Feeling stressed? We’ve spoken to some north-east hypnotherapists for their quick tips on feeling calm.
Stress is something everyone is likely to experience at one time and can even be a good thing in small doses.
But it doesn’t take a lot to tip the balance in the wrong direction.
Netherley-based hypnotherapist Jade Gordon explains: “Imagine stress is stored in a bucket in our brain, we fill that up throughout the day, then during our sleep we process it and empty it.
“The issues come when that bucket overflows, too much stress and not enough time to process it.
“The result is, we become overwhelmed; too much adrenaline and cortisol running through the body, impacting our physical and mental health.”
Put down the laptop, turn up the music
Jade says “living in the moment” can help reduce stress – and not every minute of our day needs to feel productive.
“Even when we go for a walk, we may feel the need to be on the phone or listening to a podcast,” she said.
“In fact, a walk where we can let our mind wander, taking time to daydream, or even just a few moments to stare out of the window allows us to process stress.”
She added: “Moving your body is a good way to release built-up stress hormones.
“A short walk or dancing to your favourite tunes in the kitchen, it doesn’t have to take up a lot of time.”
Stop trying to predict the future
Arlene Wilson, a hypnotherapist based in Aberdeen, says filling your brain with negative scenarios – even if they’re hypothetical – can prime it to believe they will happen.
“We can negatively forecast the future or negatively introspect about the past,” she said.
“Each time we do this our brains listen and believe.
“The primitive part of our brain cannot tell the difference between imagination and reality.
“Each time we create a negative vision we also create a good dose of anxiety.”
Remember your successes
Like Jade’s advice to live in the moment, Banchory hypnotherapist Anne Wyatt suggests taking a few minutes to reflect on what’s been good each day.
These can be anything from small observations of life around us, to bigger “wow events”.
“Aim for at least three a day,” she says. “The harder they are to find, the more important it is to find them.”
She encourages people to take to focus on their successes – times when they’ve achieved things they perhaps didn’t think were possible.
Meet your needs: ‘We only have so much energy to give’
Anne also stresses the importance of looking after yourself and practising self-care.
Find activities you enjoy, surround yourself with positive people and make sure you get enough rest.
She added: “Many of us find our time is taken up with doing things for others – employers, our children, family members perhaps.
“We only have so much energy to give and if we don’t take time to replenish that energy by ensuring our own needs are met too, it quickly runs out.”
