Long hot summer has passed us by.

And so the summer fades into memory and the nights draw in. We have been blessed with exceptional weather, and I hope that you had a chance to take advantage of this unexpected gift, to feel the sun on your skin, to take time to enjoy the long days, to walk barefoot.

October has crept in through the keyhole, and suddenly autumn seems to be upon us. The blackberries have long been eaten, and the prospect of cold, dark days is upon us once more.

 There are those who relish the onset of autumn: crisp misty mornings, kicking through piles of leaves, searching for conkers and acorns. Log fires, bracing wellington-booted walks with the dog. (Well, actually, I don't have a dog, and acorns seem to be thin on the ground these days.) However, for some of us this rosy nostalgic view of the changing season can contrast strikingly with reality.

How many of you notice a significant downturn in mood as the season changes? You may not be alone. The impact of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can affect many of us to a greater or lesser degree. Seratonin production, responsible for feelings of well being and happiness, increases when we are exposed to sunlight, and naturally diminishes in the winter months, potentially affecting our mood.

What can we do enhance serotonin production?

Exercise.
Exercise is a natural stimulator of many important “mood” hormones, including serotonin and dopamine. Always good for lifting the spirits, increasing energy, and keeping fit.



 
 



Diet:
Bananas, papayas, apricots and dates are great.   

It is also helpful to eat proteins that contain something called tryptophan, a large amino that converts to serotonin in the brain .Tryptophan works best when consumed in conjunction with a small bit of carbohydrate, such as a scoop of brown rice, a handful of nuts, or a few tablespoons of legumes. Tryptophan can be found in turkey, fish, chicken, cottage cheese, nuts and beans.





Avoid stimulants
Caffeine, alcohol, sugar - they give you only a temporary lift, and actually deplete resources. Caffeine can cause anxiety and muscle tension , and alcohol is a depressant. Try herbal drinks as an alternative.

 
Yoga
Calms the mind, aids concentration and mood swings. Releases muscle tension. Aids relaxation and insomnia.



Sleep
Resist the temptation to hibernate, try to keep a regular sleep pattern. Good quality sleep is better than too much sleep. If you need a cat nap in the day - take one.


Have a happy, healthy and positive autumn.

Calming Picture of the Week

Take a comfortable seat.

Close your eyes.

Tune into the breath as it glides into your being,

and release tension and negativity as it flows out.

 

The breath is like a wave, ebbing and flowing against the shore.

Filling you with peace,

with life,

with love.

Each breath a new birth.

A new beginning.

 

Sit on the shore and observe the calm still waters

of your beating heart.

Let go.

Surrender.

 

 

 

Breathe Easy

Question: What do we do every moment of the day, waking and sleeping, without even thinking - and it's free?

Answer:
                         


The breath is our life force, our vital energy, and we perform this function from the moment we emerge in this world until the moment we leave. Yet for something that comes so naturally, we actually aren't very good at it. Most people breathe incorrectly,  using only a small part of their lung capacity. Which means that we don't get the full benefit of the flow of oxygen into the body and the release of carbon dioxide.

Did you know that improper breathing habits can contribute to anxiety, panic attacks, depression, muscle tension, headaches and fatigue?

How many times a day are you aware of your breathing?
 I suspect, not often, we all take it for granted, yet tuning into the breath, increasing your awareness of your breathing patterns and shifting to rhythmic, deeper. slower breathing is a simple and effective way to help reduce many anxiety disorders and reduce the feelings of stress.

Have a go at this simple exercise.

Close your eyes and tune into the breath now.
Place one hand on your abdomen, and the other on your chest (this may be easier if you lie down on the floor, bend your knees if you need to)
Breathe in and out through the nose.
Observe the natural and spontaneous breathing process.
How does it feel?
Is it shallow, fast, slow, smooth, do you hold your breath?
Just observe.
Which hand rises the most as you inhale, the hand on your chest or the hand on your belly?

Now shift your attention to your nose, and notice how the breath is cool as it enters the nostrils and warm as it flows out.
Witness the passage of the breath as it flows into the throat , moves down into the chest, and lungs.
Be aware of the lungs expanding and relaxing.
Observe the breath as it reaches and expands the rib cage,
and finally,
bring the awareness down to your abdomen, and feel the abdomen move upwards/outwards on inhalation, and lower as you exhale, as the diaphragm rises and falls.
Don't strain, let the breath be easy, smoothe, gentle, rhythmic.

And observe its return journey up through the body, until it emerges as warm air from your nostrils.
Notice how there is a momentary pause at the top and the bottom of the breath, a gentle stillness.

Spend some time witnessing the whole breathing process from the nostrils to the abdomen.

Just taking time to tune into the breath in this way can help produce a more relaxed breathing rhythm, and a sensation of calm. Try this for 5 minutes each day, or when you begin to feel your stress levels rise, and enjoy the benefits.

NB Ancient yogis noticed that animals with a slow breath rate such as elephants and tortoises have long life spans, while creatures such as dogs, rabbits, and birds who have a more rapid respiratory rate, only live a few years.

 So tune into your inner elephant!

Calming Picture of the Week

Bathe in stillness, calm the mind, breathe, and surrender.

May your hopes and dreams bloom, may the waters be tranquil, may the glory of the heavens reflect in your heart.

Calming Picture of the Week

 

Images can speak a thousand words, they have the power to transport us, whisk us away from the hum drum, the busyness, the cares and lead us to a place far removed from the cacophony of thoughts that whirl around our minds.

 

So I have decided to post a tranquil, calming picture each week - something to gaze upon, to inspire, to soothe.

 

 So I invite you to take a few moments, let your eyes rest on the image, and tune into your breath, let it gently flow in, and flow out, relax your face and eyes, get comfy, and delve into the beauty of the scene. Bathe in its serenity.  Meditation at its most simple.

 

Allow the cool waters to wash away your cares.

 Let them heal and cleanse.

 Enjoy the peace, enjoy the solitude.

Breathe.

Relax.

 

 

 

 

                                                               Om Shanti. Peace.

10 Stress Busting Tips

So, you're feeling stressed, everything seems a bit overwhelming, you have a hundred things to do and the list seems endless. The house is a mess, the kids are playing up, your boss is on your back, the bills haven't been paid, you've rowed with your partner, you are exhausted . You had a lousy night's sleep and woke up with a headful of worries, and now the migraine is back.

All you want to do is climb back into bed, pull the duvet over your head and hope it all miraculously goes away. 

Feeling like this is not unusual. Many, many of us, from time to time experience the feeling of being unable to cope, things getting on top of us and lacking control, to the point where life seems to be a burden, and endless cycle of difficulties. It almost seems shameful to admit, after all, everyone has problems don't they?

So what do you do? Reach for the chocolate? Have another glass of wine? Lose yourself in hours of mindless TV, or on facebook? Sometimes it seems easier to distract ourselves in activities that aren't the best for our health and wellbeing. It seems comforting, familiar, undemanding. But does it always make us as happy as we would like it to?

Learning to manage and combat stress might seem daunting, but little by little, step by step, you can make little changes here and there that can have a huge impact on your well being: restore your self esteem, improve your health and allow you get more out of life, enjoying the moment and looking forward to the future.

Over the next few days I'll be posting  a list of tips and suggestions that can help you better manage your stress. Please have a look through, see which ones seem to resonate with you, and perhaps pick one to focus on. Have a real think about it, sit with it, make a choice to commit to it in a way that is achievable and works for you. It's a start. And starting to make change is always positive.

Be Active

Taking some form of exercise is fantastic for clearing your thoughts, energising, and helping to reduce some of the emotional intensity that you are feeling. And it can be free!

Just go for a walk, do some gardening (that would kill two birds with one stone - metaphorically speaking),or have a gentle jog down the road. Even 5 minutes will get the heart pumping and blow away some cobwebs.

If you have time go for a swim at your local pool, it is often much emptier during the day before school finishes.

 Go to a class at your local leisure centre - there are hundreds of drop in ones to chose from, from zumba to powerhoop (yes, really) from pilates to bodyattack. There are even classes that you can go to with young children and babies.
 
Or if you have a little one - strap them in the buggy, put on some comfy shoes, and just head out. Excercising in the open air is refreshing and gives you a change of scene too.

 If you prefer to exercise in private you could always do a fitness dvd. Again, you don't even need to spend much, charity shops are brimming with other people's fitness rejects on sale for a couple of pounds. Or if you have satellite or freeview there are channels which show all sorts of fitness workout programmes for you to chose from.

I have just started going to "boot camp", yoga keeps me flexible, and strong but after a long winter I really need a fitness boost. We do very strange things with medicine balls and little weights, in public view,  right in the middle of the park. But, do you know, we may look daft, I may have wanted to throw up after 30 minutes, but it's great fun. Lots of fresh air and we have a good laugh as we moan our way through the ordeal. And it's so invigorating, I just can't wait to go again.

So, have a go, and enjoy.

Connect with people

You know what they say - a problem shared is a problem halved. Having a strong support network is vital to good mental health. But more and more people today are feeling isolated and lonely.

Chatting away on facebook is no substitute for meeting up for a cuppa, or even chatting on the phone. Sometimes, we can get used to saying no to invitations to meet up, and breaking that pattern becomes harder and harder if we are not feeling on good form. 
 
So make some time to be with friends, activities we share with friends helps us to relax. Reconnect with old friends if you have hidden away for a while. Good friends remain even if you haven't been in touch for a while.

Turn to someone if you need to, to share a little of how you are feeling. Don't be surprised if the first thing they say is that they wish you had said something sooner. They may even know from personal experience what you feel like.
Giving yourself permission to open up about things is not a sign of weakness or shame. So reach out. It may help you get some perspective on how you are feeling, and offer some solution.

Take control

The feeling of loss of control is one of the main causes of stress and lack of wellbeing. But if you keep telling yourself that you can't do anything about your problem, then your stress will only get worse.

So don't bite off more than you can chew; start with something that you feel you can manage such as washing the dishes or making an appointment. And give yourself a pat on the back when it's done.

The act of taking control is in itself empowering, and it's a crucial part of finding a solution that satisfies you and not someone else.

Time Management

Get organised. Create a list of all the things you need to do, but prioritise. Put the least vital tasks at the bottom of your list, and take one task at a time.

Alternate dull jobs with interesting ones. And don't expect to get everything done. But cross out each job on the list when it is completed. It gives a great sense of achievement.

Me Time

In the UK we have some of the longest working hours in Europe, and at the end of the day, whether we spend it at work or in the home we often feel to tired or that there is no time to relax, socialise, exercise or do anything enjoyable for ourselves.

 

 

So it is really important to try to find some space to mentally and physically unwind, and recharge your batteries. The key is not to feel guilty about it.
Even something as simple as running a bath full of bubbles, a few candles, a book or some soothing music, shutting the door and laying back to let the water sooth away your tensions can be incredibly healing.
 Give yourself permission, you are allowed.

Challenge Yourself

Sometimes we can get bogged down in the routine and monotony of life. Everyday seems the same, there are no surprises, and that in itself can be stressful. But setting yourself goals and challenges, whether at work or outside, such as learning a new language, taking part in a new sport or hobby, doing a course, all help to build confidence, self esteem and a sense of achievement. That in turn will help you deal with stress.

By constantly challenging yourself you’re being proactive and taking charge of your life, and by continuing to learn, you become more emotionally resilient as a person. It arms you with knowledge and makes you want to do things rather than be passive, such as watching TV all the time.

 

Avoid unhealthy habits

When things get stressful, or we don't feel so good about ourselves, it is all too easy to seek comfort from things that actually aren't good for us. We smoke more, drink more alcohol, comfort ourselves with chocolate, crisps, biscuits and unhealthy food, drink more caffeine and take less exercise, partly because we don't care about ourselves enough to worry about our health.

But these things only offer temporary relief. We are avoiding the problem, sticking our head in the sand, and actually are creating a new problem for ourselves.

Ask yourself if you have started to rely on any of these. See if there are any specific triggers that increase this behaviour. Ask for help with giving up or cutting down if you need it.

 

Do something for others

Helping other people can be hugely rewarding, but it can also help you to become more resilient, improve self esteem and confidence. There are many ways to do this, and it can be a simple as doing someone a little favour, it costs nothing.

Alternatively, if you have some spare time you could consider doing some volunteering. Have a look at what charities or organisations operate locally, you can find out online or in your local paper,  perhaps there is one that you particularly identify with; you can get involved in anything from spending a few hours with the elderly who are isolated in their homes or help with their shopping, volunteer at a charity shop, or a hospice for example.

Volunteering may only require a few hours commitment each week, or even each month if that is all you can spare. It is rewarding in that you gain confidence and satisfaction in the knowledge that you are working for a good cause, and may open up a different group of friends at the same time.

Seeing and understanding other people's problems also helps sometimes to put our own in perspective.

Or how about doing some fundraising? Fancy taking part in a sponsored walk, swim, silence? Events like these always have a brilliant sense of community, and getting sponsors is so much easier these days with the internet, facebook and online donation sites like JustGiving make raising and collecting money easy to do. Not like the good old days when you had to knock on all your neighbours doors, fill in forms then go back to collect all the pennies

Earlier this year we took part in a sponsored "sleepout" for a local homeless charity, in January, in the rain. Funds raised will contribute to providing service users with hot showers, food and drinks, somewhere to wash, and replacing clothes and bedding that have been stolen or lost.

Some charities even give out little donation boxes; so you could keep one on your desk at work, or have it at home as a" swear" box and raise some much needed funds without lifting a finger.

Be Positive

The Bobby McFerrin song "Don't worry, be Happy" may be some people's mantra, but at the time it came out, its gentle cheeriness used to drive me mad. "Easier said than done" I would think. And there is nothng worse than someone telling you to "cheer up, it might never happen" when you are feeling completely lousy.

But problems are a question of perspective. Sometimes I prefer to use the word "challenges" as it makes me think that they are things I can do something about, change, solve, and ultimately learn and grow from.
We can feel less overwhelmed by things if we can learn to adopt a "glass half full" mentality, and to recognise and appreciate the things we do have rather than what is lacking or difficult.

Gratitude exercise: at the end of the day, write down 3 things for which you are grateful and which went well for you. Have a go at this for a week. Doesn't have to be big stuff either. You never know, you might have more blessings than you realise.

Accept what you can't change

Changing a difficult situation isn't always possible. If this proves to be the case, recognise and accept things as they are and concentrate on everything that you do have control over.

For example, if your company is going under and is making redundancies, there’s nothing you can do about it, there’s no point fighting it. In such a situation, you need to focus on the things that you can control, such as looking for a new job.
Or if someone is ill, you cannot make them better, but you can support them, see they are getting the help they need, look into alternative therapies, and find ways to cheer them up.

Actually, Reinhold Neibold puts it a lot better than I do:


Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

I hope that you find some of these suggestions helpful to you, and illustrate that you can take steps to manage your own stress, and cope a little better. If things do feel really overwhelming there are many sites on the internet that are extremely helpful, and I shall be creating a list shortly. But do visit your doctor if you feel that you are unable to cope on your own.

And please feel free to leave any comments and let me know how you are getting on.

Until next time, keep safe, keep well,
all love,

Leah

What is Stress?

 Stress can effect anyone. It is how we react to external pressures or change that we perceive to be to be difficult or uncomfortable, so that we feel threatened and lacking in control. We can experience stress physically in the body eg sweating, breathlessness, racing heart, and it can also manifest emotionally in feelings of anger, worry and frustration.

Of course, some stress can be good for us, it can motivate and spur us on to achieve our goals such as when we have an important piece of work to do, an exam or a performance; a degree of stress can stimulate, keep us alert and help us focus on the task in hand.

But too much stress can be counter productive, and if experienced long term, it diminishes our ability to function properly, and can develop into chronic stress leaving us vulnerable to further illness and disease.

How we respond to stress is highly individual and subjective; what may be stressful for you, may not be stressful for me. Our response to stressful situations is dependant on how we perceive it. And this is something that we can work on changing.

 

What happens to the body when we feel stressed.

The 'fight or flight' response kicks in, so that the body is fully geared up to deal efficiently with a threat or danger. Our bodies have been programmed to respond this way since primitive man need the resources to fight or flee such dangers as the sabre toothed tiger.

While savage beasts are unlikely to cause us much concern these days as we head to work or do the school run, we still utilise this 'emergency response' when, for example, a car unexpectedly pulls in front of us causing us to brake suddenly.

When this happens our brain sends an alarm message to the nervous system to make a series of changes in the body: our heart rate, metabolism, breathing, muscle tension, and blood pressure all increase; sweating increases, blood is diverted from our extremities and the digestive system and into the larger muscles that can help us defend ourselves or run away; the mouth feels dry, more glucose is released into the blood as energy for our muscles, we experience butterflies in the stomach; pupils dilate to sharpen our vision, and our hearing becomes more acute. The human body is in a state of high alert.

When we perceive the danger to be over, our body turns off the stress response and everything returns to its normal level during the 'relaxation response'.

Problems arise when  we experience so much stress, real or imagined, that the body does not have sufficient time to recuperate, which can potentially lead to chronic stress and increase our chances of developing stress related disease.

What causes stress?

Some of the most stressful events are:

moving house

getting married

having a baby

bereavement

serious illness in your self or someone close to you

stress can also be caused by long term difficult circumstances:

unemployment

poverty

relationship problems

difficulties at work

bad housing

How can I tell if I am under too much stress?

 

There are a number of symptoms that suggest you are under stress. The more of the following you experience, the more stressed you are.  

 

 

        How your  body may react     

                                           

fast shallow breathing

headaches

constant tiredness

restlessness

sleeping problems

sweating

nervous twitches

cramps or muscle spasms

pins and needles

high blood pressure

feeling sick or dizzy

constipation or diarrhoea

craving for food

lack of appetite

indigestion or heartburn

sexual difficulties

fainting

chest pain

grinding your teeth at night

 

How you may feel

irritable

aggressive

depressed

fearing failure

dreading the future

a loss of interest in others

taking no interest in life

that there is no one to confide in

a loss of sense of humour

bad or ugly

fearful that you are seriously ill

 

How you may behave

finding it difficult to make decisions

finding it difficult to concentrate

denying there's a problem

avoiding difficult situations

frequently crying

biting your nails

unable to show your true feelings

being very snappy or aggressive

finding difficult to talk to talk to others

 

 

 If you tick off your own reactions, you can get an idea of your personal responses to stress. This can help you recognise signs of stress coming on, in the future.

 

[*from: www.mind.org.uk/ ]

 

If you feel that your stress levels are becoming out of control and seriously undermining your well being, do consult a doctor for advice.

Welcome - Are you Stressed?

A warm and sunny welcome.

Are you . . .

Stressed?   Overwhelmed?   Unable to cope?

Are things getting on top of you?

Too many things to do, and not enough time to do them?

Do you ever feel as if  you are lost at sea, sinking beneath the waves, drowning?

Or at the foot of a mountain with the insurmountable task of scaling its heights, never knowing if you will reach the summit?


You are not alone.

Life today seems to be crammed with things that we feel we 'should' or 'ought ' to do. We have numerous duties and responsibilities, but sometimes find ourselves with little space to execute them with joy, love and spontaneity. 

 Taking time for ourselves is neglected either through guilt or lack of time. We can become bogged down with worry about our loved ones, over financial worries, or over concern about world and global issues in general, until we find ourselves depleted of energy, feeling impotent, incapable of creating change and unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

So many people live with these feelings, but feel too ashamed to admit to them. After all, everyone has problems, don't they?

Well, yes, they do.

But I believe that we can all reach the summit of the mountain somehow, or at least find the resources to keep putting one foot in front of the other and aim for the top, and to remember to enjoy the journey and savour the view.

The aim of this blog is to provide a moment of peace and calm, a haven from the chaos, and a safe, tranquil shelter from the storm with tips and advice on ways to combat stress, and random bits and bobs that I find uplifting, inspiring, fun and informative.

I trained as an actress and have been working professionally since the age of eleven. In my mid thirties I discovered yoga, and subsequently trained for 3 years to become a yoga teacher: I have released two best selling yoga dvds : Yoga and You and Yoga for Life.

 

I discovered that many, many students came to yoga because of stress or stress-related symptoms.  I have also trained as a practitioner in Reiki, EFT, Indian Head massage and Eastern Facial massage. I studied for 4 years with the Open University including modules on Ageing in Society, inspired by working as a nursing auxiliary on a geriatrics ward , and in Issues in Women's Studies, and I have undergone Shamanic Intitiation and Practitioner training. It is my desire to weave all  these techniques together, so currently, I am  finishing my training as a Stress Consultant, about which I am passionate.

Oh, I am also a working mother of two girls aged 21 and 17.

I hope you enjoy the blog as it develops, twisting and turning on the winds of life, and ebbing and flowing like the tide. It is my aim, at the very least, to share a little knowledge and spread a little joy.

Please feel free to comment and share or email me at leahbracknellyoga@hotmail.co.uk

I look forward to sharing this journey with you,

all blessings, Om Shanti, Peace

Leah