Chewing gum also has been associated with reduced anxiety [9], and a recent report proved that long-term chewing gum was effective in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and improving test scores in school nursing students [10].
Item One: Sugarfree gum
“If you're having a moment of anxiety and you have no idea what triggered it, your first step should be to grab a piece of gum,” says Tagert. We suggest one that's sugar-free and has a long-lasting flavor — for both extended enjoyment and the added perk of fresh breath — like EXTRA® Gum.
Chewing gum is thought to increase focus via a reduction in stress and anxiety. Chewing gum contributes to success by improving short-term memory.
Experts say you can regain control by stimulating the Vagus nerve, located on both sides of the voice box by chewing gum or humming. This sends signals to the brain that the body is not actually under attack. Breathing can also calm your sympathetic nerves. Doctors recommend the four-seven-eight method.
Chewing, tasting, salivating and swallowing all increase blood flow to the brain, which create feelings of contentment and calmness (why do you think they call it “comfort food”?). Chewing on some sugar-free gum can also reduce stress by ameliorating cravings for nicotine and other substances.
Quit smoking and cut back or quit drinking caffeinated beverages. Both nicotine and caffeine can worsen anxiety. Use stress management and relaxation techniques. Visualization techniques, meditation and yoga are examples of relaxation techniques that can ease anxiety.
Benzodiazepines. These sedatives are central nervous system depressants. Benzodiazepines approved by the FDA for the treatment of panic disorder include alprazolam (Xanax) and clonazepam (Klonopin).
Benzodiazepines are commonly used to treat an active panic attack because they begin to work quickly in the body.
Run Gum Calm is formulated with key ingredients that are designed to keep your stress down, enhance a calming sensation and give you some clear focus all at the same time.
Chew gum to feel more confident
When you eat or chew, your brain assumes that you can't possibly be in danger, because you wouldn't be eating if you were. Chewing some gum tricks your brain into thinking you're safely eating a meal, and it will start producing chemicals that neutralize any stress responses.
Talking to someone you trust about what's making you anxious could be a relief. It may be that just having someone listen to you and show they care can help in itself. If you aren't able to open up to someone close to you, the Samaritans and Anxiety UK both run helplines that you can call to talk to someone.
Run. “A quick burst of exercise that increases your heart rate is helpful at reducing anxiety,” explains Patricia Celan, a postgraduate psychiatry resident at Dalhousie University in Canada. A 5-minute, high-speed run around the block would be enough to help you reduce anxiety quickly, says Celan.
Multidimensional scaling (MDS) of panic symptoms identified three types of panic which were consistent over time and for which reliable scales were constructed to measure derealization, cardiac panic, and respiratory panic.
Triggers for panic attacks can include overbreathing, long periods of stress, activities that lead to intense physical reactions (for example exercise, excessive coffee drinking) and physical changes occurring after illness or a sudden change of environment.
Though anxiety doesn't have a cure, there are many good options for treatment that can get your symptoms under control. Anxiety is most often treated with medications, therapy, or both. But natural remedies and lifestyle choices can be helpful for some people, too.
The good news is that some studies (study links, a and b) have identified how magnesium may ease certain symptoms of stress and anxiety. Here are the facts: Magnesium may help to control the chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) in the brain, resulting in a calming effect on the body.
One important step in reversing the anxiety cycle is gradually confronting feared situations. If you do this, it will lead to an improved sense of confidence, which will help reduce your anxiety and allow you to go into situations that are important to you.
Foods (and drinks) that are stress- and anxiety-provoking
Caffeine. Sugary drinks and foods. Processed foods, such as chips, cookies, frozen foods and ready-made meals. Foods high in trans fats and excessive saturated fats, such as fried foods, red meat, full-fat dairy, butter and baked goods.
Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety. Other foods, including fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids. A study completed on medical students in 2011 was one of the first to show that omega-3s may help reduce anxiety.