The Ripple Effect

Happy Father's Day!

Wishing all the hard working Dads out there a Happy Father's Day. I hope you have a great day.

With life getting busier and ever changing, it is very easy to get stuck in auto-pilot - all work and no relaxation. We all deserve some me-time, whether that is going for a run, listening to your favourite tunes, a session at the gym, a steam in a sauna or heading for a sea swim. These are some great ways to let go of your worries and feel reinvigorated; but self-care doesn't always have to be something active. You can relax and put your feet up. We often think that self-care has to be a healthy meal cooked from scratch. Calming the mind with some deep meditations, or finding balance through the amazing practice of yoga, yes that would be amazing, and over time the benefits can be seen rippling throughout every part of our lives.

Self-care can be anything that makes you feel at ease, something that allows you to de-stress and feel relaxed at that time. It can even be a pint down at the local watching your favourite team, a lovely meal out or a takeaway ordered in. Whatever it is, just try to incorporate something you enjoy. This is self-care. Make that one change and others are likely to follow.

It is not surprising that a massage is one of the highly recommended options when it comes to self-care and making that first move into looking after yourself - mind, body and soul.

Whatever you do today, please try to ensure you take some me-time, to just do you.

Getting a massage is sometimes not very high on peoples’ to-do list. It is often thought of as a luxury-only purchase to pamper or treat yourself, a gift to others once a year, or as a last resort to pain/injury. Yes, massage is a wonderful treat, but we all deserve to add a regular massage to our self-care routines. More people are looking after themselves with regular exercise, healthier eating options & a lot more socialising, but what about mental & physical stress? Massage & other holistic therapies are a great way of tackling this stress & helping us maintain a level of mindfulness in our everyday lives.

I feel that massage is undeniably a valuable component in healthcare, with more doctors referring their patients for a massage because it has been shown to improve both physical & emotional wellbeing.

Massage has been shown to help reduce pain by loosening tight muscles & relieving tension in the body. It’s proven to decrease everyday aches & pains, while promoting a better quality of life for people with long-term health problems & chronic conditions.

Massage is also a great tool in relieving stress. Not only can massage help boost our mood by triggering the release of Oxytocin, & increasing our “happy hormones” Serotonin & Dopamine, it also lowers the stress hormone Cortisol. This hormone is essential in times of emergency but so many people are stuck in this state of stress which is harmful to the body.

Massage can be a powerful tool to help us with our mental health. Helping conditions such as depression, anxiety, stress & sleeping disorders. Regular massage can even help boost our confidence, self-esteem, poor self-image & increase our self-awareness. Taking some time out for yourself to incorporate self-care is half the battle. This can be very empowering, giving us support & allowing us to take charge of our own health & wellbeing.

Here are just some of the amazing benefits we gain from receiving regular massage & holistic therapies:

Mind:
• Gives you a deep sense of relaxation
• Helps you handle stressful situations much better
• Gives support & a boost in mood, helping you unwind
• Boost in confidence, self-esteem & self-awareness
• Inspires motivation, productivity & increases mental alertness
• Revitalises the mind, allowing a deep calmness within
• Helps conditions such as anxiety, depression & insomnia
• Encourages feelings of comfort & stillness

Body:
• Helps to relieve tension, aches & pains. Eases muscle pain
• Pain management; helps you cope with ailments/chronic conditions
• Speeds healing time of soft tissue injuries
• Maintains the body to prevent injury from sports/exercise
• Improves muscle tone & skin tone
• Increases joint mobility & flexibility
• Can break up scar tissue
• Improves many skin conditions & may help elasticity & wrinkles
• Reduces physical effects of stress on the body by lowering the stress hormone, cortisol
• Can help lower blood pressure & heart rate
• Improves circulation
• Helps improve digestion
• Promotes healing with increased blood flow
• Helps you feel restored & improves sleep
• Boosts the immune function & stimulates the lymphatic system
• Boost in energy

Soul:
• Builds self awareness, encourages self-love
• Promotes further self-care
• Builds confidence
• Gives deep comfort & support
• Increases awareness of the world around you
• Promotes a deep connection within your mind, body, & soul
• Helps you feel balanced & promotes tranquillity
• Revives, restores & rejuvenates the mind, body & soul

The benefits of receiving regular treatments are amazing & all this can be enhanced even further with the power of aromatherapy.

It is important to find the correct massage therapist & the best type of treatment that suits your needs, whether it is a massage, a holistic treatment or even reflexology. Most of the time this is decided during the consultation process, where we work together to gain the best results & ensure the meeting of expectations.

It is Mental Health Awareness Week - 9th-15th May 2022. This year's theme is loneliness.
Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation.

Most of us have experienced loneliness at some point in our lives, especially with these last few years drastically impacting our lives and taking a toll on our health mentally, emotionally and physically. Thus, increasing the amount of people living with mental health issues and living in loneliness.

We all know what loneliness feels like and feeling lonely from time to time is a normal part of life, but when loneliness is severe or lasts a long time, it can negatively affect our mental health.

This week is to help bring awareness to mental health issues and help tackle loneliness. You are not alone

One in four adults feel lonely some or all of the time. There’s no single cause and no one solution. The longer we feel lonely, the more we are at risk of mental health problems.

Yes, dealing with loneliness can be extremely difficult, but there are things we all can do to help cope with loneliness and prevent some of the negative feelings and mental health problems that can come with it. Here are some coping strategies that you might find useful.

• Keeping yourself busy with activities. This is a great way of trying to manage loneliness by keeping busy and doing things we enjoy. Finding fun hobbies such as arts and crafts, candle making, reading, a bit of gardening, going to the gym or even smaller activities such as sorting out your kitchen cupboards, doing jigsaws, crosswords, word searches or knitting. Small activities can give you energy and help increase positive feelings. It’s important these things are fun or fulfilling rather than distractions from how you feel.

• Try to do things that stimulate your mind. Stimulating activities that occupy your mind can really help with loneliness. This can include taking workshops or joining courses that spark an interest within you. Start small with stimulating crosswords, word searches, or puzzles. You could even try listening to podcasts on topics from comedy, cookery to fitness. This can be stimulating and something as simple as listening to the familiar voice of someone you like can help you feel less lonely.

• Physical activity. Physical exercise can definitely help with loneliness. It can be as simple as going on a nice walk in the park when you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. Set yourself tasks/goals such as smiling at a passer by, saying hello to a stranger or sparking up a conversation with someone new.

• Music. Listening to music can be healing in itself, it can help us express ourselves through the creativity of others, allowing us to let go of stress and sadness or give us a boost in mood and hormones. This is another great way of getting in some exercise, why not turn the music on and have a boogie and singalong in the living room - be aware of your neighbours though.

• Engage with people. Try to engage with the people you meet in your daily life. It can be hard to talk to others when you’re feeling lonely. However, trying to connect with the people you meet as you go about your day can be helpful. Even catching someone’s eye and saying “Hi” as you walk along can make you and even them feel better. It is a simple way of building up your confidence while lessening your feelings of loneliness. Why not try saying hello to the postwoman/postman or going to the shops and talking to the person at the checkout. By sharing a polite greeting – you might find you give someone else a positive lift too.

• Social media. Try to use social media in a positive way. Social media can help your mental health, but it can also affect it negatively. The key is to use it in a positive way. Try finding different pages, selfcare blogs, digital communities that you share interests and passions with, or information on local groups that can help. Most importantly be aware of how you feel when you use social media and focus on topics and activities that work best for you.

• Connect with people. It can be hard to connect with others when you’re feeling lonely. But there are great benefits in finding people who have been through similar experiences to you. Interacting with others that understand you and have similar experiences with loneliness can give you a sense of belonging that may be missing. People who have been there have found connections in local groups or social media.

• Pets. Spending time with pets, if you are lucky enough to have a pet, can be a great way of managing loneliness. Not only do animals provide us with unconditional love and support, but they also help to give structure to our days and even encourage us to get out and connect with others socially. Interacting with your pets is also shown to help reduce stress levels.

• Holistic therapies. Holistic treatments such as massage, reflexology, meditation and yoga are all great ways of promoting some self-care with their physiological and psychological benefits. Helping reduce pain, muscle tension, while reducing stress levels and promoting feelings of well-being and connection to ourselves and others.

• Talking therapies can help. Talking through your feelings with a counsellor or therapist can help you cope with your feelings of loneliness. Talking therapy can be hard to get, especially as of late – but if you can find a professional, it can really be of benefit. It’ll provide you with a safe space to work through your feelings and thoughts without judgement. Allowing you to understand yourself and work mindfully and patiently. Check out your local resources by visiting the NHS website or contacting your GP.

These are just some ideas and strategies that may help us while struggling with loneliness.

Please feel free to comment below and share any of your ideas for coping with loneliness and help bring awareness during mental health awareness week.