Category: Fitness and health

1. How can I reduce my stress for free?

   Posted on 12:22pm Tuesday 24th May 2016

   There is one thing that I do everyday that helps me to live a life without stress and it's actually the most simple and easy thing that I can do.

   It is as easy as going for a walk. You don't have to go into the mountains or lakes, or even your local park. Sometimes a walk around the block will do you just as much good.

   I have an advantage in that I have a rescue dog called Coco who is a border collie. You can probably imagine that he needs a lot of exercise, and you would be right to think that. I wanted to get a dog to walk with me as I already did a fair bit of walking anyway. I have found that people sometimes look at you as if they cannot understand why you would be out walking without a dog, but of course I had all the benefits without him. I just laugh more now at his antics and the the number of balls that he manages to find when he disappears into a bush.

   

   I always talk to people who come and see me about the benefits of just getting outside and getting some fresh air. It costs nothing and you may well be surprised how good it makes you feel.

   Many an evening I have finished work in the winter and then gone out in the cold and rain with Coco. As I stroll along, the rain lashing my face, I often have a huge smile on my face, because being outside, in any weather just makes me feel better. We were not designed to sit at desks in offices all day, so think about adding some outdoor time to your day.

   It is a wonderful way to break up your day. When you come home from work, you could take a brisk walk around the block and you could find that you even enjoy it. I often see people walking round the lake near me at lunchtime in their business dress, and I think..good for them!

   To me a trip to the gym isn't something I would enjoy. I don't really want to be indoors when I can get fresh air, some great ecercise and just feel better.

   Walking for mental heatlh

   I sometimes call it walking for mental heatlh, because the benefits are so good. I like to keep fit and I hope that I do that already, so in many ways the walk is all about clearing my mind and letting go of anything that may get stuck in there if I didn't address it.

   So, remember, rain or shine a few minutes in the great outdoors can make your day even brighter.

2. Help with Anxiety for students and young people.

   Posted on 10:17am Thursday 14th Apr 2016

   Help with Anxiety for students and young people.

   Anxiety and depression have doubled amongst the young since the 1980s. Studies show that students and the unemployed are the groups most likely to report being anxious. In fact, in some studies up to 82% of university students were found to be experiencing clinical levels of distress.

   25-30% of students experience exam anxiety.

   Alongside this young people are more likely to report low levels of anxiety than any other groups.

   How does this manifest itself?

   Academic anxiety. Does it affect you?

   Students worry about exams, presentations, maths or writers block. One of the biggest problems is a lack of motivation. This can come from trying to avoid the anxiety around starting the work. There can also be Generalised anxiety disorder, Social anxiety and even anxiety around screen related anxiety because of social networking and Smartphone addictions. In some cases this can even lead to substance abuse or other addictions.

   The anxiety that is caused can be a very serious thing, however the effects can be addressed with a little help.

   The problems can lead to ongoing anxiety about the future. The negatives thoughts about the future mean that you rehearse things that have not happened yet and what happens when they go wrong. Because the brain cannot tell the difference between real and ingrained, and then they can lead to real stress both mentally and physically.

   This can have a physiological result. Your heart can race, you can feel knots in your stomach, suffer from headaches, or problems breathing which can even lead to panic attacks.  Sometimes this leads to avoidance of the tasks that leads into a further downward spiral.

   The good news is that by learning to let go and relax, and focus on a positive future you can address these issues and learn to let go of the anxiety. You can start to look forward to a positive future and when you learn to be more relaxed and stress free, when you are younger, you can use these skills for the rest of your life.

   If you need help with any worries of your own you can contact me via the contact page at the top of this page.