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Email: helen@theolivebranchplymouth.co.uk
Mental Health Awareness
Understanding Stress and Anxiety
Ways To Cope with Stress and Anxiety
Mental Health Awareness Week focused on ways to cope with stress and anxiety. It took place from Monday 15 – Sunday 21 May 2023. The focus for this year was ‘anxiety’. Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences. Some of my clients at The Olive Branch Plymouth suffer with stress from time to time. So it is important for me that I have Mental Health Awareness and an understanding of stress and anxiety Aromatherapy and other types of Massage therapy can help to relieve stress by relaxing the body and the mind. Stress can be anything from everyday responsibilities like work and family to serious life events such as a new diagnosis, war, or the death of a loved one can trigger stress.
Stress and anxiety often go hand in hand. Anxiety is a common emotion that we’ve likely all experienced at some point in our lives. People living with an anxiety disorder will feel intense levels of anxiety frequently, which can deeply impact their quality of life.
What is stress?
Firstly, stress is the body’s way of responding to any demand or threat. In fact, when you feel threatened, your body releases hormones that prepare you to fight or flee. This is known as the fight-or-flight response.
What are the effects of stress?
As a matter of fact, stress can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health. It can cause headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, and sleep problems. It can also lead to anxiety, depression, and irritability.
How can I manage stress?
Indeed, there are many things you can do to manage stress, including:
Take exercise regularly
Try and eat a healthy diet
Aim to get enough sleep
Practice relaxation techniques such as yoga or mindfulness
Talk to someone you trust about your problems
Please seek professional help if you are struggling to cope with stress
Actually though, stress is a normal part of life, but it’s important to manage it so that it doesn’t have a negative impact on your health. Having mental health awareness and understanding stress and anxiety is the first step. Consequently, there are many things you can do to manage stress, and if you’re struggling, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. I’ve popped a couple of links to useful websites at the bottom of the page.
How can massage therapy help?
Stress is one of the commonest reasons people seek a massage. It can manifest in so many ways, as discussed above. Why not take a look at my website The Olive Branch Plymouth where you can learn more about stress management and find a treatment that’s right for you.
You can now book an appointment online or feel free to give me a call if you prefer.
Perhaps you want to treat someone special, maybe to a stress-relieving massage? The good news is you can now purchase The Olive Branch Plymouth Gift Vouchers direct from my website.
Further information:
mentalhealth-uk.org/aboutanxiety
nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/anxiety
#massagetherapyplymouth
#mentalhealthawarenessweek