Techniques to calm a stressed-out mind
■ Learn to relax Try this body scan exercise. Get comfortable and close your eyes. Focus on your feet and imagine all the muscles relaxing and softening. Then move up to your ankles and relax those too. Move up your legs and body, softening and relaxing each body part one at a time, into your arms, shoulders, head and face. This practice helps you to release tension from your body and switch off.
■ Take deep belly breaths This technique helps to get us out of fight or flight mode and into relaxation mode. Relax your stomach muscles and as you breathe in, let your belly expand as though you’re blowing up a balloon. When you then breathe out again, allow your stomach to flatten once more.
■ Imagine what could go right When we have anxiety, we often imagine things going wrong in the future. But instead, train yourself to imagine what could go right. Instead of thinking the worst, focus on visualising the situation going well, for example, a job interview you’re nervous about or a party you’ve been dreading. Picture yourself feeling calm and confident at the interview, or smiling and laughing as you chat to people at the party.
■ Learn to say no If you’re a people pleaser, you might find yourself saying yes to things that you don’t really have the capacity for. When you take on too much it can lead to burnout and resentment. If you always put others first, there’s no time to look after yourself and your own mental health. Instead, when someone asks you to do something for them, tell them you’ll check your diary and get back to them, rather than instinctively agreeing. Then you can check in with yourself about whether it’s something you want to do or not.
■ How to handle a panic attack
Although panic attacks feel very scary, they are not dangerous. Despite this, many people with panic attacks end up in A&E thinking they are having a heart attack. The rush of adrenalin, the racing heart and trembling will pass within a few minutes. It can help to focus on taking slow deep breaths and counting to five for each in breath and out breath, which can also help to distract you. You might like to say to yourself things like “it’s just adrenalin” or “it will pass”.