Do you ever feel your heart racing, your mouth dry, or your mind spinning at night for no clear reason? Some people suffer from anxiety disorders and experience virtually no relief or respite because their anxiety is unrelated to a specific situation. Their anxiety goes on constantly, from one situation to the next, and the next, and the next. Just know that you’re not alone. Many women over 60 experience increased anxiety, poor sleep, and low energy—but it doesn’t have to be this way.
This month, I want to show you how your diet and daily habits can help restore calm, clarity, and control—even in the face of chronic stress.
Is your heart racing, sleep broken, and mind constantly on edge—yet no one can tell you why?
Why Am I Feeling This Way?
Anxiety symptoms—like palpitations, insomnia, and sweating—are common, but when they persist, they begin to take a toll. Researchers in one study found that elderly women had higher than normal levels of anxiety (49%) and depression (48%), and one third experienced stress. They concluded that anxiety symptoms are a major contributor to mental health conditions suggesting that older adults, especially women, remain especially vulnerable to ongoing stress and anxiety.1)
What if your lingering anxiety isn’t just part of ageing—but a sign your mind and body are under chronic, silent stress?
What’s Food Got to Do with It?
Here’s the truth: your emotions are chemistry. Feelings of calm, joy, motivation, or fear are driven by neurotransmitters and hormones, basically chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, melatonin, GABA and cortisol. We need the happy hormone serotonin and the pleasure hormone dopamine to feel good, the sleep hormone melatonin to sleep, the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol for our get-up-and-go and to fight or flee when we’re under threat. And guess what? Your body can’t make these substances without the nutrients found in your diet.2)
What if the key to lifting your mood lies in your genes—and the right nutrients could help those calming, feel-good pathways function better?
Your nutrigenetics (epigenetics) may also contribute to low mood which can be supported with nutrients. Nutrigenomics can help you understand your unique ability to make (and “feel”) serotonin and your calming brain chemical GABA. Find out which nutrients play a part in supporting these genes to work more optimally. .
If we try and fuel our body with poor quality food that does not provide the building blocks of the hormones and catalysts our brain chemistry requires, we’ll have a much harder time overcoming mental health issues.
So, to be clear, no single food will cure anxiety—but it plays a foundational role in how well you sleep, think, and bounce back from stress. Here are a few nutrients at play.
What if your low mood or anxiety isn’t ‘just in your head’—but a sign your brain is missing the raw materials it needs to feel calm, happy, and in control?
Nutrients That Nurture Your Nervous System
1. Magnesium — “Nature’s Tranquiliser” 3)
- Supports GABA, your brain’s calming chemical.
- Found in leafy greens, nuts, seeds, brown rice, quinoa, seafood.
- Deficiency is common—especially with processed foods and chronic stress.
2. L-Theanine (an amino acid) — Calm in a Cup 4)
- Found in green tea, L-theanine boosts dopamine and GABA.
- Creates calm focus without drowsiness.
- Go organic to avoid pesticide load.
3. Omega-3 Fats — Fuel for a Resilient Brain (5,6)
- Critical for emotional stability and lowering inflammation.
- Found in oily fish (salmon, sardines), or marine-based vegan supplements.
- Plant-based omega-3s (like flax) may convert poorly—don’t rely on them alone. Find out if you are a good or a sluggish converter by doing a Nutrient Core nutrigenomic test, it may change your mind about not eating fish or you may need a supplement. Nutrigenomic Testing.
- Taking it a step further: A functional test can tell you if your omega-3 levels are adequate or not – see Functional Testing.
4. Gut Health — Your Second Brain
- A healthy microbiome helps produce serotonin and calm the nervous system.7)
- Feed it with a wide variety of fibre-rich foods (prebiotics): vegetables, beans, fruit, whole grains, herbs.
- Add fermented foods (kefir, sauerkraut, live yoghurt) for extra benefit.
- Avoid gut disruptors: sugar, alcohol, emulsifiers, sweeteners and manage stress.
Could your daily pick-me-ups be quietly fuelling the very anxiety, fatigue, and sleeplessness you’re trying to escape?
🚫 What to Watch Out For
- Caffeine can worsen anxiety and disrupt sleep—especially after midday.
- Sugar causes energy crashes and mood swings.
- Alcohol harms your gut and nervous system long after the buzz wears off.
- Highly processed foods often lack the nutrients your brain needs to cope.
If food fuels your mood, could your daily habits be the missing piece in restoring your calm, energy, and emotional resilience?
Lifestyle Habits to Soothe Stress
While food lays the foundation, your daily habits can help rebuild your emotional reserves:
✅ Deep breathing or meditation (even 5 minutes helps) (8,9)
✅ Regular walks in nature or gentle exercise
✅ Prioritising sleep—go to bed and wake up at the same time
✅ Carving out time for hobbies or quiet moments
✅ Connecting with others—don’t isolate
Key Takeaway
You don’t have to suffer in silence—or rely on willpower alone. Nutrition and lifestyle interventions are powerful, evidence-backed tools for managing anxiety, improving energy, and restoring peace of mind.
There is so much you can do to support your body and brain. And I’m here to help you every step of the way. Book a Free-Mini Consultation.
Need a little extra help?
Need Personalised Support?
If you’re ready to take action but don’t know where to start, I offer tailored nutrition and lifestyle guidance, backed by functional testing and nutrigenomics where appropriate. I specialise in helping women over 60 feel energised, emotionally resilient, and strong in both body and mind.
Let’s create your personalised plan—so you can age with confidence, independence, and joy. Book a Free- Mini Consultation.
To your calm and vitality,
Anahita
Nutritional Therapist MSc | Functional Testing | Nutrigenomics
Disclaimer:
The dietary and lifestyle changes, supplements, and treatments discussed in this post may interact with medications or have contraindications for certain individuals. Therefore, this blog post is for general information and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or qualified health professional before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, supplements, or medications. Individual needs vary, and what works for one person may not be appropriate for another. The author is not liable for any outcomes from applying information in this post. If you are experiencing a medical issue or emergency, seek professional help immediately.
Want to Read More?
Here are a few recent studies on stress and nutrition to explore:
[1] Beniusiene A, Kontautiene V, Strukcinskiene B, Grigoliene R, Martisauskiene D, Jurgaitis J. Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Symptoms (DASS-21) in Elderly Women in Association with Health Status (SHSQ-25): A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Dec 24;13(1):7. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13010007. PMID: 39791615; PMCID: PMC11720694.
[2] Grajek M, Krupa-Kotara K, Białek-Dratwa A, Sobczyk K, Grot M, Kowalski O, Staśkiewicz W. Nutrition and mental health: A review of current knowledge about the impact of diet on mental health. Front Nutr. 2022 Aug 22;9:943998. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2022.943998. PMID: 36071944; PMCID: PMC9441951.
[3] Kirkland AE, Sarlo GL, Holton KF (2018): The Role of Magnesium in Neurological Disorders. Nutrients. 2018 Jun 6;10(6):730.
[4] Evans, M., McDonald, A.C., Xiong, L. et al. A Randomized, Triple-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study to Investigate the Efficacy of a Single Dose of AlphaWave® l-Theanine on Stress in a Healthy Adult Population. Neurol Ther 10, 1061–1078 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40120-021-00284-x.
[5] Bafkar N, Zeraattalab-Motlagh S, Jayedi A, Shab-Bidar S. Efficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acids supplementation for anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Psychiatry. 2024 Jun 18;24(1):455. doi: 10.1186/s12888-024-05881-2. PMID: 38890670; PMCID: PMC11186166.
[6] Kavyani Z, Musazadeh V, Fathi S, Hossein Faghfouri A, Dehghan P, Sarmadi B. Efficacy of the omega-3 fatty acids supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers: An umbrella meta-analysis. Int Immunopharmacol. 2022 Oct;111:109104. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109104. Epub 2022 Jul 30. PMID: 35914448.
[7] Yang B, Wei J, Ju P, Chen J (2019): Effects of regulating intestinal microbiota on anxiety symptoms: A systematic review. Gen Psychiatr. 2019 May 17;32(2):e100056.
[8] Hatch S, Webber J, Rej S, Finlayson M, Kessler D. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based meditation treatments for late life anxiety: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Aging Ment Health. 2023 Jun;27(6):1045-1055. doi: 10.1080/13607863.2022.2102140. Epub 2022 Jul 31. PMID: 35912637.
[9] Talebisiavashani, F., & Mohammadi-Sartang, M. (2024). The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Mental Health and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Aging and Health, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643241263882
[10] Michael Caudle W. This can’t be stressed enough: The contribution of select environmental toxicants to disruption of the stress circuitry and response. Physiol Behav. 2016 Nov 1;166:65-75. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.09.021. Epub 2015 Sep 25. PMID: 26409212; PMCID: PMC4808483.
