I have low level generalized anxiety that's well managed through coping skills and therapy over the years. Generally I feel good about my mental health and can pin point what is making me anxious and know how to ameliorate it.

One thing I recognized years ago is too much caffeine intensifies my anxiety. Recently though, I am feeling the anxiety intensify without additional caffeine. It's occurred to me it has something to do with my way of eating but to date, I haven't been able to pin point it. There is a growing body of evidence that our mental health is significantly impacted by our gut and the balance of bacteria residing in our intestines. No doubt, significant changes happen to that bacteria and biome inside us when we make changes to the way we eat.

So, I don't have any answers, I'm still looking into them myself but I very strongly doubt it's purely a coincidence or that it's all in your head.

I've heard some experiencing that from too low of carbs for them. It isn't a universal truth but it seems not uncommon.

Are you eating enough overall still?

And if the triggers are out of your control... I suppose it's a question of acceptance* and workarounds.

---

* "Glücklich ist,
Wer vergisst
Was doch nicht zu ändern ist!"
- Die Fledermaus

After my cognitive behavioral therapy for my sleeping issues, I learned a few things.

• It is OK to worry, everyone worries
• Make sure you have a worry time, put your worries/anxieties to one side, write them down and concentrate on them at your worry time
• when you wake up at night, cannot sleep, write in your journal, it is amazing how much better you feel when you write it all down, read your notes in the morning, I bet most of it you will look at and think, why did that keep me awake?
• Routines is great for us with worries and anxiety issues, but we do not cope very well with changes

• One of the more useful techniques I was taught that actually works made me feel like an idiot the first few times, but it works; concentrate on an object, the colors, the texture, how it might feel in your hand/fingers, variations in the pattern/colors. The concentration often switches your brain off from worrying, and into concentrating instead, so you can relax and get back to sleep.
• If the above does not help, the slow butt clenching does help - after 15 mins of concentrating you'll be ready to sleep, and wake up with a sore butt from the exercising in the morning. Yup, I do it from time to time when nothing else helps. It takes my mind of my worries and gives me more sleep. More sleep for me means less anxiety, less worrying, better mood and better mental health.
• It took me months to master the above to make them useful tools by the way, and yes I felt silly doing them, but it has worked, no meds no more, sleeping well 5 out of 7 nights a week (yes I am still work in progress) I have yet to go really low on the carbs, but I am hoping what I learned through my counselling might be a bit of a help to you guys, who are still struggling. I use the above techniques weekly to keep myself in check.

Could seasonal affective disorder (SAD) be part of this? Depression and anxiety commonly go together. Years ago, my doctor suggested I use a light box starting in October through March. DH used to do this, too, until his workplace installed full spectrum lights throughout the mill. He used to literally break down and cry by January over nothing and with light therapy is a pretty cheerful guy throughout the winter now.

Perhaps the timing of the symptoms occurring during the winter when we get so little sun (those of us in northern climes can really get hit) is coincidental to the change in how much carb you are eating. Just a thought.

*kitten* =/= optional.