How Do I Stop Feeling So Anxious?

"The best move you can make, in many situations, is to get out of your head and into your body." - Steve Sisgold

But, how can you do that if you don't know what it feels like to be in your body? Shiatsu to the rescue. Many of my clients say after their shiatsu that they feel more grounded, calm and back in their body rather than somewhere outside of themselves.

I know how out of my body I can feel at times, especially when anxiety is running in the background. It's so much harder for me to be organised and make good decisions.

Your breath is another great way to help you get back into your body. A practice I have started recently is to stop and take 3 deep breaths several times a day. It is helping me come out of the overwhelm I've been feeling looking after 2 children, managing a household and running a business.  One of the times I find it most beneficial is when I get in the car. Before I drive off I take 3 deep breaths. I'm much more relaxed in traffic and find my journey flows more easily. Can you imagine how much better driving would be if everyone did this practice? There would be a lot less rage and accidents I bet.

For anxiety or to get you out of the super stressed feeling the 4, 7, 8 breath can be helpful. Breathe in for the count of 4, hold the breath for the count of 7, then breathe out slowly to the count of 8. Just 3 rounds can start to get you back on track. Try it while you listen to a song a do it for the length of the song.

When you're super stressed or anxious it can be really hard to connect to your breath. I know. Been there. Our breath is just something we don't think about but is so powerful and always there for us.

I have found that shiatsu treatments really help people connect back into their breathing. So much tension in the shoulders, neck and arms stops us from taking a good deep breath. Releasing it can help people drop down into the core of their body and refind the core of who they are.

So if you're feeling stressed, anxious, nauseous, tense, headachey ordon't feel like you can breathe properly come for a shiatsu. It's a gentle and effective way to get you back in your body 🙂.