January 5, 2023 | 60 minutes, 50 seconds
Download
In This Article
Podcast Show Notes
In this episode of the Ayurveda Meets Modern Science podcast, our host John Douillard, DC, CAP, interviews Ellen Vora on her book The Anatomy of Anxiety. Ellen Vora, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher.
Physiological Anxiety vs. True Anxiety
Do you know the difference between types of anxiety? Physiological anxiety is based on a physical imbalance. This type of anxiety has a physical effect on the body and may occur when you become triggered or experience panic.
True anxiety is purposeful anxiety. This occurs when your conscience sends you messages of alarm to warn you when something is not right in your world. This is a ‘good’ kind of anxiety to have, as it allows us to slow down and listen to ourselves.
See also Anxiety is the Tone of Modern Culture
The Root of Anxiety
Insomnia can be a big cause of anxiety. A lack of quality sleep can take a serious toll on anyone. The types of lighting we use at night play a large role in the quality of our sleep. Bright lights and blue light can trick our minds into thinking it is active daytime instead of time to rest, which makes it harder to fall asleep.
A lot of what we give attention to in today’s world, whether it be on tv, social media, or the internet, can cause us to have anxiety. Advertisers can prey on our fear response. Consumerism and the corporate world have created a strategy to prey on consumer problems and vulnerabilities, therefore finding cause to supply them with a solution (which is, oftentimes, a product). This subsequently leaves us feeling inadequate until we buy into the solution the advertiser is offering.
Try Ellen Vora’s self-soothing steps for managing anxiety:
- Use blue-light blockers at night and limit bright lighting after sunset. Try to go to bed earlier, around 3 hours after sunset.
- Breathing exercises (such as Ujjayi Pranayama)
- Practicing shaking off stress physically + mentally by engaging in exercise, creative expression, singing, cuddling, crying, and more.
Additional Resources on Managing Anxiety:
· Possible Root Causes of Anxiety
· Goop.com’s 8 Ways to Reduce Anxiety
