Anxiety

Improving mental health at work

Improving mental health at work

Stress and Anxiety at work? We can help you!

Experts say that one in four people in the UK will have a mental health issue at some point of their lives. Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave to an event or thought. Daily life, work and the pandemic are the most common triggers of mental health problems. Mental health has become a matter of  worry for employers due to its consequences for the general wellbeing of their staff, but don´t worry!  There are different treatments available to help your employees avoid, reduce and treat stress and anxiety in your own office.

What is mental health?

As I mentioned before, mental health is about how we think, feel and behave to an event or thought. The most common mental health problems are depression and anxiety. These are often a reaction to a difficult (or not, that depends on how you think about it) life events, such as bereavement, physical health problems or money issues. However, the last few decades have shown that work-related issues are the most common causes of stress and anxiety (and mental health problems in general).

What is anxiety and stress?

  • Anxiety is a feeling of worry, fear or unease due to a certain situation such as a job interview, an appointment or a medical procedure. Also, it can be the result of a traumatic event or fear. Anxiety can remain even if the stressor is no longer present.
  • Stress is the way your body responds to an external stimulus such as a deadline, big test or a threatening situation.

Most of us experience stress and anxiety often in our lives. It is totally normal as it helps us to prepare for stressful situations such as job interviews, return to the office during the pandemic and big tests, etc. However, prolonged stress and anxiety can start to interfere with daily living which can have a negative impact on our physical and psychological well-being. For that reason, it is important to treat them as soon as possible.

Stress and anxiety related disorders:

These kinds of disorders can occur due to frequent experiences of stress and anxiety even if the stressor is no longer present. Those are:

  • Panic disorder – causes panic attacks which are events of extreme fear. Some symptoms are: shortness of breath and pounding in the chest.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder – causes you to repeat a specific action/actions or have the same thoughts on a regular basis.
  • Generalised anxiety disorder – is when people frequently worry without the ability to control it. Reasons for worry can vary from thinking that something terrible might happen, but not being able to specify a reason at all.
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder – results in remembering a life experience from the past, which was terrifying or gave you a significant distress at the time, and is having a negative impact on your daily living.
  • Social phobia – is the disorder where one is unable to interact with people, in a social setting, due to an intense feeling of anxiety.

What are symptoms of stress and anxiety?

The most common signs and symptoms of stress and anxiety:

  • Headache.
  • Sweating.
  • Fatigue.
  • Shaking.
  • Difficulty concentrating.
  • Feeling of impending doom.
  • Irrational anger.              
  • Restlessness.
  • Panic, particularly in a social setting.
  • Muscle tension.
  • Stomach-ache.
  • Low mood.
  • Insomnia (difficulty sleeping).
  • High breathing rate.
  • High heartbeat rate.
  • Change in appetite.

What do statistics say?

In short, we can say that: 

  • In 2020/21, 822,000 workers suffer from work-related stress, depression or anxiety (new or long-standing). 
  • The Coronavirus pandemic has increased these numbers.
  • In 2020/21 stress, depression or anxiety accounted for 50% of all work-related ill health cases.
  • The most affected areas are: industry, education, human health and social work activities (among others).
  • The most mentioned factors of stress and anxiety are; workload pressures, including tight deadlines and too much responsibility and a lack of managerial support.

How can you help your employees?

You can help your employees by offering different options to relieve stress and anxiety at the workplace, for example chair massage, talk groups (to share their feelings and thoughts), etc. But most important, humanise jobs! Sometimes, we are so focused on numbers, outcomes and profits so much that we forget that we work with people and they have worries, needs and problems as we have. So, take into account their needs and worries. People who feel welcomed and sheltered work better and are more productive.

What treatments do we offer for stress and anxiety?

Here, at the Perea Mobile Health, we offer chair massage. It is a relaxation treatment that you can offer to your employees in your own office without disturbing their daily activities, actually it is the perfect pause from work. This treatment is so beneficial that your employees will return to work feeling better and with a general sensation of well being.

How can chair massage help?

 Chair massage as massage in general is great when it comes to managing stress and anxiety. Regardless of type of massage, the benefits are achieved by:

  •  reducing the muscle tension, 
  • promoting the relaxation,
  • reducing cortisol levels, stress and anxiety hormone,
  •  increasing the release of endorphins which are the ‘feel good’ hormones.

.We hope this information is useful. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. We are always happy to help!

 If you like this blog, please share! 

References:

https://www.nature.com/articles/npp200983.pdf 

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2018/stress-gen-z.pdf 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gwen-Jones/publication/250959494_The_Effectiveness_of_Massage_Therapy_Intervention_on_Reducing_Anxiety_in_the_Workplace/links/53fbbb8b0cf2364ccc044195/The-Effectiveness-of-Massage-Therapy-Intervention-on-Reducing-Anxiety-in-the-Workplace.pdf 

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.561.6922&rep=rep1&type=pdf 

https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress.pdf

https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/mental-health.htm

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Toxins-How to detox your body

Toxins-How to detox your body

Feeling tired at work? Maybe it´s time to detox your body

This is the time of the year when most of us have to return to workplace. But after resting for some days, do you still feel tired? During Christmas and New Year most of us drink and eat too much, neglecting our eating habits. As a result, you may feel tired, so a detox may be an excellent alternative for your body. A detox would help you eliminate all these excesses that you committed during Holidays. Also, you will help your body to eliminate accumulated toxins and feel better and renovated. Next, you will find some tips to detox your body.

Tips to detox your body

Detoxing your body in the correct way requires dedication. You can find harmful toxins in food, drinks or different products you intake or use every day, so it’s important to eliminate them from your life. On the other hand, as you eliminate these unwanted products, you can replace them with food and product that are really good for your health.

Avoid products with toxins

 Some of them are:

  • alcohol
  • milk
  • processed meat
  • cigarettes
  • refined sugars
  • fast food
  • saturated fats
  • personal care and products with too much chemicals.

All of these things bring harmful toxins into your bodies, but if we eradicate them from your life, over time the toxins within your body will decrease.

Add more fibre & Vitamin C to your diet

Fibre helps to push out from your body toxins. Toxins tend to stick to your colon and intestines. Increasing fibre in your diet, toxins will stop building up and can be removed.

Vitamin C can help to detox your liver, as it helps to increase the number of antioxidants that are naturally found in the body. Antioxidants help your body reduce damage caused by free radicals. This may lower the risk of diseases.

Drink more water

Water is vital for your daily functions, regardless of whether you are currently detoxing or not. However, when you decide to start a detoxing process, you are advised to increase your water intake from 2 litres to 3 litres. Water allows your body to remove waste products from your blood.

Move frequently

Exercise reduces inflammation and helps your body to detox properly. 

Sleep well

Sleeping well allows your brain to:

  • relax
  • reorganize
  • recharge
  • reduce stress and anxiety
  • eliminate toxins

Take care of your eating habits

When detoxing (and in general), it is important to consider eating natural and healthy products. So, next time you go to the supermarket think and more important read before buying a product, take your time to consider if that product is good for you. Some products that you should consider include in your diet are:

  • Herbs such as Dandelion or Milk Thistle. These herbs can help to provide your body with an extra boost of vitamins and nutrients, which help you remain healthy by removing harmful toxins.
  • Prebiotics. They keep your digestive system healthy and improve your immune health. Examples of food rich in prebiotics are: tomatoes, bananas, garlic, onions, asparagus, etc.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. We are always happy to help. If you like this blog, please share!

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How to improve mental and physical health of your employees

How to improve mental and physical health of your employees

Chair massage: the perfect option to improve the general wellbeing of your employees.

It’s Christmas season plus a new Coronavirus variant (Omicron), so obviously, stress and anxiety are the protagonists of the season. Your employees may feel exhausted, confused or overwhelmed, but one of the solutions to their problems can be just a few steps away from their work stations. This solution is a regular chair massage! Many people see massages as a luxury or as a treat, something you only “allow” once per year. Stiffness and pains in muscles and joints due to stress are one of the most common reasons people book our in office chair massage service. Don´t look at it as a luxury, think about it as a treatment for your employees.

In addition, you should know that having regular chair massages is important for the mental health of your employees. Many people are not aware of how massage can help them at emotional levels. Having massages regularly has a positive influence on the physical and mental health of your employees. If you don’t have the luxury of going to a clinic for some reason, you can check out our chair massage packages.

Professional massage therapists are great listeners and they can help your employees to relax body and mind. In other words,  massage means to be kind with themselves and is a good investment for their mind and body health. On the other hand, you shouldn’t feel guilty to include massages in your budget and having them regularly. On the contrary, as chair massage promotes the general wellbeing of your employees, they will also have better outcomes for the company. So, don’t think about chair massage as an expense, think about it as an investment.

 What are the benefits of chair massages?

You may think massage is just for relaxing and comfort, but they are also therapeutic. Regular massages help to improve good health and wellness, but most importantly, they can help you change mental states, improving the performance of your employees.

How can massage help your mental health symptoms?

  • Aid to balance emotions
  • Help to relieve symptoms of anxiety
  • Massages clearly reduce the level of stress hormones giving you an amazing sensation of wellbeing.
  • Assist to relieve symptoms of depression.
  • Help with insomnia.

How do stress hormones work in the body?

This season makes your employees more anxious, stressed or depressed. As a result, their bodies pump even more quantities of cortisol adrenaline and norepinephrine (stress hormones) fueling their stress levels and causing them to rise. Massages reduce these hormones by releasing endorphins. 

When they receive a massage their bodies and minds relax and relieve muscle tension too. Most importantly massage can help improve mental health.

Massages are a temporary relief (but not the cure). 

How can insomnia affect the physical health of my employees?

Part of having a good night’s rest is having that relaxing sensation and off course not being stressed. All of us need to have a good quality sleep to function properly and for our wellbeing in general. Experts confirm that insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases, some examples are: obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and depression.

How can massages help my employees with my insomnia?

Massages help their bodies produce serotonin, this is essential for the production of melatonin. But what is it? Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It helps control their inner clock allowing their body function properly during the day and sleep properly at night. Proper rest means better performance, for instance, better outcomes for the company.

For many people, the melatonin levels start to go up about two hours before going to sleep, but for those who can’t, they should have other options. Some people use melatonin pills or seek doctor’s advice. On the other hand, having massages is a natural way to increase the melatonin levels of your employees. In addition, it is the perfect free alternative for people who struggle with this condition.

In conclusion, massage isn’t a luxury or a treat, it can be beneficial to treat pain injuries or just to help your employees with their stress and anxiety. If your staff is suffering from stress, anxiety or sleeping issues, consider that massage therapy is a natural alternative to deal with their mental health symptoms. Click here for other effective ways to improve mental health.

We hope this information is useful for you. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. We are always happy to help. If you like this blog, please share!

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3 treatments for insomnia, stress and anxiety

3 treatments for insomnia, stress and anxiety

Insomnia : causes and treatments

Covid-19 left us losses, diseases and worries. Many people changed their sleeping habits during the pandemic. During lock down, most people felt constant worry of Covid-19 death rates, their health, job security, family issues, changes in social life, daily routine and the uncertainty of the future. In other words, all these facts put great amounts of stress and anxiety on people’s lives. Also, insomnia became a big part of their lives. As a result, patients with this condition may have knock-on effects on their physical and mental health. But do not worry, there are many ways to improve your sleep patterns (treatments for insomnia).

One of the first things you should do is to identify the cause of your insomnia, then find the treatment that suits you best. After that, you should make changes in your lifestyle. You can try reflexology, Indian head massage and relaxing massage. Try one or all of them, we assure you will sleep better and you will also improve your general wellbeing.

Why don’t we start with the basis…

What is insomnia?

It is a sleeping disorder or sleep loss. It keeps you awake when you want to sleep, therefore, in a sleepy state when you need to be awake. People who suffer from insomnia often complain of some of the following symptoms:

  • Difficulty falling asleep.
  • Difficulty staying asleep (they wake up several times a night).
  • Early awakenings in the morning.
  • Feeling of not sleeping well.

As a result, during the day, you may have or feel:

  • Be tired or sleepy.
  • Anxiety, stress or depression.
  • Memory disorders or reduced attention.
  • Irritability or nervousness.

What are the causes of insomnia?

There are several causes that can lead to insomnia, specially during the pandemic, some of them are:

  • Psychiatric illnesses such as depression.
  • High anxiety, in most cases it is related to coronavirus issues. That is to say, workers who are more exposed to the public, people with children, people who feel lonely, etc.
  • Stress.
  • Bad habits before sleeping (long napping, consuming caffeine or alcohol, vigorous physical activity before sleeping, irregular bedtime/waking times, staying many hours in bed, engaging in intellectual activities before sleeping, etc.).
  • Chronic diseases that present pain or shortness of breath (rheumatic diseases, fibromyalgia, asthma, heart failure, gastroesophageal reflux, gastric/duodenal ulcer).
  • Diseases that occur during sleep (sleep apnea syndrome, restless legs syndrome, Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), etc.).
  • Medications (stimulants, antidepressants, suppressing sedatives, or hypnotics).
  • Irregular sleep pattern, rotating work schedules or jet lag.
  • Idiopathic (without apparent cause).

What does statistics say?

  • 31% of women complain about having sleep loss during pandemic.
  • 16.5% of men had insomnia during pandemic.
  • 95% of the adult population has had some episode of transitory insomnia in their life.
  • Chronic forms of insomnia ( it lasts at least 6 months) only suffer from it between 8 and 18% of people.
  • Despite being a common problem, only 5% visit their doctor.

How much time do we need to sleep per night?

  • Young adults need 7-8 hours.
  • Teenagers need 9 hours.
  • Children need 9-10 hours.

Who is most at risk of having insomnia?

  • Divorced, widows, unemployed.
  • Those with digestive, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
  • Anxious and depressed people.
  • Sedentary population.
  • People with irregular bedtime and wake-up times.
  • People who consume alcohol before going to sleep.
  • Smokers.
  • People who drink caffeine late at night.
  • People exposed to ambient noise.

How can I treat insomnia?

There are different treatments that may help you to relieve symptoms of insomnia. Also, these treatments will help you relax and sleep better and you can have them in your own working place with Perea mobile services. Some of them are:

1. Treatments for insomnia: Indian Head massage

The main focus of Indian head massage is to relieve the tension in the head, face, neck and shoulders area. Besides, it has many physical and psychological benefits.

It alleviates symptoms of migraines and tension headaches. Indian head massage is very effective in alleviating neck and shoulder tension, pains and aches. It enhances brain function (particularly when it comes to memory and focus). In addition, it helps to manage anxiety and depression, allowing your body to relax and sleep better.

It promotes relaxation by calming ambient alongside soothing, but the therapist uses firm techniques on your head, face, neck and shoulders. To treat anxiety or depression (triggers of insomnia), you might want to have weekly treatments for 4 – 8 weeks until you feel better.

2. treatments for insomnia: Massage

Massage encourages blood and lymph circulation throughout the body. Which in turn can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Massage can also help to relax nervous tension, leading to a better sleep. In addition, it helps to release serotonin and dopamine, as a result, you will have a feeling of calm relaxation that makes chronic stress and anxiety much easier to overcome. We recommend you 1 or 2 sessions per week. 

3. Treatments for insomnia: Reflexology

Reflexology involves applying pressure on specific reflex areas in the feet, or hand using thumb, finger and hand techniques. In short, it stimulates nerve terminals that are connected with different organs, glands and other body parts.

Reflexology is a non-intrusive complementary health therapy whose aim is to help the body to restore its natural balance and functioning. By stimulating the head and adrenal reflex points, it  helps the body balance itself, restoring harmony in all processes (physical, mental and emotional). Reflexology busts  your energy levels helping you to sleep better and calm.  We recommend you 1 or 2 sessions per week.

As a final word

We hope this information is useful for you, in our next blog we will show you what you can do at home to improve your sleeping habits. If you need advice or have any questions about our treatments, please contact us. You can find us 3 mins away from Angel station in Islington. We are always happy to help. If you like this blog, please share!

References:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58148044

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2020/08/sleeploss-lockdown.page

https://www.mayoclinic.org/es-es/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167

https://www.cancer.org/es/noticias-recientes/10-consejos-para-dormir-mas.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/es-es/diseases-conditions/insomnia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355167

https://www.hospitalaleman.org.ar/mujeres/insomnio-causas-y-tratamiento/

 

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