Racing heart, sweaty palms and a sick
feeling in your stomach. Although a massage or a weekend away would be an ideal
fix for stress, in a busy day we don’t always have time to chill out for long.
But the good news is you can put the brakes on the panic in just a few minutes,
wherever you are. 
1. Face your fear
“Most people run away from stress by
over-exercising, overeating, drinking, smoking, biting their nails or just
plain fidgeting,” says osteopath Clifford Avery, adding that what we actually
need to do is face stress head-on. “Sit in a chair and invite all the worst
feelings of stress to come to you and to do their worse. The symptoms will then
rush in, but what you’ll see is that nothing bad will happen. These feelings
can’t harm you; the dread itself is worse than experiencing them. Repeat this
exercise daily over a period of weeks and the symptoms will slowly disappear.
2. Take back control
Psychologist Clare Mann says we can reduce
symptoms of stress, like elevated heart rate and high blood pressure, by
controlling our breathing. “When we’re very stressed, angry, or anxious, blood
rushes to the back of our brain, making us unable to calm down,” she explains.
“Breathing can help bring you back to the present.” Avery recommends this
simple exercise: “Take a deep breath, then pause, before breathing out for as
long as possible. Repeat 2-3 times.”
3. Talk to yourself
“By improving your level of intimacy with
your body, the earlier it will inform you when it’s unhappy,” points out Avery.
“One way to do this is to talk to your body as though it were a separate
entity. Think of it like a stressed or anxious child, who you would talk to in
a soothing tone. By applying the same principle to yourself, you can calm your
consciousness.” Mann agrees, adding, “Give yourself a pep talk, as you would a
worried friend. Repeat the same phrases to yourself – ‘I understand, it’ll be
OK, things will get better’ – and you’ll feel comforted and calmer.”
4. Tap into stress
“Tapping, or the emotional freedom
technique, refocuses your body to decrease negative feelings”, says Mann. Close
your eyes and identify how you’re feeling, be it anxious, nauseous, etc. Using
the tips of your fingers, tap on your wrist while repeating this phrase three
times: “Although I am feeling anxious, I totally accept, support and respect
myself.” Then tap your forehead, each temple, each cheek, your mouth, chin and
throat, while repeating the phrase. Next, tap around your heart, still
repeating the phrase, and notice how your breathing has slowed and how much
calmer you feel.
5. Get a visual
Mann says one of the most effective ways to
ease anxiety is to use this visualisation technique: “If a particular person is
making you feel stressed, close your eyes and picture them in your hand as red
hot in colour. Then make the image black and white. Start to make it smaller and
smaller until it’s a tiny speck, then blow it away. Practise this and the
person will affect you less.
Control cortisol:
The hormone cortisol is released to help us
cope with stress, but high levels – which can be caused by consuming caffeine –
can lead to insomnia and dehydration. So switch to decaf and drink a glass of
water before you go to bed and as soon as you get up.
