Natural ways to reduce anxiety – Part 4
Following on from my last post on calm breathing, I want to introduce you to calming counting. The advantage of this technique over calm breathing is that it helps you stop focusing on worried thoughts!
Calming Counting
- Sit comfortably.
- Take a long, deep breath and exhale it slowly while saying the word “relax” silently.
- Close your eyes.
- Let yourself take ten natural, easy breaths. Count down with each exhale, starting with “ten.”
- This time, while you are breathing comfortably, notice any tensions, perhaps in your jaw or forehead or stomach. Imagine those tensions loosening.
- When you reach “one,” open your eyes again.
As claming counts takes about 90 seconds this is precious time that your body gets to relax and quieten your mind.
It is perfectly possible to do this on your commute, as long as you don’t drive or at your desk or even in the loo!
Related Posts
Did you know this reduces your changes of getting a cold or flu?
When I worked in an office, this was the time of the year when everyone either got the office cold or sometimes even worse flu, so I wanted to share something that can reduce your chance of getting one. Garlic has been used for centuries as both a food ingredient and a medicine. Garlic contains compounds that help the immune system fight germs and has show promise as a treatment for preventing colds and the flu. Studies have shown that garlic reduces the risk of becoming sick in the first place, as well as how long you stay sick. It can also reduce the severity of symptoms. One study gave 146 healthy volunteers either garlic supplements or a placebo for three months. The garlic group had a 63% lower risk of getting a cold, and their colds were also 70% shorter. Another study found that colds were on average 61% shorter for subjects who ate 2.56 grams of aged garlic extract per day, compared to a placebo group. Their colds were also less severe. If you often get sick with a cold or flu, eating garlic can help reduce your symptoms or prevent your illness entirely. However, a review of the evidence found that many of the studies investigating the effects of garlic on the common cold were of poor quality. Reference https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25961060 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11238820 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22280901 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11697022 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22280901
Ten tips for surviving Chronic Fatigue or ME
We call all feel tired after a long day at work. For some people a good nights sleep doesn't refresh them and they end up feeling tired all the time. They may then receive a diagnosis from their GP of Chronic Fatigue or ME. So if you know anyone who has received this diagnosis here are some tips:
- Accept - make peace with your current limitations; it may require you to adjust your lifestyle and to get others to help care for you.
- Look externally - get support from others and see a doctor or a therapist.
- Fix your diet - we all know the importance of a healthy diet, but it is paramount when you are tired and take you may require supplements.
- Look within - meditate and look within to find the lessons from your current situation and illness.
- Examine the past - look for unresolved issues, traumas or behavioural patterns that aren't serving you well.
- Grieve - spend time grieving over any past hurts and broken dreams and then let them go.
- Get back into the world - when you have the energy, get out and meet people or do some volunteer work.
- Make changes - introduce new behaviours, think positively and keep a gratitude diary.
- Look into the future - set goals for where you want to be in 10 years time, find your passion and take small steps to get there.
- Keep learning - read about what may help your condition and make small changes to your daily routine.
