Shifting our mindset

It’s important for your physical and mental health to step out of survival mode whenever possible. We have all been told how to relieve stress and anxiety, such as working less, sleeping more, getting a massage or trying some yoga, but these are not helpful when in the midst of a fight-or-f light response. Lucy Woods, a Mindfulness Coach at Presence of Mind, says, “There is a raft of stress-relieving ideas – think hot bubble baths or booking a holiday – but these tactics are either not possible in the moment or there’s not enough time. We can’t always just jump in the bath in the middle of a stressful situation!”

A common response is to try pushing unpleasant feelings away or ignoring them, but Lucy suggests the opposite. “When in survival mode and you notice tension in the face or jaw, or churning in the stomach, bring attention to that feeling. This can be challenging at first as we don’t always register what’s going on when we’re stressed. That’s because it has been an automatic reaction for so long, but it is possible to train our minds to learn how to notice.”

Lucy says that only when we catch the feel of our heart racing or become aware of our minds whirring do we recognise that the stress response is activated. Noticing allows us to physically soften the body, slow the mind and find out what we really need. What is your body telling you? Are you tired? Hungry? Are you

If your symptoms are getting worse, seek support or professional advice to help manage stress. “Surviving” fulltime is not living, so try to take a moment to yourself and don’t feel guilty about it. We all need to rest.