In today’s fast-moving and stressful life, there’s no doubt that almost everyone has some health and anxiety concerns. Battling these anxiety concerns can be very challenging because it directly affects mental health, and moving towards inner peace can look impossible.
Maintaining inner peace and tranquillity is essential in this hectic world, but it seems to be a rare thing, too.
There are oral medications that are effective and are frequently prescribed by the doctor to people reporting anxiety concerns. Still, every medication leaves a side effect that, at a later stage, can be harmful to the body.
Fortunately, there are a variety of over-the-counter medicines for anxiety and stress available that provide a natural and accessible remedy to control anxiety and restore your tranquil state of mind.
In this blog, let us help you with 8 over-the-counter medicines for anxiety and stress that can draw you on the path to peace of mind.
The Best Over-the-Counter Medicine for Anxiety and Stress
There are various medicinal treatments for anxiety and stress that one can try. However, not all have been studied to see if they are safe and effective.
We’ve compiled a list of eight over-the-counter options with a demonstrated track record of success in treating anxiety and stress and restoring peace of mind.
1. Xanapril
Considered one of the best over-the-counter medicines for anxiety and stress, Xanapril 1616.5 mg is a formula that helps to support mental illnesses by reducing anxiety and stress concerns.
The formula of Xanapril contains Magnesium, Ashwagandha, GABA, Korean Ginseng, and Rhodiola Rosea to help naturally reduce anxiety and stress. Each component works together to achieve relaxation and calmness, lowering stress and anxiety. Some of the major benefits of Xanapril are:
- It can be consumed daily because it has absolutely no side effects.
- Uplifts the mood immediately.
- It helps in maintaining peace of mind and calmness, which can help in eliminating the symptoms of anxiety and stress.
- Works on overall well-being effectively
- No use of harmful chemicals to develop the medicine
- Made of natural ingredients that are safe to consume
- If consumed daily, it can promote healthy stress management, eliminating stress for a longer time or a lifetime.
- Promotes sound sleep without any delayed nights
- It helps in reducing cortisol levels
Consumption: For the best and most effective results, take a glass full of water and Xanapril together whenever you feel anxious or stressed. As it is safe to use and made up of natural ingredients, it will reduce anxiety and stress to great levels.
However, it is advised to consult with experts before consuming the medicine.
2. Valerian Root
Valerian root is a frequent element used in nutritional products. Supporters claim it reduces sleeplessness as well as tension caused by anxiety. Valerian has been traditionally used for ages as an herbal medication.
It is easily available as an over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress.
It is frequently promoted for its prospective calming and relaxing effects on the body and mind. While scientific research into the efficacy of valerian root is underway, many people have claimed favorable results when using it to treat anxiety and stress.
Some of the benefits of Valerian root are:
- Easily accessible in tablets, teas, capsules, and tinctures, making it easy to consume daily.
- It is an adaptogen that helps the body deal with stressors more effectively.
- It can be easily combined with other medications or therapies as well.
- It has minimal side effects but helps greatly in promoting sound sleep.
- Non-habit-forming remedy when used appropriately as compared to other medications.
- Its soothing qualities can help enhance sleep quality by supporting people to fall asleep faster and have deeper sleep.
- It is a natural alternative to reduce anxiety symptoms easily and immediately when consumed.
- It contains ingredients that interact with neurotransmitters, such as GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), recognized for its calming impact on brain function.
Consumption: The consumption of valerian root can be in the form of tablets, capsules, or tea. Consume 120 to 200 mg three times per day for anxiety. Your last dose of valerian root should be right away before nighttime.
But remember to get in touch with an expert for proper dosage before taking the medication.
3. Kava
Kava, a traditional herbal remedy derived from the roots of the Piper methysticum plant, has gained attention for its effectiveness as an over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress. Kava is widely used to treat anxiety.
It is also used to treat stress, sleeping disorders, and a variety of other conditions. For generations, kava has been used as a freely distributed herbal remedy.
However, it was only recently discovered that an active chemical known as “kavain” alters mood receptors and aids in the treatment of anxiety. Here are some of the advantages of consuming Kava for treating anxiety and stress:
- Naturally, it originated so much more trustable.
- Non-addictive in nature so much more preferable than prescribed medications
- Reduced stress and anxiety levels can assist people in thinking more clearly, making better judgments, and improving their general cognitive capacities.
- Works on mood upliftment effectively.
- It provides a calming effect on the whole nervous system when anxiety or stress hits.
- Help individuals regain a sense of emotional balance.
Consumption: Kava is available in tea, or one can also make the paste out of kava and boil it with water. There are also powdered kava Kava pills and capsules available. It is indicated that the ideal dose should be less than 250 milligrams of kava per day.
However, it is highly advised to consult an expert before starting the dosage.
4. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic medicine that is used to treat anxiety and stress. It is a herb with many health benefits, including reducing anxiety and stress. This herb is derived from the ashwagandha plant’s roots and fruit.
This over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress has also been a conventional method of calming the brain and overall brain performance for centuries. It benefits everybody’s health and can be taken by persons of all ages.
This medicine also works on the mental health improvement of individuals who are under the chronic catch of depression. Here are some of the benefits of ashwagandha:
- It is identified as an adaptogen as it helps to cope with stress.
- Decreases the activity of your body’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which controls your stress response.
- It gives the body a state of calmness through the immediate reduction of anxiety when consumed.
- Promotes overall well-being.
- It is good for heart health as it promotes blood circulation properly.
- It helps to manage cortisol levels, preventing them from getting overly excessive and triggering anxiety and stress-related symptoms.
- It improves sleep quality by promoting better sleep by soothing the mind and relaxing the body.
Consumption: The herb is available as a pill, powder that may be mixed into tea or water, and liquid extract. It is recommended that 50-600 mg per day be taken to alleviate anxiety and stress significantly.
Nonetheless, it is highly advisable to talk to an expert before starting the medications.
5. L-Theanine
L-theanine is a naturally occurring amino acid that can be found in green and black tea, as well as some mushrooms. It can also be taken as a pill or tablet.
It’s claimed to be an excellent over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress, as L-theanine is used to treat anxiety, mental disability, stress, and a variety of other ailments. It is also used to boost mental function.
L-theanine intake has also been proven to improve elements of cognitive performance, particularly when combined with coffee. Here are some of the benefits that this stress and anxiety medicine L-theanine delivers to individuals:
- It helps increase focus and attention toward everything because of its brain-boosting capabilities.
- Reduces anxiety and stress without causing drowsiness like other prescribed medications.
- It promotes healthy brain health as it keeps the brain active.
- It helps in maintaining overall well-being.
- It helps to reduce heart rate and blood pressure, which are frequently raised during times of anxiety and stress.
- Its calming effect helps the body to relax.
- Treats headaches immensely during stress and tension.
- It has no side effects and comes with easy consumption forms.
Consumption: L-theanine comes in tea, which individuals can drink whenever they feel anxious or stressed. Combined with coffee, it can greatly activate the brain cells that can help concentrate by removing one’s focus from anxiety and stress.
In tablets, it is advisable to take a dosage between 200-250 mg. However, it is better to consult an expert before starting the dosage in any form.
6. PassionFlower
Passionflower is a type of exotic vine flower with tentacle-like petals that are curled purple or blue. Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) has long been a calming herb for centuries for anxiety, sleeplessness, convulsions, and hysteria.
Passionflower is thought to function by boosting levels of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA reduces the activity of certain brain cells, allowing you to feel peaceful.
The flowers, leaves, and stems of the passionflower are used medicinally for making over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress. With a record of other health benefits as well, let us look at some of the benefits of this medicinal herb:
- Helps in the reduction of the feeling of relentlessness.
- It promotes relaxation and gives a light feeling to the body.
- Help in the relief of anxiety symptoms such as anxious thoughts, anxiousness, and nervousness.
- Provides uninterrupted and sound sleep when consumed at bedtime.
- Considered a natural remedy for anxiety and stress, it has minimal side effects.
- It can be easily combined with the medicinal course of other herbs as well.
- holds antioxidant properties that help with general health and well-being
- Helps in the elimination of gastrointestinal disorders caused by anxiety and stress.
Consumption: Passionflower can be consumed in the form of tea. To make an herbal tea, add dried passionflower to boiling water. Many health food stores sell dried passionflower or bottled tea.
One can also get liquid extracts, pills, and tablets available at medicine stores for easy consumption. Nevertheless, it is recommended to take expert advice before consuming the medication in any form for proper dosages.
7. Magnesium
Magnesium is an all-time important mineral for the body. In addition to many health benefits, Magnesium, an over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress, helps in the effective and great reduction of anxiety and stress.
It also helps in the healthy functioning of your nerves and the maintenance of normal blood sugar and blood pressure levels. There are many magnesium-rich foods like chai seeds, pumpkin seeds, avocado, spinach, milk, rice, etc., that can contribute to the magnesium requirements of the human body, which in turn can control stress levels.
Below are some of the benefits of Magnesium:
- It helps to regulate the chemicals that travel (neurotransmitters) in the brain, leading to an easing effect in the entire body.
- It helps to manage the stress response system of the body well.
- Helps in the regulation of cortisol production, the principal stress hormone.
- It has a big role in promoting muscle relaxation, which is also one of the reasons for causing anxiety and stress.
- Maintains proper brain function and cognitive health.
- Promotes good sleep by reducing restlessness and tension.
Consumption: It is always good to have any medicine in natural form, and magnesium is there in some foods naturally. Include those foods in the diet to prevent anxiety and stress.
On average, it is okay to consume magnesium between 100 and 400 mg, varying dosage age-wise. It is highly advisable to consult an expert before starting the medication for proper effect.
8. Chamomile
Chamomile is a daisy-like plant that has many species. Generally, two species, Matricaria chamomilla and Chamaemelum mobile, are used for making herbal teas that can be over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress.
This medicinal herb of chamomile has been used to cure insomnia, anxiety, and stress for centuries now, and tea is one of the most common forms of consuming this herb.
This herb also has many other health benefits, curing liver problems and gastrointestinal disorders and reducing pain in the knee and joints. The benefits of this over-the-counter medicine for effectively reducing anxiety and stress are:
- It improves sleep quality by curing insomnia.
- Promotes heart health that is adversely affected by chronic anxiety and stress.
- It gives the whole body a sense of soothing and calmness effect that can decrease anxious feelings.
- Treats headaches caused due to tension.
- It keeps the mind and brain’s nervous system active, producing a good mental presence.
- Reduce gastronomical disorders caused by anxiety and stress.
Consumption: Chamomile is most commonly consumed as a tea, with some people drinking one to four cups each day. Simmer a chamomile tea bag or flowers in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes to prepare chamomile tea.
It can also be taken in pill form at doses ranging from 220 to 1,600 milligrams per day.
Apart from this over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress, some good habits of lifestyle changes can help in the great reduction of stress and anxiety.
Not majorly, but yes, these changes can help you manage your time to ignore the stress and tension in your brain.
However, it is advisable to consult an expert for proper dosages before consuming the medicines.
Essential Lifestyle Changes for Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Exploring and having some healthy lifestyle changes at an early stage can help you cure the suffering of stress and anxiety. Though these can hold a very little part, in the longer run, these lifestyle changes can help you greatly in your overall well-being.
Let us look at some of the healthy lifestyle changes that can uplift your mood and reduce the symptoms of anxiety and stress:
- Deprivation of sleep can be easily connected to anxiety and stress. Having a good sleep and prioritizing it can help you reduce these symptoms at a much greater level.
- Exercising daily is good for physical and mental health. It keeps you engaged and makes you forget the tensions in your head.
- Staying active and going outside, just for a walk or a conversation with people, can help improve mood and feeling light.
- A good diet is a must for a healthy lifestyle as it is good for physical and mental well-being as well. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes for a healthy body and mind.
- Meditation is considered one of the best practices for reducing anxiety and stress, as it helps to relax the mind and body. It also helps in increasing concentration power and promotes a focused mind.
The above lifestyle changes are sufficient enough to keep one away from symptoms of anxiety and stress. Building a proper schedule for the day can keep one busy and included in the day-to-day chores, avoiding room for any anxious feelings.
Conclusion
Stress and anxiety can lead to depression, which in turn can damage a person from the inside, resulting in even worse health conditions. Using the above-mentioned over-the-counter medicine for anxiety and stress can help in reducing these symptoms with a positive impact.
These naturally originated ingredients are good for health and are safe to consume in the long run without having any addictive properties. These OTC supplements are also easily accessible everywhere to everyone, making them hassle-free to get.
But remember, controlling the anxiety and stress symptoms involves the holistic approach of adopting good habits, therapies, self-care, and healthy lifestyle changes as well.
So, it is important to keep everything together and fight back against these symptoms because, in this fast-paced world, it is very important to have peace of mind to keep oneself active and forward.
Let us know in the comments below about the above-mentioned effective ways to control anxiety and stress and how you have been tackling this ever-evolving menace in your life.
