Simple techniques to help manage those anxious thoughts and feelings

I have gathered together some simple self-help tips to help manage those uncomfortable feelings of anxiety. We all know what it feels like when anxiety is affecting us – life can feel overwhelming; it’s hard to focus and to get things done; negative thoughts, usually about the future dominate and it is very hard to stay in present time.

Below are some simple techniques drawing on Qi gong practice, acupressure points, tapping scripts and simple breathing techniques. They don’t take long to do and will hopefully help to shift your energy and to calm your nervous system.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THOSE WHO YOU FEEL COULD BENEFIT 
 

• Apply light pressure on acupuncture points on the upper chest using one to two fingers – with one or both hands, whichever is more comfortable for you. You can do this standing up or sitting down with eyes open or closed.
• Start at the centre of your chest – level with the nipple line and move upwards on the midline in applying light circles in a clockwise direction. You can also apply the sound associated with the Heart in Chinese medicine – a long deep Haaaaa sound which makes you feel the vibration in your chest. See if you can make one long sound as you move upwards to the top of the sternum (breast bone). The Heart is associated with the Shen or spirit in Chinese medicine and is related to a sense of calm and good quality sleep when things are in balance.
• Move back down to the centre of your chest and this time, use both hands and apply the same circular pressure, but this time on either side of the breast bone, in the spaces between the ribs – using the same Haaaa sound.
• If you have woken up in the night, you can do this but imagine making the sound silently if you don’t want to wake others!
• You can also knock on the two areas mentioned above, lightly tapping with the tips of your fingers. It is not recommended to do this in the two hours before you go to sleep as it is too stimulating. 
• You decide what feels best for you.

• Gently tap down the inside of the arm from the armpit to the wrist on the inner arm, on the little finger side.
• Squeeze the inner wrist gently with the other hand
• Sweep over the palm of the hand with the palm of the other hand as if you are brushing something off – like dust.
• You can imagine brushing something off your body that is not helpful to you or that you would like to get rid off. You might have an image of this or a thought or just focus on the action.  
• As you brush off the palm of the hand, do a nice big exhale through the mouth at the same time as though you are letting go of something. You can choose to do this with the mouth open or as if you were blowing out candles.

• Stand with your feet close together
• Circle your palms around the navel in a clockwise direction.
• Breathe into the lower belly
• Focus your attention onto the area behind the balls of your feet. This point is called Kidney 1 and is the most yin point on the body being on the sole of the foot. With its connection to the ground, focussing on this point, encourages the Yin qualities of nourishing, stillness, downward and grounding energy.

5. ESSENTIAL OIL ON WRIST ACUPRESSURE POINT
Rub a drop of lavender essential oil into both inner wrists on the little finger side, before bedtime.

 

 

6. EXERCISES TO RELAX THE JAW
We hold a lot of tension in our jaws and also in the muscles of the face in general. Grinding teeth at night, with all the complications that arise from this, is very common.

• Have fun with pulling lots of silly faces – to move, stretch & relax the muscles around the eyes, nose and mouth. In yoga, there is a pose called the Lion, that involves opening the mouth wide, stretching the tongue out and widening the eyes. You can also stretch your hands out at the same time.
• Try yawning – even if you don’t think you feel like it – you’ll see many yawns will follow. Combine this with big sighs – it is a wonderful way to release tension from the jaw.
• Circle around the jaw with three fingers. Find tight points and press in with small circles.