5 things you can do to feel calmer

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, yet is often forgotten – so here are 5 things you can do to feel calmer and beat anxiety for good. Aaaaaand relax…

Responding to the demands of daily life with healthy techniques that help boost your mood and relax your body is important. The concept of ‘me time’ is much spoken of but often ignored. Yet it is hugely important for a state of wellbeing. Fiona Trevitt, a life and wellness coach insists that relaxation is important to help ‘create more balance and counteract busyness in life’ by enhancing your bodily functions and mental clarity. She says that the ‘best’ type is a very personal thing, and what one person finds relaxing, another may find stressful – for example cooking or lawn-mowing. The important thing is that it grounds you and helps you find a connection.

It’s important to remember that the body is not separate from the mind, and that mental health will also have an effect on physical health. High levels of stress have been shown to increase the chances of stroke, depression has been linked with a 50 per cent greater rate of cancer, and the NHS spends £8billion per year on physical health symptoms triggered by mental health conditions. Any mental health illness needs proper medical care, but little boosts can also help. Here are five little ways to look after your mental health every day.

Do yoga (at work)

Fiona Patterson, a yoga, tai chi and qigong coach, recognises how it is difficult to find the time for even a few minutes of practice a day, and so has developed the Salute Your Desk app ‘to help people relax more in the workplace to boost productivity and reduce burnout’. Filled with easy exercises to do at your desk at any time of the day, it’s a simple way to incorporate relaxation into your lifestyle.

Make a cup of tea

There’s a reason why Brits reach for the kettle in all situations – it makes us feel calmer. The ritualised process of making a cup of tea and sitting down to enjoy it is also important. Take the time to enjoy making your tea, tasting and enjoying it. Black tea (your regular builders’ brew) helps cut levels of the stress hormone cortisol circulating in the blood, according to a study by University College London published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. But for super calming effects, try: chamomile, which is particularly good for soothing the stomach and decreasing mild anxiety; passionflower, which helps to decrease muscle tension and calm nerves; and valerian, which has long been used to help treat sleep disorders.

Read a book

We are overloaded by technology and screens, and this constant stimulus can have a very distressing effect on our brains. Switching off from something all together and having no entertainment may seem scary, so why not try that old-fashioned form of storytelling – a book. According to a study by Mindlab International at the University of Sussex, reading reduces stress by up to 68 per cent – and even only six minutes a day can help. Head down to your local library to help support your community as well as your wellbeing.

Have a laugh
‘Watch a funny movie or spend some time with people who make you laugh,’ recommends Amanda, trainer and fitness expert. Laughter really is the best medicine and research by the Mayo Clinic, US, says it is a fantastic stress-buster. Even when you do not actually feel like laughing, just going through the process will benefit your physical and mental state. Benefits of laughter include: an increased intake of oxygen-rich air, which stimulates your organs; a reduction in pain; an improvement in your immune system; and a cardiovascular boost (according to research published in the Journal of Women’s Health, laughing 100 times is equivalent to 10 minutes on a rowing machine or 15 minutes on the stationary bicycle). Endorphins released by your brain relieve the stress responses, lowering cortisol and making you feel better in the long and short term. Check out a few laughter clubs to give yourself a kickstart.

Try aromatherapy

When you have a deadline looming, your day has been stressful, friends are getting to you or you just feel a little flat, essential oils can make you feel more positive, calmer and less anxious. Try soaking it in the bath, dabbing a little on a handkerchief to inhale through the day, or treating yourself to a massage. Lora Cantele’s book The Complete Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness very handily describes over a hundred oils, how they are extracted, the ailments they treat, and their health benefits in an A-Z format. She advises that ‘aromatherapy can help relaxation as there are essential oils that contain various naturally occurring organic chemical components that, when introduced to the body, provide a calming and sedating action on the central nervous system’. In particular she recommends inhalation of lavender, chamomile and sweet marjoram to calm, relax and help prepare for sleep.