The Ultimate Chill Pill

Almost everyone feels angry, uptight or fearful at some point in his or her life. Urban city dwellers, like those caught up in London’s hectic lifestyles, probably suffer more than most. Dealing with escalating stress as early as possible is an important aspect of maintaining good health.

Rising cortisol levels

Often when life begins to become more stressful, we simply bottle up our anxieties so that nobody is any the wiser. But unless we deal with it, our cortisol level continues to build up inside our bodies and stress starts to become a chronic condition. Left to accumulate, it will soon reach a point where we can no longer contain it. Which is when we SNAP. That moment of ‘snapping’ can take various forms dependent on your character and also how deeply you have been suffering. As we all know, once something snaps, it is usually harder to restore. A much better approach is to deal with issues whilst they feel 'bent'.

Early Warning Signs

During the initial stages of cortisol reaching unhealthy levels, you may find your reaction to relatively minor upsets is starting to become disproportionate on a regular basis. This is often an early warning sign that things are starting to get out of control inside your body. Do any of the following sound like something you might find yourself doing?
 

• A young shop assistant tells you that she can't give you a refund on something you bought a few minutes ago. You launch into a tirade about the law and consumer rights and don't stop even after she looks like she is going to cry.
   
• A rollerblading teenager stops for break on the pavement outside your house and leans against your driveway pillar whilst texting a friend. You open the bedroom window and hurl abuse at him to get going.
   
• The Philippines based call centre telephone operator tells you she is going to help you sort out your issue but simply repeats everything you already have complained about. You slam down the phone and walk off in a huff.

If so, it might be time to consider taking action before things degenerate to a really serious level.

Nip It In The Bud

When you are constantly feeling wound up, it can feel like the smallest things are designed specifically to cause you further distress. More often than not however, the world around you is simply carrying on as normal and treating everyone the same. Nothing is usually perfect in life but most things should be manageable without too much pain. The warning signs are when it regularly doesn’t feel that way for you.

As you start to feel more and more angry or frustrated on a regular basis, those around you may begin noticing the changes in you. They may even comment on your increasingly extreme reactions to disappointments. You might find yourself hearing the words “take a chill pill” more and more often.

Top 4 Self Help Tips

To ensure stress and anxiety does not escalate out of control and lead to even more serious issues like depression or other stress related diseases, it is important to deal with it as soon as you can. If you are mindful of the early signs of building anxiety, and take action, then some relatively simple steps can help make you feel better again.

1. Do More Exercise

Getting out and about, whether for a relaxed walk or an intensive session at the gym can help take your mind off those matters which have been bugging you. Feeling fitter also makes you happier, which is another proven method for reducing excess cortisol levels and calming your nervous system.

2. Go To A Comedy Show

The saying goes that laughing never did anyone any harm. But we can go further than that. Because it has been scientifically proven that laughter is good for your health. Stress reducing endorphins are released when you laugh wholeheartedly and that's just one of its many benefits. By the way, we suggest actually making the effort to attend a live comedy show rather than simply watching one on TV. The social interaction and hearing others laugh in a live environment will further enhance the medicinal benefits of comedy. If you are feeling really brave sit in the front row and volunteer yourself for some good natured abuse - long term, it will do you piles of good.

3. Get Regular Massages

Getting your mind off the things that worry you and making you relax are two of the top features of any good relaxation massage.

Loneliness is a very common agony in London. Book massages regularly with a therapist that you both like and trust, and your mind and body will naturally start to feel that there is mental and physical support around you. Once you feel cared for, life in the city feels a little easier to deal with. Human empathy through touch is a wonderful remedy for tension.

4. Count To 10

The next time you find yourself feeling wound up and about to react aggressively to a situation that is not going the way you would like, step away for just a moment. Before you do anything else, take a deep breath. And count to 10. Slowly.

One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . . nine . . . ten.

No, slower than that! Go on, try again. You may be surprised to find that your reaction after that is considerably more controlled. Hot massage oil may help you relax but a hot fuse certainly will not.

Way back in 1977, Bob Marley famously declared in his dulcet tones “every little thing gonna be alright, don't worry”. Play it next time you have a massage at home and are setting up the music. You might be surprised how much better you feel afterwards.