My daughter has just started year 11 and there is so much for us all to think about. Of course, there are GCSEs at the end of the year but before that there are revision plans to be made, revision sessions to attend and examined assessments and oracy tests that form part of the final mark plus mock exams. We are also looking at various sixth form options so we will be attending open days and deciding which A levels to take and where to study in years 12 and 13. It is understandable that children, and their parents, feel overwhelmed and anxious at the thought of the academic year ahead. There is just so much going on.
The first step is to write all known dates down in a planner and to try to ensure that there is space around these dates for you and your child to organise and prepare or revise. Once the key dates are in, you have a framework in which to plan holidays, social engagements and family gatherings. Hopefully, by scheduling the key dates and family arrangements you will be feeling less daunted and more able to cope. At this point it is also worthwhile reviewing your child’s existing commitments with them to see whether they can manage all their sports, clubs and part-time work as well as their schoolwork and revision. You may want to review your own regular evening commitments too so that you are around to provide support when required.
We know that moderate amounts of anxiety can help us to solve problems and achieve our goals. But when anxiety starts to get out of proportion, becomes overwhelming and interferes with daily life then we need to take some action. I have set out below some factors to consider:
Lifestyle Factors to minimise anxiety
Sleep
It is important for teens to allocate at least 9 hours for sleeping to help to ensure that they do not experience slowed thinking, reduced attention span, worsened memory and feeling anxious and overwhelmed. If they struggle to get to sleep or stay asleep, then look at before-bed habits and sleep environment. We need a dark, quiet, comfortable space to maximise our chances of having a good night’s sleep. Ideally electronics should be put away at least 30 minutes before sleeping and caffeinated drinks should be avoided in the late afternoon or evening.
Exercise
According to Harvard Health Publishing, exercise helps to minimise anxiety by:
· Diverting you from your anxious thoughts
· Decreasing muscle tension
· Increasing anti-anxiety brain chemicals
· Activating frontal regions of the brain responsible for executive function, which helps to control our reactions to real or imagined threats to our survival.
Diet
We all know that sugar, white carbohydrates, and caffeine are not good for us, but some people can completely alleviate their anxiety by cutting these items from their diet. As we become stressed, we often reach for a coffee or sugar as a short-term pick-me-up but if we choose healthier snacks and drinks our mood can often improve. The stress of preparing for and taking exams uses a lot of B and C vitamins and a deficiency of B vitamins is associated with increased risk of suffering from anxiety. A balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables is essential. You may also want to consider supplementing with a high-quality multi-vitamin and mineral formula.
Other Factors
To foster good mental health and self-esteem it is important for parents and carers to celebrate any and all wins in whatever area of life they occur. Celebrating small wins stimulates the release of a feel-good chemical in our brains that reinforces the learning experience. Some examples are praising your child for overcoming fears to do something they were worried about doing, for passing well in a match or for being kind. It is important to recognise the effort put in, not just the results achieved in order to foster persistence and resilience.
Perfectionism can lead to anxiety due to the continuous pressure to meet extremely high standards and never be satisfied with actual achievements. Please see my blog Is my child a perfectionist and should I be worried? (activenaturalhealth.co.uk) for ideas on how to support your perfectionist child.
In the Moment
If you manage to catch yourself in a state of anxiety and overwhelm it helps to pause and think about your breathing. Slowing and deepening our breath helps to ground us in our bodies and quietens our racing thoughts. My preferred technique is to breathe in for 4 counts, hold the breath for 7 counts and then breathe out for 8 counts. As you do this you may find that it becomes easier as your breath becomes deeper and slower and starts to calm the nervous system. Four to eight cycles of breath are normally enough to feel much calmer. The benefits of this breathing method strengthen with practise. For further information see 4-7-8 Breathing - Guide to the 4 7 8 Breathing Technique by Dr Weil (thedeepsleepco.com)
To feel calm quickly when you are feeling anxious and potentially reduce the severity and frequency of panic attacks consider learning how to do tapping or EFT. It is a fast-acting self-administered technique to calm the nervous system and reduce the symptoms of anxiety. Just follow the video on this link EFT Tapping | activenaturalhealth. It only takes a few minutes to lower the intensity of your symptoms and to continue with what you need to do in your day. If you have 15 minutes, then consider listening to PARIS HILTON learning how to do tapping, and quickly easing the tension in her shoulders, on her podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
If you or your child are often anxious, and it is interfering with daily life then please reach out for help from your child’s school or a qualified professional.
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