five ways to...
FEEL BETTER AFTER A BOOZY FESTIVE SEASON
THEY don’t call it the festive season for nothing – and if you’ve spent most of it feeling a bit merry, you’re not likely to be feeling your best in.
It’s easy to blame that on a few weeks of living it up, but overindulgence with alcohol can land you with more than a hangover.
Here, clinical hypnotherapist Fiona Lamb offers five ways to help start the new year as you mean to go on.
1 SORT OUT YOUR ROUTINE:
If every night you come home after work and reach for a glass of wine, change things up. Avoid the kitchen for an hour when you get back, and don’t keep wine in the house.
2FIND OTHER WAYS TO HAVE FUN:
If you’re a social drinker, now’s a great opportunity to pick up some new hobbies that don’t revolve around or involve drinking.
3 BUILD UP YOUR SELFCONFIDENCE:
Many people drink to deal with social awkwardness or out of what they perceive as obligation. You need to learn to feel comfortable and relaxed around others.
4 PRIORITISE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH:
A lot of people lack the ability to manage the overwhelming feeling of having too much going on, resorting to drinking. Instead, try natural mood-lifters such as having a bath or going for a run.
5 DON’T OVERTHINK IT:
Being sober isn’t a punishment, and you aren’t missing out by not drinking. The more we feel deprived of something, the more we crave it. I teach clients to relax around alcohol as if it were any other drink.
If you’re finding it difficult to change your habits by yourself, there could be an underlying addiction that needs addressing. If this is the case, see a professional to help you gain back control. Based in Harley Street, Fiona Lamb specialises in helping her clients navigate anxiety, emotional eating, and addictions. See fionalamb.com