This years focus for Mental Health Awareness Week is Anxiety which most of us will have some experience of. Anxious feelings, to some degree are part of the human experience, however when these feelings become chronic, they have a negative impact on our quality of life and overall wellbeing.

Aaccording to the Mental Health Foundation,min 2022/ 2023, an average of 37 % of women and 30% of men reported high levels of anxiety, with only 35% of adults in the UK reporting very low levels of anxiety. Mental Health is a pandemic in itself.

I experienced crippling anxiety a few years ago when my hormones changed and some days just going out into the world would send me into a panic spiral. I was permanently jittery, not sleeping well and totally overwhelmed, teetering between sympathetic arousal and collapse for a good few months. It was high Summer and thankfully I had a garden I could lie down in and sob, listening to the birds and tending to my plants made reminded me that all would be well again one day.

So how do we take care of ourselves and each other when we are struggling?

In my experience these are the things that work the most:

Talking to friends that are resourced enough to listen to how we’re feeling without trying to fix or offer ‘advice’ . Offering a tender and empathetic space for someone to be exactly as they are is one of the most generous gifts of friendship.

Nature connection - Get out in nature, barefoot if possible, and speak the things you see, listen to the birds, sniff the roses and touch the life that's around you. Bringing our senses online in this way helps to ground us in the present moment with studies showing that scents in nature have an equally positive effect on our mood and wellbeing as visual stimuli. Mother Nature has a grounding effect on our nervous system, lowering stress hormones and boosting our happy ones. We are nature. One of the many reasons we can feel a sense of belonging when we're immersed in her.

Movement - an essential practice. Even 10 minutes a day can make a world of difference. My go to's are yoga, dancing, shaking, rolling are all particular favourites for me and help to shift my energy the quickest. If you have a garden, practice outdoors for extra benefits.

SIMPLE, real time breathing practice. Lengthening the exhale activates the parasympathetic nervous system - the calming branch of the nervous system.

Physiological sighing, a double inhale followed by an exhale through the mouth reduces anxiety

Singing - lowers cortisol and releases mood boosting endorphins and oxytocin to the brain. It's a beautiful way to send prayers out for Earth and spirit and quickly shift your energy.

And of course, Restorative Yoga - the cornerstone of my practice. Restorative Yoga on my bolsters never fails to shift my energy in a profound way, whilst offering the deepest insights and revelations. When I'm feeling anxious, I find comfort and cover in prone poses such as downward facing savasana. This makes me feel access the back of the lungs whilst stimulating the enteric nervous system or our belly brain which helps regulates our mood.

If you are struggling to breath fully, elevating the chest with a bolster as the wonderful Anna Ashby shows here can help open the lungs. Anna is demonstrating Supta Nada Konasana here with a Shanti Sunday bolster grounding and covering her groin. On the days when this feels too exposing, an elevated Savasana is perfect. Keeping the upper body set up as shown in the photo but with long legs, or alternatively keep the knees bent.

These are all relatively simple and instant ways to shift our nervous system to a place of safety where we can re-establish a healthy sense of being in the world.

Get in touch if you are interested n exploring some of these practices with my support.

Mental Health Awareness Week - Tips for relieving anxiety