
Ayurveda for Anxiety Relief
How Ayurveda Can Help Relieve Anxiety
Anxiety can feel all-consuming. When you’re caught in its grip, it’s as if your thoughts are running a never-ending marathon. Your breath is shallow, and your body is tense, never quite able to relax. In Ayurveda, anxiety is viewed as more than just a mental health issue—it’s a sign of deeper imbalances in the body, particularly related to Vata dosha. Just as excess wind can stir the calm waters of a lake, excess Vata can disrupt the natural flow of our minds, creating turbulence, fear, and unease.
But what can we do when our thoughts feel like they’re spiraling out of control? How can we bring ourselves back to a state of calm and balance?
Ayurveda anxiety treatments offer natural, holistic, time-tested solutions that go beyond symptom relief. By addressing the root causes, it helps restore equilibrium and inner peace. Anxiety shares qualities with Vata—such as lightness, coldness, and mobility. Ayurvedic practices focus on cultivating the opposite: warmth, stability, and nourishment.
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the Ayurvedic understanding of anxiety, explore how balancing Vata can help, and provide practical remedies you can incorporate into your daily routine to invite more peace into your life.
Understanding the Blocks to Your Well-being
Our teacher, Sri Kaleshwar, spoke extensively about what he called “the blocks” which obscure our true nature from ourselves. These blocks are common experiences that arise as we navigate life. They hold us back from perceiving the truth beyond the illusions of modern living. He said 99% of humanity is walking around with these blocks which are creating heartache, heartbreak, confusion and ultimately feeding into a feeling of lack of support, lack of surrender and not remembering who we really are.
One of these blocks is anxiety.
Anxiety, in particular, can be both a learned pattern and a reflection of external influences. It may develop over time or arise suddenly, mirroring the stress and uncertainty we see or feel from our surroundings.
By addressing these blocks we can begin to dissolve the patterns of anxiety and restore our inner balance.
What Causes Anxiety According to Ayurveda?
In Ayurveda anxiety is primarily caused by an imbalance in Vata dosha, which is responsible for all forms of movement—both physical and mental. Like everything in Ayurveda regarding both the body and the mind we must consider the qualities at play. The feeling of uneasiness, a void, confusion or ungroundedness that comes up with anxiety is similar to the qualities of ether and air which are governed by Vata dosha. When it’s balanced, we experience creativity, flexibility, and clarity. However, when Vata is out of alignment, it can result in feelings of restlessness, fear, and, ultimately, anxiety.
But why does Vata become imbalanced?
- Overstimulation (constant scrolling, multitasking, sensory overload)
- Irregular routines (such as skipping meals or staying up late)
- Excessive travel or moving around too quickly
- Cold, windy environments (which amplify Vata’s light and mobile qualities)
- Mental strain or emotional stress (worry, fear, and uncertainty feed Vata)
These Vata-aggravating factors can send the mind into overdrive, leaving us feeling scattered and frazzled.

© 2023 Nicole Canegata
Symptoms of Excess Vata and Anxiety
- Racing thoughts or excessive worrying
- Insomnia or difficulty falling asleep
- Poor appetite
- Irregular digestion and elimination (bloating, gas, or constipation)
- Feeling “ungrounded” or spacey
- Nervous energy or restlessness
What we primarily see here are the pillars of life (food, energy, sleep) being destabilized which brings up the high Vata feelings of anxiety, stress and ultimately fear. This then can spiral into further depletion because food can become harder to digest when we feel uneasy. Sleep can be further effected, energy levels plummet, respiration and circulation may suffer. You may notice heart palpitations, weight loss and even further signs of extreme Vata vitiation.
If you experience these symptoms, it’s time to consider how to bring Vata back into balance.

© 2023 Nicole Canegata
Ayurvedic Practices to Soothe Anxiety and Balance Vata
Here are a few time-honored Ayurvedic remedies and practices for anxiety relief that you can start today to help settle overactive Vata energy:
1. Self-Oil Massage (Abhyanga)
One of the most nurturing and effective ways to pacify Vata dosha, is through the practice of self-oil massage, or abhyanga. This daily ritual envelops the body in warmth and grounding, creating a sense of security and calm that deeply soothes the nervous system. By incorporating self-oil massage into your routine, you not only provide your body with nourishment but also cultivate a powerful expression of self-love and care that can help alleviate the restlessness and unease linked to anxiety.
- What to Use: Warm, heavy oils like sesame oil or ashwagandha oil are ideal for Vata. Sesame oil, in particular, is known for its grounding, warming qualities, while ashwagandha is one of the most potent, Vata-soothing herbs because of its heavy and sweet qualities.
- How to Do It: Begin by gently warming your chosen oil. Apply it to your skin in slow, circular motions, paying special attention to areas like the scalp, joints, and feet. These key areas hold tension and can greatly benefit from soothing touch and warm oil. This method not only relaxes the mind and nervous system but also promotes circulation, enhances digestion, and improves sleep quality—all essential in managing anxiety.
For a more detailed guide on how to perform abhyanga effectively, and to receive tips tailored to your dosha, download our FREE Self-Oil Massage Guide. This resource is packed with insights to help you make the most of your practice, transforming a simple massage into a deeply therapeutic ritual.
2. Shiro Abhyanga (Head Massage)
The head is the command center of the body and where Vata energy tends to collect; often leading to racing thoughts, restlessness and mental tension. By regularly nourishing this area with oil, you promote deeper relaxation, greater clarity, and balance throughout all systems of the body.
- What to Use: Opt for grounding, calming oils like sesame oil or Brahmi oil. Sesame oil, rich in nutrients and warming qualities, helps to pacify Vata and ground your energy. Brahmi oil is favored for its calming effects on the mind, helping to reduce stress and anxiety while also supporting brain function.
- How to Do It: Warm the oil slightly and apply it to your scalp, using slow, circular motions. Focus on areas like your temples, the crown of your head, and the base of your neck where tension tends to build. Take your time with the process, using gentle pressure to help the oil penetrate your skin and nourish your scalp. This practice can be incredibly grounding and helps to relieve mental fatigue, quiet an overactive mind, and promote deep, restorative sleep.
Want More Support?
For those seeking even more comprehensive head and neck treatments, we highly recommend exploring the benefits of Shirodhara and Shiro Abhyanga, two therapies that work synergistically to nourish the mind and body.
3. Full Yogic Breathing (Pranayama)
Vata’s primary element is air, which often causes quick, shallow breathing when aggravated. Full yogic breathing can help ground and calm the nervous system by using our primary and accessory respiratory muscles more comprehensively. Massaging and soothing our organs and tissues, balancing our circulation, while bringing our awareness into the present moment.
- How to Practice: Sit comfortably with your spine straight or lye down on a supportive but comfortable surface. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, expanding the belly, then the ribcage, and finally the upper chest. Exhale slowly and completely, through your nostrils. Repeat for several minutes, focusing on lengthening the breath without any strain or force, no tension in the face.
This simple practice can slow racing thoughts, detoxify the body, and instill a sense of calm. For a more in-depth guide to this technique, check out our blog post on Full Yogic Breathing where we break down each phase in greater detail.

© 2023 Nicole Canegata
4. Grounding Foods and Nourishing Diet
Imbalances in Vata can often be triggered by irregular eating habits or consuming foods that are dry, cold, or light (like salads, raw vegetables, and crackers). To counter this, opt for warm, moist, and grounding foods that stabilize and nourish the body.
- What to Eat: Favor soups, stews, cooked grains, root vegetables, and healthy fats like ghee and sesame oil. Enhance your meals with warming spices like ginger, cumin, and cinnamon to aid digestion and further soothe Vata.
For more detailed tips on crafting a Vata-pacifying diet during the cooler months check out our Vata Dosha Diet blog.
5. Sense Therapy for Anxiety Relief
6. Meditation
For those grappling with anxiety, a quiet mind can feel elusive. Meditation offers a powerful tool to interrupt the cycle of overthinking to reconnect and cultivate our inner stillness. While it may seem daunting, meditation doesn’t have to be complex. In fact, starting small can yield big results.
- How to Begin: Ease into a daily practice with just 5–10 minutes of seated meditation. Scan and sense your body, telling each area to relax as you sense it. As this becomes easier, observe the movements of your breath without force or intention. Allowing each inhale and exhale to guide you into a quieter, more peaceful and present state of mind.
- Why It Works: Meditation taps into the essence of our Being, where stillness isn’t forced but is a natural result of aligning your body, breath, and mind. By settling into this harmony, you can become aware of unconscious patterns which generate anxiety and work to free yourself of them. Through consistent practice, meditation becomes a sanctuary—a space where the overactive mind finds rest and our true nature emerges, uninfluenced by past worries, memories or emotions.
If you’re ready to dive deeper into meditation, we invite you to continue exploring our online resources or reach out for personalized guidance.
The Healing Power of Pancha Karma for Anxiety
Chronic anxiety often signals the need for a deeper reset—both physically and mentally. Pancha Karma, Ayurveda’s profound cleansing and rejuvenation therapy, offers a holistic, natural way to restore balance by addressing the root cause of imbalance (dosha) and clearing accumulated impurities from the body and mind.
At our Pancha Karma retreats, we curate each experience to your unique needs, guiding you through customized treatments that soothe all layers of your Being. Pancha Karma is much more than a cleanse; it is a journey to reset your entire system, creating a sense of clarity, peace, and renewal. Whether it’s through specialized oil therapies, a customized diet, or meditative practices, this process is designed to support healing and lasting change in your life.
Learn more about If Pancha Karma is Right For You

© 2023 Nicole Canegata
Ayurvedic Solutions for a Calmer Mind
By following these simple, nurturing practices, you can begin to quiet the racing thoughts and nervous energy that come with anxiety. Ayurveda reminds us that balance is always within reach—through grounding routines, nourishing foods, and self-care, we can ease any turbulent Vata energy and reclaim peace within ourselves and share that with the world.
If you’re seeking a more personalized approach to dealing with anxiety, consider joining us for an in-house Pancha Karma treatment or a private consultation where we’ll craft a plan to support your body and mind, helping you to find lasting relief.