The festive season is a time of joy, but for many, it’s also a source of anxiety. Financial pressures, family expectations, social obligations, and packed schedules can make this time of year overwhelming. At Waitākere Health Hub, we’re here to help you find calm amidst the chaos.
Understanding Anxiety and its Impact
Anxiety can manifest both mentally and physically. It is characterised by unpleasant feelings of restlessness, tension, and apprehension, which can become chronic. Anxiety disorders are prevalent and significantly impact the lives of those affected, regardless of socioeconomic status or age. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 301 million people worldwide were affected by anxiety in 2019.1
The term “anxiety disorders” encompasses various conditions, including:2
Generalised anxiety disorder
Panic disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Social anxiety disorder
Agoraphobia
Separation anxiety disorder
Specific phobias
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Selective mutism
Anxiety may also be associated with other medical conditions. Individuals with anxiety disorders may experience excessive fear or worry about specific situations (e.g., a panic attack or social event) or, in the case of generalised anxiety disorder, a broad range of everyday scenarios. Symptoms typically persist over an extended period and may include:
Expecting the worst
Excessive worry that is hard to control
Trouble concentrating or making decisions
Feeling irritable, tense, or restless
Fatigue
Nausea or abdominal distress
Heart palpitations
Sweating, trembling, or shaking
Trouble sleeping
A sense of impending danger, panic, or doom
A need to know what will happen in the future
If unmanaged, anxiety can lead to mental and physical exhaustion, reduced productivity, and burnout.
Contributing factors
As with all mental health conditions, anxiety is influenced by a complex interplay of social, psychological, environmental, and biological factors. People who have experienced abuse, trauma, significant loss, or other adverse events are more susceptible.
The mind and body are closely interconnected. Anxiety often leads to physical tension, nervous system hyperactivity, and behaviours such as increased alcohol or drug use, which can exacerbate existing health issues. Being in a heightened state of anxiety can also hinder healthy choices like exercising, eating well, maintaining good sleep patterns, and fostering positive relationships.
Common treatments for Anxiety
Conventional treatments for anxiety disorders include pharmacological and psychotherapeutic approaches. Medications such as benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and beta-blockers are commonly prescribed. However, benzodiazepines, while effective, carry risks of physical, chemical, and psychological dependence, especially with prolonged use.³
Additional holistic health options include:
Good nutrition (reducing caffeine and alcohol)
Meditation, mindfulness, and deep breathing
Regular exercise
Support groups
Supplements that may support anxiety management include:
Vitamin D3
Magnesium
Melatonin
Omega-3 fatty acids
Chamomile
Valerian root
Ashwagandha
Kava
Acupuncture for Anxiety
While ancient Chinese texts don’t explicitly define “anxiety,” they describe conditions resembling it, such as:
Jing Ji: Fear and palpitations
Zheng Chong: Panic throbbing
Li Ji: Rebellious Qi of the Penetrating Vessel
These conditions often stem from emotional stress, poor diet, blood loss, overwork, or inherent constitutional factors.
Acupuncture, an integral part of Chinese medicine, offers a gentle yet effective approach to managing anxiety. Research, including a 2021 meta-analysis, shows acupuncture’s ability to reduce anxiety symptoms with fewer side effects than conventional treatments.⁴
At Waitākere Health Hub, we use a comprehensive approach that combines modern neuro-puncture techniques, auricular acupuncture, and traditional Chinese medicine diagnostics to restore balance.
How acupuncture treats anxiety:
We use a multi-pronged style of treatment for anxiety, using a modern neuropuncture style stimulating the central nervous system directly with scalp stimulation affecting the brain directly and auricular acupuncture stimulating the vagus nerve. We also add to this a complete diagnosis of the internal pattern contributing to your anxiety, often people have a pattern of; Blood depletion, Yang depletion, or Phlegm-heat harassing the Heart. Along with a visceral organ component which all present with differing whole body signs and symptoms we analyse.
With our diagnosis, of the presenting pattern we will help bring your tinana (body) into balance. With acupuncture being a complex intervention you will get the added positive side effects of sleeping better, eating better, and more stress resilience.5
I also often add an auricular magnetic pellet stuck to your ear. People use this to do auricular stimulation throughout the week at home. My clients call it their “panic button”, as activation places them into a parasympathetic state, calming breathing and helping to down-regulate the nervous system.
Why it works:
Regulates the nervous system by stimulating the vagus nerve, shifting the body from “fight-or-flight” to “rest-and-digest.”
Balances energy (Qi) with calming points like Baihui (DU20) and Neiguan (PC6).
Reduces stress hormones (e.g., cortisol) and rehabilitates the amygdala and prefrontal cortex.
Encourages the release of neuropeptides like dopamine, serotonin, and GABA.
Improves sleep, reduces tension, and builds emotional resilience.
Exercise for anxiety
Research shows exercise significantly reduces anxiety and depression. Rhythmic aerobic activities like jogging, swimming, cycling, and walking—performed 15–30 minutes, three times a week, for at least 10 weeks—yield the best results.6 But the type of exercise you do does not really matter there is research for anaerobic and aerobic exercise, from my perspective it depends on the internal landscape of your tinana. If your anxiety stems from depletion gentle exercise will feel better, if it is a repletion then stronger exercise will help. The main takeaway is that exercise helps, listen to your body on how much you need.
Exercise benefits both physical and mental health by:
Boosting endorphins and monoamines
Improving blood circulation and regulating stress responses
Increasing self-efficacy and promoting mental distraction
At Waitākere Health Hub, we offer a range of movement classes, from strengthening with Pilates, the gentle flow of yoga, and the mindful way tai chi builds energy. These will all help you move your Qi and find balance.
Introducing the Hā habit breathing tool
We are delighted to have the Hā habit breathing tool available at Waitākere Health Hub. This beautiful taonga is a functional piece of jewellery and a unique tool for managing your stress and anxiety throughout the day. It offers a structured breath-work method that calms the nervous system and builds great habits. Making this a perfect addition to your well-being routine.
How to use it
Pause: Set aside a minimum 2-3 minutes daily. Although I use this often in the day.
Breathe:
Hā ki roto - Breathe in through the nose for 4 seconds to fill your belly with air
Hā ki waho - Breathe out through your Hā tool for at lease 8-10 seconds. Relax and let go.
Repeat: Repeat the cycle 5 times or until you feel calm. Keep your attention on your breathing.
Tips:
It’s okay to feel uncomfortable emotions—they will pass.
Focused breathing interrupts unhelpful thought patterns.
Be gentle with yourself; Breathing mindfully is a skill that can be challenging. There is no need for perfection – just keep on trying.
Repetition is key. Practising intentional breathing will help you master your mind.
These Hā tools also come with a beautiful journaling set for adults and for our young tamariki, a lovely guided meditation they can breathe along with.
If you know someone in need these are a beautiful Christmas gift, they come in various colours, check it out here.
Putting it all together
Create a self-care routine with acupuncture, exercise, and breathing techniques.
Schedule movement: 30 minutes, 3–5 times a week.
Make time for calm: Walks, breathing, or mindful moments.
Recognise when you need help: We’re here to support you.
Why Waitākere Health Hub?
At Waitākere Health Hub, we like to take the “mental” out of the word mental health. We like to look at your health as a whole and work with all the parts that keep us well. We use and integrate traditional practices like acupuncture, breathwork, cranial osteopathy, massage, yoga, Pilates, tai chi and the infrared sauna with tools like the Hā habit breathing tool. Whether you need guidance on creating a sustainable exercise routine or an assessment of your body from a holistic Chinese medicine perspective, or some support to initiate some healthy habits, we’re here for you.
This Christmas, reclaim your calm. With our support, you can move from overwhelm to presence, creating space for joy and connection. Contact us today to start your journey.
References:
World Health Organization: WHO. Anxiety disorders [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/anxiety-disorders
Pilkington K. Anxiety, depression and acupuncture: a review of the clinical research. Auton Neurosci [Internet]. 2010 [cited 2015 Apr 02];157(1-2):91-5. Available from: http://www.autonomicneuroscience.com/article/S1566-0702%2 810%2900071-8/abstract
Marchi KC, Bárbaro AM, Miasso AI, Tirapelli CR. [Anxiety and the consumption of anxiolytics among nursing students of a public university]. Rev Eletrônica Enferm [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2015 Apr 02];15(3):729-37. Available from: https://www.fen.ufg.br/fen_revista/v15/n3/pdf/v15n3a15.pdf Portuguese.
Yang, Xy., Yang, Nb., Huang, Ff. et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture on anxiety disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Ann Gen Psychiatry 20, 9 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-021-00327-5
Maciocia G. The practice of Chinese medicine: The Treatment of Diseases with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs. Churchill Livingstone; 2008.
Guszkowska M. [Effects of exercise on anxiety, depression and mood]. Psychiatria Polska. 2004 Jul-Aug;38(4):611-620. PMID: 15518309.
Comentarios