Walking to Ease Anxiety
Getting out in some fresh air and away from the four walls is always beneficial for our mental health and emotional wellbeing, yet there is so much more going on when you go out for a stroll.
Firstly, when you begin to move the body by walking or any other kind of physical activity, you naturally release endorphins (endogenous morphine) which are the body’s natural opiates. You feel good when you release endorphins, which also have the effect of reducing adrenaline, and increasing the feel good hormones such as serotonin and dopamine.
Another great thing about walking is that as you walk, stepping with your right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, you are gently and easily bi-laterally stimulating your brain. This physical stimulation of both sides of your brain can be very beneficial as it helps you to process your thoughts and perceptions, creating space within your mind to focus, create and plan.
Go for a walk when you have a little something on your mind, and notice how when you return you often feel a lot more comfortable about that something, or you may have thought of a way to help yourself feel more comfortable, a note from yourself created within that space.
Walking for anxiety really is a win-win; it relaxes muscle tension, balances the mood, and also the more your walk and exercise your body, the more you raise your fight-flight threshold which means after a while you may notice it takes you a little longer to ‘get stressed’.
There are many ways to manage anxiety and in my hypnotherapy sessions I will advise you upon the use of these ways. Hypnotherapy is a lot more than hypnosis. Those new to hypnotherapy often have the misconception that they will sit in my comfortable chair and I will “put them into a deep sleep” and that when they “wake up” all their problems will have gone.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The state of hypnosis is a highly alert and focused state where your mind begins to open up to accept change as well as to create new concepts and ways of being. The use of the state of hypnosis in my sessions is key, however the therapy part of the experience is made up of so many different elements which are tailored to each individual client’s needs.
If you want to get back in control of anxiety and get your confidence soaring, give me a call.
