Ways to relax

[sc0tt]

Had some minor pains in my chest for the last couple of weeks. Last Friday I had a burning in my sternum. Called 111 and they advised my to go to A&E

Had an ecg, bloods done and blood pressure. Blood pressure was through the roof but the rest was all clear. Doc said that I have acid reflux so has prescribed lanzsoprosole (sp) but this can be brought on by stress and anxiety.

I have a pain in my back and I it is causing my ribs to have a bit of a dull ache. Doc said I need to stop stressing (easy enough but I'm mid house purchase and getting married in sept).

I went swimming last night which seems to have helped my back but made the rib muscle sore. Any suggestions to relax? Meditation? etc.

Glad I was tested and all was ok because I ended up working myself up over something that wasn't.

Also I have now cut the drink (was drinking every day) and started eating my greens in effort to sort the blood pressure out.

Thanks

[Derek Smith]

Find out what's causing the stress and put a stop to it, or merely change it.

Hobbies? Something you can do that you have to concentrate on, but it has to have input from you, so not watching TV.

From building plastic kits to restoring a classic car; it all takes your mind off what winds you up.

[sc0tt]

Derek Smith said:

Find out what's causing the stress and put a stop to it, or merely change it.

Hobbies? Something you can do that you have to concentrate on, but it has to have input from you, so not watching TV.

From building plastic kits to restoring a classic car; it all takes your mind off what winds you up.

I'm hoping when the house is sorted it will disappear

[Electronicpants]

Try the Headspace app.

https://www.headspace.com/science

10 mins a day of calming you down and clearing your mind, it's worth a shot.

[geeks]

Big ol' spliff?

[nealeh1875]

agree with doing a hobby with some physical activity to keep your mind off things.

I will read or more often than not just chill out and listen to some music or an audiobook if it's just before bed. black everything out and listen to some old jazz/soul/blues music.

good luck on the house move OP

[HustleRussell]

geeks said:

Big ol' spliff?

It'll relax you alright, It'll also destroy the quality of your sleep, make you fat and ruin your productivity!

Starting at the beginning, concentrate on sleeping / resting / eating properly, reduce screen time and take five when you feel yourself getting tense and go and stretch your legs and / or do some 'breathing'- two in, four out.

[counterofbeans]

sc0tt said:

Doc said I need to stop stressing (easy enough but I'm mid house purchase and getting married in sept).

Perhaps you should stay single and live with your mum?

[nealeh1875]

counterofbeans said:

sc0tt said:

Doc said I need to stop stressing (easy enough but I'm mid house purchase and getting married in sept).

Perhaps you should stay single and live with your mum?

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=210&t=1724321

[geeks]

HustleRussell said:

geeks said:

Big ol' spliff?

It'll relax you alright, It'll also destroy the quality of your sleep, make you fat and ruin your productivity!

Starting at the beginning, concentrate on sleeping / resting / eating properly, reduce screen time and take five when you feel yourself getting tense and go and stretch your legs and / or do some 'breathing'- two in, four out.

Calm down dear! Although not sure how it will make you fat by itself, also not many people who have the odd spliff complain about poor sleep lol!

[Gary29]

Hobby? Stamp collecting, model making, crochet?

[Wildfire]

Buying a house was the single most stressful thing I did to date, at the time the OH's father was dying and her mum went in to hospital.

Best thing we did was plan a holiday to look forward to and then a few other little "treats", nights / days out.

I did find that doing things that were personal to me, with no dependencies on others was good. I went out on the bike, then cleaned it all down. I set my route, asked if a mate wanted to come, but planned to go anyway. A bit of "me" time is good. I go to the gym and whilst I do go with the OH, it is my time just to concentrate on a singular thing with some music or an audiobook etc.

Keeping on top of little things like admin and moving forward helps. Not letting things build up. That way when you want to do something you don't feel stressed that you have the world of little things sitting on your plate or in the back of your mind.

[sc0tt]

Electronicpants said:

Try the Headspace app.

https://www.headspace.com/science

10 mins a day of calming you down and clearing your mind, it's worth a shot.

Thank you. Will give that a go this evening.

geeks said:

Big ol' spliff?

Makes me green out.

counterofbeans said:

Perhaps you should stay single and live with your mum?

Far more stressful

Wildfire said:

Buying a house was the single most stressful thing I did to date, at the time the OH's father was dying and her mum went in to hospital.

That is a lot to take in at once. We were flying along and everything just ground to a halt. I'll be happy once we are in.

[RizzoTheRat]

If your backs hurting because you're tense due to stress then a massage or exercise ought to help a fair bit. I know exercise is a bit different from relaxing, but physical exercise is a great way of relieving mental stress. I'd keep up the swimming if I were you.

[227bhp]

Stay away from the internet.
Or at least certain parts of it like PHs NP&E

[sc0tt]

RizzoTheRat said:

If your backs hurting because you're tense due to stress then a massage or exercise ought to help a fair bit. I know exercise is a bit different from relaxing, but physical exercise is a great way of relieving mental stress. I'd keep up the swimming if I were you.

Thanks chap. I'll give it a couple of days off now though because of the ribs

[Patch1875]

I have similar issues it’s frustrating as it’s difficult to shake off.

I seem to have this tension working away in the background I don’t feel stressed most of the time but it’s like my mind is telling all my muscles to tighten up and I can’t switch off, I even sometimes wake up with clenched fists.

Things I’ve found to help are mainly running and working out. I also get a massage once a month to slacken things off one thing I’ve found is a lot of my back pain comes from my pecs when your tense your posture goes to pot getting my chest sorted out helps big time.

Hopefully once your house is sorted it will disappear!

[sc0tt]

Thanks patch, we sound like we have similar problems.

I don’t feel stressed, just an air of tension. I feel like ive tensed my chest so much i’m in bed at the minute with sore ribs.

The more I have it the more i’m frustrated.

[Electronicpants]

I also found this book very helpful, he talks in the first section on how due to modern life our minds are constantly in a state of stress due to the amount of information we take in everyday, in caveman days up to 100-50 years ago we had time to just do nothing, with no TV/internet to distract us.

You might think it's hippy bks but he's a GP, and a lot of what he writes made sense to me.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pillar-Plan-Relax-Longer-...

[LordGrover]

sc0tt said:

Electronicpants said:

Try the Headspace app.

https://www.headspace.com/science

10 mins a day of calming you down and clearing your mind, it's worth a shot.

Thank you. Will give that a go this evening.

I find Headspace to be excellent, but not sure if it's right for these circumstances. No harm in trying though.

Initially, I found it quite difficult to clear my mind, so felt counter productive - stressing about 'doing it wrong'.

Took some practice but find it very helpful now - just 15 minutes every morning before I leave for work. It's not cheap though and £70 or £80 p.a.