Mental Health is Health:Why it deserves a seat at the table

May is mental health month and I want to talk about it specifically as it applies to women over 40. Nearly 20% of all Americans deal with anxiety on some level. That is 40 million people. That number is staggering. If that doesn't blow your mind then think about this stat. 7% of children ages 3-17 experience anxiety issues each year. 🤯 It starts as young as 3 years old. I'm not gonna lie, when I read that, I had to just stop and let it marinate a little before I could even move on. I mean really - 3 years old? It makes me a little sad.

I knew it was a topic that is top of mind for many of you and I want to take some time this month to help you navigate what anxiety is, how it can affect you and your family, and share some healthy strategies and coping mechanisms so that you aren't struggling.

Let's talk about what anxiety look like emotionally and physically. Some of you have experienced anxiety, maybe even daily.

Emotionally -

You might notice feelings of dread or apprehension.

"I hate having a staff meeting first thing in the morning, I can't get my work done, I am behind all day and then I might even have to work late."

You might notice that you are tense, jumpy or feeling restless or irritable. That is usually noticed by those around you. My family knows when I am stressed, because I "hide". I will go to my bedroom, take a shower and crawl into bed without telling anyone.

You might even get anxious around things that have not even happened yet. I notice my daughter will get very upset at the mere thoughts of what could go wrong. Catastrophizing a situation before it even happens. This can create strong emotions even if everything works out just fine. Your brain is hardwired to always be looking out for danger, but not every situation requires that kind of all or nothing thinking. You could also believe that it will work out in your favor. This is how I help my clients create new beliefs and new mindsets. You don't have to believe it just because you always have.

Physically -

You might notice a pounding in your chest. You might even feel tightness and shortness of breath. Some even experience sweating, tremors, or muscle twitching. I have talked to many women that notice shoulder tension, headaches, and fatigue on a chronic level. Physical anxiety can cause a loss of appetite, and even the need to go to the bathroom quickly or upset stomach. Anxiety can also be a factor for insomnia if you have the thoughts of dread or anticipation you might struggle to fall asleep at night.

One of the reasons the body reacts in these ways is due to being stuck in the fight or flight response. The part of your brain - the amygdala is responsible for keeping you safe. If it thinks you are in danger it will send out hormones (messengers) throughout the body like adrenaline and cortisol so that you have energy to "get away". It affects digestion in that if you just ate, digestion has been slowed so that meal might feel like a rock in your belly. It could also induce vomiting to get it out quicker. However if that food is in your lower intestines, the body wants to get rid of any extra weight that is not needed and it will speed up that process....you might get diarrhea.

Chances are your 8am staff meeting is not so scary that you actually need to throw up your egg white scramble. But because your brain interprets it as physical danger, it really doesn't know the difference between that and being chased by a lion.

This also leads to that fatigue I mentioned earlier. You might feel so exhausted by the end of the day and not even realize that you have been in a tense state for so long, your body and muscles are physically tired from a mentally tough day. This can lead to chronic pain and fatigue.

So I promised some healthy tips and tricks to help you manage this, so let's dive in!

First - you need to know when you start feeling anxious. The first step is always awareness. If you have been with me for a while you might have heard me talk about the A.I.M. Method. (if not that's ok, I'm going to share it with you now 😊)

Alignment -

You notice you start to feel anxious, what exactly do you feel? Racing heartbeat, sweating, headache, or just an uptick in your senses? You might not know, but over the next few days and weeks I would ask you to start paying closer attention. When you know how something affects you, then you can take action to start to understand what resource or support you really need. Think of alignment is getting mind, body and soul all on the same page so that you can create the exact right support system to help you understand and take better care of yourself.

Intention -

This is the action you take. Start by telling yourself that you are safe. It might sound silly but if you are at work, in your office, you aren't in physical danger. You create safety by telling yourself that you are safe. Deep breaths. Most people breathe quite shallow and stress makes that even worse. This can create a feeling of tightness in your chest, tingling in your arms and legs, due to low oxygen levels. 3-5 longer deeper breaths will start to calm your nervous system as you slow down your heart rate. Noticing what you are feeling and then taking action to acknowledge it and begin to reduce a big feeling, or allow nervousness, recognize what you are feeling and respond versus react to it. THAT is how you take your power back. Taking action can feel hard at first. But the secret is to find one small thing you can do, that feels really easy. In fact, it should be so easy that your first thought is "that won't be enough to make a difference." Then...do it. Let's say everyday at 3pm you feel that slump, you know the mid afternoon drop in energy, I-just-want-to-take-a-nap blah time? What if you decided to take a walk for 10 minutes. This will do a few things. First, it will get you up and moving which will give you some endorphins. These are the feel good hormones that people get from movement. That 10 minute walk will also help you get some fresh air that can be really beneficial to your health both mentally and physically. It will allow you to get your heart rate up and increase blood flow. These are all healthy ways of navigating stress. You probably think that 10 minutes a day isn't very much. But over a few weeks that is quite a lot! Think cumulative! You will not only get in more movement but you are also taking a more pro-active approach to your mental and physical health.

Momentum -

Time to celebrate! When you create alignment between where you are right now and where you want to be, and take specific action steps to get there, you celebrate every little win! This is really important and I think a lot of people skip this step. Your brain loves dopamine. It's dubbed the "reward hormone" because when you get something you want, your body becomes flooded with it. It can be a small win like finding a good parking spot at the store or from finding out you are getting a promotion and a raise. You can also get it from food. When you think about your favorite food, think about how happy you feel just thinking about it. Your brain puts this on repeat and that is how cravings begin to form. What if you could create a craving for treating your body well and hitting your goal? What if you created a craving for healthy behavior? You will want to seek that behavior again and again. That creates momentum. I always encourage my clients to celebrate every little win along the way. It helps to see the progress you are making. You also get to see how a small habit change can create bigger success.

Since I know you are an action taker, I would love to hear what you are going to A.I.M. for? Send me an email essentialsoulcoaching@gmail.com and tell me what you are willing to try. Go all in for 30 days and see what changes you create. Just one small step each day helps you bridge the gap from where you are right now, to where you want to be.

If you are struggling with stress and anxiety you are not alone. There are many resources available to you. Please don't be afraid to help yourself. Mental health is health, and you are important. There is no stigma to getting yourself healthy. Who is relying on you to be the best version of yourself? Even if it's just the person you see in the mirror. You deserve to be healthy - mind, body and soul💕.

If you live near Ormond Beach I would like to extend an invitation to come to the Anxiety Breakthrough Workshop series starting Saturday May 17th at 10:30am at New Journey Chiropractic 292 N Nova Rd. Ormond Beach, FL. I will be hosting a series of 5 workshops that will help you navigate stress and anxiety with healthy coping mechanisms.