Anxiety can be a crippling condition, causing physical and mental symptoms that can have a major impact on quality of life. Prescription drugs for the treatment of anxiety include Xanax, Klonopin, Prozac, and Zoloft, but these medications often have adverse side effects like dizziness, headaches, and even physical addiction. However, there’s another way to help ease anxiety without resorting to medication: by boosting the natural opioids released in the brain.
Understanding Natural Opioids
The brain is a powerful chemical factory, producing chemicals that impact body and mind function—including vital chemicals that could help alleviate chronic anxiety. A study from the University of Sydney in Australia revealed that natural brain-produced chemicals called opioids have a significant role in regulating fear and anxiety. Similarly, a 2013 study from the University of Michigan showed that people with higher natural opioid levels in the brain have lower levels of social anxiety.
Boosting Brain Opioid Levels Naturally
The question is, how can we increase these natural opioids to help heal anxiety? There are many tried and tested methods:
- Aromatherapy: Scents like lavender and vanilla are known to promote opioid production and relieve anxiety. Keep a bottle of essential oil handy or light a scented candle for a calming atmosphere.
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Exercise: Engaging in physical activity encourages the brain to produce endorphins, natural opioids responsible for the ‘runner’s high’ experienced by athletes.
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Laughter: Laughing is a quick and enjoyable way to release natural opioids in the brain. So if you need a good excuse to watch a funny movie or scroll through social media for memes, lowering your anxiety levels might be it!
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Acupuncture: This ancient technique can encourage the release of endorphins, which are natural opioids. Acupuncture is widely known for its pain-relieving benefits.
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Sunlight: Exposure to Ultraviolet (UV) rays encourages the brain to produce opioids. Aim for around 20 minutes of sun exposure per day to elevate your vitamin D levels.
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Diet: Eating chocolate and spicy foods is known to encourage the production of natural opioids. Fermented foods like pickles can also lessen anxiety symptoms, but be careful not to rely too much on food as a source of opioids, as it could lead to unhealthy eating habits.
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Socializing: A 2016 study led by Oxford University psychologist Professor Robin Dunbar found that people with more friends had higher levels of natural endorphins in their brains.
These suggestions might seem too simple to help with chronic anxiety, but they encourage the brain to release powerful chemicals that are proven to make you happier and less anxious in the long term. Give them a try, and you may be pleasantly surprised at how effective your brain’s natural anti-anxiety “drug” can be.
