We’re living in an age when stress, worry and anxiety are an accepted part of life, with difficult situations always just around the corner and considering the last few years this isn’t really surprising.
How we respond to pressure can make a big difference to the negative impact this can have on mental and emotional health, as well as reducing the long-term health risks.
Understanding the processes involved in stress reactions and making simple changes to our lifestyles can make a surprising amount of difference to our health.
Worry warrior
“I enjoy a challenge but can leave my projects or problems behind when I’m off work or on holiday; once the problem has been solved I recover and move on; I get an adrenalin rush when problems loom, and find it hard to relax, but this isn’t my normal mode.”
Worry and anxiety tip: If you know that there is a crisis looming or a period of strain on the horizon, protect yourself against negative effects of adrenalin by loading up with magnesium and B vitamins and taking a remedy such as A.Vogel’s new Passiflora range (20ml, £10.99) can play a role to help support the nervous system.
The new Passiflora Complex Spray can be used by adults and young people aged 12 plus. Passiflora works by boosting the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain. This compound lowers stressful brain activity, which may help with relaxation and aid sleep. It can be taken either short or long-term and can be taken alongside other medication, except tranquillising or sedating medications. Try to also keep yourself focused with healthy snacks and energising green tea.
Wired to worry
“I find it hard to keep weight on; I will often wake in the night and can’t get back to sleep as my mind is so busy; my memory sometimes bothers me; I often feel anxious when I wake up; I have always carried a lot of tension in my shoulders; I am quite sensitive to caffeine, although I still drink it.”
Worry and anxiety tip: Make a conscious effort to support your nervous system. Regular exercise will help burn off the extra adrenalin produced throughout the day. Consider banning caffeine completely – your constitutional type really doesn’t need more stimulation! Try magnesium, available in supplement form or as bath flakes.
Willing to worry
“I like to think everything through to spot potential hiccups; I ‘catastrophise’ in an attempt to avert problems; things usually turn out ok, even though I’ve anticipated disaster; I often feel quite anxious the night before going back in to work after the weekend or a holiday; I never let myself get over-confident.”
Worry and anxiety tip: This is called ‘defensive pessimism’ and does actually work in regard to avoiding problems, but it needs to be understood and controlled to avoid shredding your nervous system. Recognising what is worth worrying over and avoiding fretting over smaller issues will leave you with less anxiety. Enlist the help of a trusted friend to help you differentiate between real and perceived challenges until you get better at spotting needless fretting. Try A.Vogel Dormeasan (15ml, £4.75) a herbal remedy to help you get a good night’s sleep while working on your new regime.
The worry wheel
“I am putting on weight on my belly; I find I’m craving more sweet and/or salty nibbles; I need caffeine to get me out of bed in the morning, and I reach for it during the day; my digestion seems to be playing me up a lot; after a stressful period a while ago I find it hard to relax and get back into my old rhythm; things that aren’t really a problem go round and round in my mind; I feel safer following patterns I know well – I don’t enjoy change”
Worry and anxiety tip: Professional counselling may help if the causes go back a long way and techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be extremely empowering. Mild medication from your doctor may be an answer initially if the Worry Wheel is reducing quality of life. Exercise regularly to burn off adrenalin and permit good, refreshing sleep. Take up pleasant hobbies and creative projects to occupy your mind positively.
In these trying times, how can we understand what is happening to us, and find positive ways to cope? Knowing more about how to connect with your body’s signals and develop better ways of coping improving resilience is a good place to start and making small and very simple lifestyle changes is a great way to start also.
If you found Worry and anxiety – What sort of worrier are you? helpful, you’ll find more tips for dealing with anxiety on our Health channel.
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