Tips and tricks to support your mental health
Focus Breathing
Slow, steady and focused breathing is a great way to reduce stress or anxiety as it engages your parasympathetic nervous system.
- Breath in for 4 seconds.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Breathe out for 6 seconds.
Alternate Nostril Breathing
This is another powerful breathing technique to calm your nerves. It may feel a bit strange at first, but give it a go for a few times, you’ll see a difference.
- Use one finger to squish down your right nostril and breathe in – slowly.
- Hold your breath for 5 seconds.
- Swap your fingers over – release your right nostril and squish down your left and breathe out – slowly.
- Repeat but the other way around – Squish down your left nostril and breathe in – slowly.
- Hold your breath for 5 seconds.
- Release your left nostril, squish down your right and breathe out…slowly.
Calming Your Nervous System
There are many ways that you can calm your nerves, try some of these and find which works for you:
- Singing
- Stretching
- Reading aloud
- Laughing
- Hugging
- Using a weighted blanket
- Drumming
- Listening to white noise or calming sounds.
Ice Your Nerves
Cold water is one of the quickest ways to engage that parasympathetic nervous system. It’s really good way to reduce anxiety and panic attacks:
- Hold a water bottle underneath your chin for 15 seconds.
- Swap to the other side.
- Hold for another 15 seconds.
This can also work if you are at home:
- Grab an ice pack/frozen peas/anything from the freezer.
- Lay on the floor and place the frozen bag (wrapped in a towel) on your chest for a couple of minutes.