You are certainly not the only one who suffers from this.
Whether you have to go back to work after a long holiday or always suffer from stress on Sundays: back to work anxiety is more common than you think. Fortunately, there are simple ways to calm yourself down.
Back-to-work anxiety
If you thought you were the only one worried about a new work week, think again. A new study shows that 69 percent of adults in Britain are experiencing an increase in anxiety in the workplace. Of course, a little nervousness is understandable when you switch from holiday/weekend mode to work mode. But if you find that you’re struggling with increased stress or that it’s affecting your sleep or mood — which are signs of an overworked and overwhelmed nervous system — it might be time for a reset. The following five ways will help you with that!
1. Connect to your vagus nerve
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and is the main component of the parasympathetic system. This system regulates functions such as the immune system and digestion and works in conjunction with the sympathetic nervous system (known as the ‘fight or flight’ response), which is activated when we feel stressed.
When the parasympathetic system is activated, vagal tone (the activity of the vagus nerve) increases. And this ensures a slower heart rate, easier breathing and a calm nervous system. A useful tip to activate the system: calm down or sing for a few minutes. This calms you down, lowers your heart rate and blood pressure and produces neurochemicals such as oxytocin.
2. Massage your ears
Did you know that an ear massage is a powerful de-stressing technique that can reduce anxiety? “The ear is one of the most powerful microsystems in the body,” says wellness expert Sarah Bradden. “I like working with them because it feels like I have a direct line to the brain. Massaging and pulling the ears has an immediate calming effect on the entire body and helps regulate and calm the nervous system.”
To specifically address stress and anxiety, it is recommended to gently but firmly massage the upper shell of your ear with your thumb and index finger. If you notice that you are yawning or that your eyes are starting to water, then keep going. Both are signs that the parasympathetic nervous system has been activated.
3. Choose low-intensity exercise
Regular exercise is good for your health and well-being, but also helps reduce stress. If you are prone to anxiety, it is best to avoid intense exercise such as HIIT. This can cause overstimulation. Therefore, choose slow, conscious exercises such as deep stretching or Yin yoga. This gives you the benefits of exercise, but without the added intensity.
4. Choose the right acupuncture treatment
Acupuncture can help de-stress because it is a good way to maintain a healthy nervous system, regulate neurotransmitters and restore balance by activating specific nerve pathways. There are different treatments, which also have different effects. There’s the Bradden Method, coined by Bradden as the ultimate reset, which combines acupuncture with elements such as activated oxygen, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) and infrared, all of which promote cellular healing.
5. Breathing exercises
Breathing is something we all do intuitively, but you may not know that it can have a big impact. But the way you breathe affects every system in your body. “Because we have conscious control over our breathing, simply learning how to use it as a tool can quickly influence the systems and functions in your body, improving your physical and mental health, performance and emotional well-being,” says Richie Brostock, also known as @thebreathguy.
Investigate the different methods and perhaps you will find an exercise that suits you well and that calms you down. Worth the try!
Source: Vogue | Image: Adobe Stock
