Hello All,

I hope you’re all feeling ok, its fair to say these past few weeks have been stressful and difficult for most of us as we’ve faced the effects of the coronavirus. I have no doubt in my mind that many of us will be feeling anxious and so I wanted to pull together a few ideas that might help to alleviate that a little.

Firstly lack of sleep is often an area that can have a huge effect on anxiety levels. The less sleep we have the more likely our bodies aren’t getting enough time to fully recover from exercise, work or stress and so we are operating in a constant state of fight or flight as we begin to function on adrenaline. Aromatherapy oils are brilliant for calming our senses which when added to a bath or applied to the skin can lead to a much better nights sleep. Combine them with epsom salts which remove toxins from the body and you can put yourself into a state of deep relaxation just before your head hits the pillow. Hopefully this should enable you to get the rest you need to be able to have clarity and focus the next day and also the energy to deal with any pressing or fast changing situations. I personally love the West Lab Sleep epsom salts £2.99 which are available at most health and beauty stores. There’s also the option of adding in a meditation app like Calm or Breathe. These are great for helping you switch off and hopefully with more time at home you’ll have the opportunity to start the spring clean early and de clutter so you’ll feel freer around the house.

Reading is also an excellent way to calm our nerves as it acts as a distraction. The physical act of having to concentrate on following a narrative allows our brain time to focus only on the page. With this we are able to create vivid pictures with our mind, which in turn stops overthinking or rapid thoughts from happening. By giving your brain only one task you give it a little relief which should hopefully allow you to concentrate much more easily afterwards. One of my favourite books right now is Isabel Gillies Cozy: The Art of Arranging Yourself In The World. It’s one The Capsule has recommended before but its a fabulous book that teaches you how to feel safe and steady in your surroundings and how to ground yourself in uncomfortable situations. I think in the current climate it’s a lovely book to lock yourself away with as it gives lots of advice on how to appreciate what you have and the tools to deal with unfamiliar circumstances.

I know its age old but exercise really is one of the best medicines to calm anxiety. Earlier this year my anxiety levels hit the roof as I was under a lot of pressure to deliver in certain elements of my business. I felt overwhelmed and at times completely discombobulated which allowed lots of negativity to creep up on me. I realised that Id been so busy id not actually exercised in about 6 months which is normally one of my go to’s when I’m feeling anxious. I made the decision to sign up to a new gym (Ultimate Performance Leeds) and have since started working with a trainer who has put me on a 12 week fitness and de stress plan. Im only a few weeks in and I feel like a completely new person. My outlook despite all of the chaos that is happening at the moment is one of positivity and productivity. I feel I’m able to make much better business decisions and I’m also significantly calmer which is having a better effect on my family. The endorphins released during exercise allow us to feel good for a much longer period of time, even 20 minutes twice a week can have a huge affect on your mental health. You also don’t need to get to a gym, there’s plenty of home workouts available online or if you’re able to, a run or brisk walk in the fresh air can be just as effective with the best thing about the latter being its free. If we do have to keep ourselves in isolation these are all things that can be done at home.

Finally, there’s no denying that with the schools closing, trying to keep our children occupied for the foreseeable will be a huge challenge. However as we are nearing Easter i’m thinking that we can buy a bit of time with Easter crafting. Every year my son and I make homemade decorations and Easter cards and this year i’m keeping with our plans but starting them early. Im hoping that by building up to something fun, my son will stay positive, happy and occupied over the next few weeks and it will give me a bit of time to start planning a new normal for him after Easter. Crafting is a great way to release tension as like reading it forces you to concentrate on the task in hand and stops your mind from over thinking. In these uncertain times its also a great way of switching off from the news and social media whilst you create your masterpiece! Theres a range of DIY kits that you can get online which are already Easter themed, (Baker Ross have some fab ones!) however if you’re stuck good old fashioned cardboard, paper, paints and glue will suffice to make cards, paper chains, egg portraits and baskets….(empty cereal boxes and old news papers are great if you can’t get out).

I really hope that these little tips can help you stay calm in the coming weeks. We will have lots more wellbeing and health related content coming up online at The Capsule and on our Instagram page too if you want any further help or advice, but for now I just want to say stay safe, stay well and stay calm if you can….we’re in this together.

Much Love,

Natalie x

Wellbeing