal plant medicine your body wants and needs.

So we recommend our calming Serenity Hemp Tonic, a powerful combination of hemp with herbs all known for their sedative effects including Lavender, Passionflower, Lemon Myrtle, Catnip, and California Poppy.

We also suggest our signature Real Wellness HappiTea, which is a unique herbal blend of Jujube Dates, Licorice Root, and Wheat Berries formulated to nourish the heart and calm the spirit. We created this DIY formula to help you put your healing in your own hands. But we also have travel-friendly pouches to make this product an efficient and sustainable staple for the healer on-the-move.