Finding Calm: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach to Anxiety
You’re trying to juggle everything; work, family and the never ending to-do list. But beneath it all, there’s an underlying sense of anxiety, stress and restlessness that just won’t fade. You feel like the tasks just keep going on and on and you don’t have a moment to rest. You’ve tried different solutions but nothing seems to bring lasting relief.
It’s something I’ve seen in many of my patients and I’ve been there too. Life’s daily pressures can leave us feeling overwhelmed, but I want you to know there is a way to find calm again. One that is gentle, natural and holistic.
Understanding Anxiety Through the lens of TCM
In TCM, emotions are deeply connected to organ health and Qi and Blood flow. This means that when these systems are in harmony, we feel calm and clear-headed. But when they are out of sync, anxiety can take hold.
Let’s have a look at the key organs and how they relate to our emotions.
The Heart
The Heart houses our Shen, our spirit. The spirit encompasses thought, insight and memory. When the Heart is in balance, we feel peaceful, however when Heart is disturbed or imbalanced we feel things like insomnia, heart palpitations, excess worry or a sense of unease. This type of anxiety often manifests with irritability, hot flushes, dizziness or dry tongue.
The Liver
The Liver is responsible for the free flow of Qi throughout the body. When we feel stress or frustrated, this can lead to blockages of the Qi, leading to Liver Qi Stagnation. Common symptoms include tension headaches or shoulder pain, irregular periods or PMS. This type is often linked to a feeling of feeling stuck or overwhelmed.
The Spleen
The Spleen is in charge of digestion and is closely linked to mental clarity. The emotion that is related to the Spleen is worry, so when the spleen is weak we can feel excess worry, fatigue or difficulty concentrating. People who experience a Spleen imbalance type of Anxiety tend to experience digestive issues too.
The Kidneys
The Kidneys have a special connection to the Heart. Kidney is the water element which helps to ground and cool the Heart Fire. When Kidney is imbalanced we see signs of exhaustion (think adrenal fatigue), an emptiness or tinnitus or dizziness. Quite often these people experience insomnia, lower back pain or night sweats.
Each person’s experience with stress and anxiety is unique, which is why a personalised TCM care plan is key to lasting relief.
How Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine Support Emotional Health
A Natural Way to Calm the Mind
Acupuncture helps to regulate the nervous system, reduce stress hormones and promote deep relaxation. Specific Acupoints have different functions. By selecting the right points, we can help to improve Qi and Blood circulation and restore balance to the organs associated with emotional well-being.
Some key Acupoints include:
Yin Yang (Third Eye Point) - calms the mind, reduces stress, relieves tension
Shenmen (Heart 7) - literally heart gate, nourishes the heart, improves sleep
Taichong (Liver 3) - soothes Liver Qi, ease irritability
Over time, Acupuncture can help regulate stress levels, improve sleep and promote a sense of inner calm.
Supporting Emotional Resilience
TCM herbal formulas are carefully selected to address the root imbalances contributing to anxiety. These herbs help your body to support long-term emotion and physical wellbeing.
Some common herbs include:
Suan Zao Ren (Zizyphus Seed) - calming to ease anxiety and support sleep
Long Gu (Dragon bone) - grounding to reduce restlessness
Gan Cao (Licorice Root) - harmonises all the herbs in the formulas and helps to reduce tension
Suan Zao Ren (Zizyphus Seed) - calming to ease anxiety and support sleep
Long Gu (Dragon bone) - grounding to reduce restlessness
Gan Cao (Licorice Root) - harmonises all the herbs in the formulas and helps to reduce tension
A classical herbal formula often used is Xiao Yao San (Free & Easy Wanderer Powder). Doesn’t just hearing the name take a weight off your shoulders? This formula is commonly used for stress relief of Liver type stress and anxiety where the Qi is stuck.
Self Care Practices
Beyond treatments, small daily rituals can help to ground you and maintain emotional balance. These are some practices that I use and often recommend to my patients:
Breathwork
When life starts to get busy, I just take a few minutes to do some abdominal breathing. Place one hand over your heart and the other just underneath your belly button. Breathe in deeply and mindfully pushing each breathe all the way to the lower abdomen. My favourite time to do this is when I’m waiting for the kettle to boil to make my cup of tea.
Herbal Teas
Wasn’t that a great segue? Herbs like chamomile, lavender, and peppermint have natural calming properties. A warm cup of herbal tea in the evening can soothe the nervous system and help with better sleep.
Gentle Movement
Stretching is a great tool for relieving anxiety. When you stretch you muscles, you increase the blood flow which helps to reduce tension and promote circulation. My go to stretch is Child’s Pose. Paired with breathing exercises, I just feel so calm afterwards.
Nourishing Foods
Warm, cooked meals support digestion and stabilise emotions. Reducing caffeine and processed foods can prevent spikes in cortisol and adrenaline, which can heighten anxiety.
A path to lasting emotional wellness
Anxiety doesn’t have to control your life. With the right support, you can feel calmer, more focused, sleep better and regain emotional resilience.
If you’re looking for a gentle, natural and holistic approach to your emotional well-being, I’d love to help.
Book an appointment at Luna Chinese Medicine and take the first step in your journey to inner calm.
