Good afternoon,
My tip today is.....Anxiety
Mental Health Awareness Week has been taking place from Monday 15 - Sunday 21 May. The theme this year is Anxiety. Anxiety is what we feel when we are worried, tense or afraid - particularly about things that are about to happen, or which we think could happen in the future. It is a natural human response when we feel that we are under
threat. It can be experienced through our thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. Remember its ok not to be ok, seeking help is a sign of strength. Let’s support each other and prioritise mental health in the workplace and beyond.
Tips for
anxiety
Exercise
Exercise can help with anxiety. Dancing can be a great way to boost your mood. It is a fun and social activity that can make you feel happier and more positive. Yoga can help people to combine working out with controlled breathing.
If you haven't been to one of the classes for a while why not try one next week FREE or if you know anyone who would like
to try a fitness class bring them along.
Breathing
Dealing with anxiety can be hard.
A tip is to focus on your breathing. Concentrate on the feeling of your body as you breathe in and out. It can help you control the thought.
In Pilates we focus on our breathing. Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Close your mouth, quietly breath in through your nose, counting to four in
your head. Hold your breath and count to seven. Breathe out through your mouth, while counting to eight. Repeat three more times for a total of four breath cycles.
Relaxation exercises can work as well.
Keep a
diary
It’s important that we don’t try to ignore our worries. Taking the time to keep a record of what’s happening in
your life and how it’s affecting you can help you understand what is triggering your feelings of anxiety. Knowing this can help you better prepare for and manage situations that may cause anxiety.
Sometimes it helps to give yourself a certain time of day to be your ‘worry time’. It could be half an hour first thing in the morning for to sit with your worries and write them down in your diary. When that’s out of the way, you can move on with the rest of your day. This can help you take control and stop anxiety getting in the way of what you want to do.
Challenge your thoughts
Anxiety can lead us to think about things over and over again in our brain. This is called ‘rumination’ and it’s not helpful. When you catch yourself ruminating try to write down the thought and to challenge it. Is what you’re worrying about likely to happen? Are you being realistic? Have you had similar thoughts which have
not turned into reality? This can make it easier to challenge the thoughts and stop them from overwhelming you.
Get support for money worries
A common cause of anxiety is money. If you’re worried about not being able to pay bills, are struggling to repay debt, or aren’t
sure if you can cover your family’s living costs, seek help. Make sure you are claiming all the government supports that you’re entitled to. You can also speak to an organisation such as Citizens Advice or StepChange.
Spend time in nature
We know that spending time in nature has a positive impact on our mental
health. It can help us feel calmer and less stressed. This can be as simple as tending some flowers in a window box or going for a walk in the woods. My new project is my garden. I have been tidying and planting new plants, flowers etc and I am also attempting growing some vegetables. Any amount of time doing this is good for us, but to really get the benefit, try to spend a significant period of time – maybe an hour or longer – when you can really connect with nature and immerse
yourself.
Connect with people and talk about how you
feel
Anxiety can feel very lonely. Connecting with other people can help a lot. Spend time with friends or meet other people through activities such as volunteering, sport or social clubs, or peer support groups. We do this through our fitness
classes. I can guarantee before a class my lovely clients are always having a chat and a catch up. We even go out for coffee or lunch or nights out and friendships have been made which is incredible. If you’re able to talk to people about how you feel, it can help to reduce your anxiety. Sometimes saying what’s worrying you out loud can take away its power over you.
Try to get some quality sleep or rest
Resting and having a good night’s sleep is hard when your head is full of worries but there are some things that can help.
If anxious thoughts keep you awake, write them down in your diary. If sleep is still not coming, get up and have a drink (nothing with caffeine!) and wait until you’re feeling more tired before going back to bed.
Keeping a note in your diary of your sleep patterns, what time you went to bed, what you ate, how often you woke up etc can help you work out a routine that will help you get better quality sleep.
Try to eat a healthy diet
For many of us, feeling anxious might cause us to reach for sugary snacks, junk food or alcohol. I can relate to this. If I am feeling anxious my pick me up is chocolate, for some people it may be a glass of wine at the end of the day, we are all different.
It’s important that we don’t turn to unhealthy foods or drinks as a way to cope as they will do more damage in the longer term.
Eating healthy food regularly helps us to regulate our blood sugar and gives us the energy we need to live well.
Remember caffeine in coffee, tea and fizzy drinks can affect your mood and cause sleep problems so it’s best to have these in moderation and not too close to bedtime.
If your feelings of
anxiety are not going away, are having a negative impact on your life, or often prevent you from doing things you need or want to do, seek support. Speak to your GP about the support available in your area or contact a healpline.
#mentalhealthawareness #help #mentalhealthisimportant #exercise #relaxationtechniques
Let me know if any of this helps in any way. 😁
As usual would love your thoughts. 😀
Have a good weekend.
Paula ❤️xx