Individuals suffering from anxiety will tell you that it is an awful feeling! Anxiety can be described as a form of worry, apprehension, tension or panic. Now you’re probably thinking that you are often worried or tense, does that now make you an anxiety sufferer? Definitely not! We all deal with issues on a daily basis and feeling a bit worried or tense is not always something that should flicker warning lights.

However, if you are constantly feeling like something heavy is resting on your chest and that you would rather hide your head under a pillow than deal with the day ahead, you might need some help dealing with your anxiety. Other symptoms may include headaches, stiff muscles, a dry mouth and constant fatigue – just to name a few.

I am not suggesting that you should make an immediate appointment with a psychiatrist and start taking the strongest available medicine on the market. Many anxiety natural remedies are available and even a change in your lifestyle or the way you deal with your feelings can make a huge difference.

Before advanced medicines were available, people turned to herbs for relief of many ailments and symptoms. The herb passionflower was widely used for relief of anxiety and even insomnia. As with all medicines or ointments it is still advisable to consult with a physician before you start experimenting with anxiety natural remedies. The abovementioned herb for example, caused side effects in some cases. These included an increased heartbeat, nausea, vomiting and drowsiness.

Other anxiety natural remedies come in the form of bodywork. By spoiling yourself with a relaxing massage for example, you can eliminate a lot of those stressed muscles which will in turn relieve tension and lead to improved sleep. If left unattended, anxiety symptoms can form a vicious circle: First you are slightly anxious, then your muscles start to tense up. Then you get more anxious because of your tense muscles, which in turn leads to even stiffer muscles and more tension… can you see what I am getting at?

Constant anxiety will eventually take a heavy toll. You can lie awake at night and end up irritable and edgy during the day. This will also impact on your relationships with friends and family as you will be like a ticking time bomb, just waiting to explode.

It is possible to control your anxiety to a certain extent – this of course depends on the level of your anxiety and not all cases are the same. Some people have found that they can force themselves to worry at a certain time of the day. This might sound very weird, but think about it this way: If you allow yourself 30 minutes to worry at a specific time of the day, your “worry period” is over and done with and you are left with a worry-free remainder of the day. You are in control of your thoughts and your mind – why not give it a try?

Everyone suffers of anxiety now and again - once it starts consuming you it’s time to seek professional advice!