WELLBEING
The 5-minute quick fixes
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The long-term brain trainers
Schedule worry time huge – you might remember having Research from the a delicious lunch that day, or that producers of calming you got to spend the evening with potion Rescue Remedy has your family,’ says Chloe. found the average person spends one hour 50 minutes Look after your gut bugs a day worrying – that’s 28 days ‘There’s some promising a year. So stop spending so much evidence to suggest that time on something that makes a good balance of healthy you miserable. Instead, bacteria can aid our tell yourself you’ll deal mental health and with all your wellbeing, as good From now worries in one gut bacteria play a on, tell yourself 20-30 minute big role in making you’ll deal with period each serotonin, a day. ‘If concerns neurotransmitter all your worries appear outside involved in in one 20-30 your worry time, making us feel minute period write them in calm and happy,’ each day. a list to deal says Chloe. For a with later,’ says healthy gut, eat plenty psychologist Dr Mark of foods such as fennel, Winwood from AXA PPP onion, garlic and artichokes, Healthcare. ‘Often, when the time which good bacteria use as fuel. comes, that concern won’t matter Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi any more, which helps you realise and sauerkraut can also increase most worries are transient.’ your levels of healthy bacteria.
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2 WORDS HELEN FOSTER ILLUSTRATION RICHARD WILSMORE
Make use of lavender oil Throughout history, lavender has been prized for its soothing and sedative qualities. The essential oil, made from cold-pressed lavender flowers, is often used in aromatherapy remedies to help relieve anxiety. Try it in an oil burner or as a massage oil to help calm a racing mind, or glide a lavender roller ball over your pulse points. Lavender oil supplements made with a special edible oil are also available.
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Think of three things you’re grateful for If you have an anxious personality, you’re naturally more prone to spotting dangers and problems, so this exercise ‘helps train your brain to focus on positive things instead,’ says Chloe Brotheridge, author of The Anxiety Solution, £12·99 (Michael Joseph). ‘They don’t have to be
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Change your description It doesn’t work for every concern, but renaming feelings of worry as excitement can make you feel less anxious, says a study by Harvard Business School. ‘There’s an old story about Bruce Springsteen and Carly Simon being interviewed about pre-concert nerves – Springsteen referred to the feelings of a racing heart and sweating as ‘excitement’, but Simon called it ‘stage fright’. They were both feeling the same thing, they just framed it differently,’ says Eve Menezes Cunningham, author of 365 Ways To Feel Better (White Owl, £12·99). The switch works because when you’re excited, you see things as a challenge rather than a hurdle. Swapping that one word removes the fear and switches your brain into a more positive, problem-solving mode.
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Grab a pen ‘Now, use as many of your senses as possible to describe the pen,’ advises Kelly Feehan from CABA, a charity focused on tackling anxiety. Ask yourself what it feels like. How does the ink smell? What noise does it make when you click it? ‘When you focus all your senses on one small thing, you focus all your thoughts in one present place, which stops them spiralling,’ she says.
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Exhale for longer Noticeably exte nding how long you breathe out for has been shown to reduce feelings of anxiety – and a recent study at America’s Northwe stern University might explain the reason why; we’re less prone to noticing scary or fear ful things when we exhale. ‘We have our brea th with us 24/7, so it’s a great tool to use to change your mood,’ says Eve Menezes Cun ningham. Breathe in normally, then try and exhale for a count of seven or eight.
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