Why Stress and Anxiety are Rising Right Now

If you’ve recently found yourself Googling “how to reduce anxiety quickly”, “signs of burnout” or “why do I feel overwhelmed all the time”, you’re not alone.

Across the country, more people than ever are searching for ways to cope with stress, anxiety and mental overload.

Most clients who come for counselling today will have tried to find ways to reduce their anxiety themselves before they come for a session.

Modern life plays a big part in rising stress and anxiety levels with people often working long  hours, feeling under financial pressure, receiving constant notifications and having very little real downtime.

This means your nervous system rarely gets to switch off and have a break.

Many people are now experiencing what’s commonly called “high functioning anxiety” — where you keep going, but feel wired, exhausted and unable to switch off.

Another major trend is burnout. Searches like “am I burnt out or just tired” and “how to recover from burnout” have increased in Ireland.

Burnout doesn’t always look dramatic.

It often shows up as low motivation, brain fog, irritability or feeling emotionally flat. You may feel you do not have the same capacity for stress or regular life as you did previously.

Sleep is also being negatively affected.  

Overthinking is now one of the most common mental health struggles, with many people having difficulty sleeping due to racing thoughts.

As people's bodies give them signals that they are not coping with the pace of life, many are looking for simple ways to calm their nervous system, get better sleep and feel able to deal with daily life.

Small changes — like regulating your breathing, reducing mental input by not being available 24/7, or creating short mindful moments in your day — can have a powerful impact on anxiety and stress levels.

Even five minutes of a simple diaphragmatic breathing exercise (look on YouTube) first thing in the morning can change the whole day as we start the day with an intention of slowing down.

Giving ourselves more time so we are not rushing and stressed can also really help to regulate our nervous system. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try to plan out your day so you have more time and some regular pauses throughout the day to just 'be' rather than filling your time with activity.

Start small and notice the impact small changes can have on your nervous system.

To book and appointment with Nicola for an in person or online session click here

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