Ella Grace Holistic Health

16/02/2024

In Part 4 of this series, we take a look at how hormonal imbalance can impact our mood and mental health.

Hormones are chemical messengers that tell our body what to do and when.

For example, thyroid (or energy) hormones control our metabolism.

Stress hormones are released when we perceive some kind of threat or danger to ourselves and our body prepares to "fight" or "flee" the threat (think rapid heart beat, shaking hands, fast breathing etc).

Our s*x hormones help regulate many bodily processes such as sleep, appetite, growth & our s*xual development.

Changes to any of these hormones can cause you to feel irritable, stressed, anxious, depressed, fatigued or experience mood swings.

Take a look below at what causes hormonal imbalances and what steps you can take to balance hormones naturally and/or with medication.

What is one step you can take today to help support your hormones?

15/02/2024

03/10/2023

Do you struggle to stop your mind from racing or worrying incessantly? Rather than try to tame or control your mind (hard but not impossible to do), try to quiet your unease, distress or anxious state through your breath which will then help quiet your mind and thoughts.

The physiological sigh is a breathing technique that very quickly reduces feelings of stress or anxiety.

Start by taking a deep breath in through your nose, but before you exhale, take another short breath (kind of like a sniff) in. Then exhale slowly, either through your nose or through your mouth. The exhale (or sigh) should be longer in duration than the inbreath.

Repeat these steps until you feel calm.

I have found to get an even better result, I add in humming through my nose or making a "ohmmmm", "voooooo" or "ahhhhhh" sound as I exhale through my mouth as this stimulates my vagus nerve which is another way to switch off the sympathetic, "fight or flight' stress response.

How does the physiological sigh work? When we are stressed, we typically and subconsciously shorten our breath or breathe more shallowly, and by doing so, we do not fully expand our lung capacity which signals to our body that we are in 'danger'. So by taking this 2nd short breath at the end of the long, deep inhale, we fully expand our lungs and according to Ari Whitten, we are able to offload as much CO2 as possible, which reduces our stress or anxiety levels and helps calm the mind. Clever!

Drop me a YES if this technique works for you. It may take some practice, but stick with it to enjoy the lovely calm feeling afterwards.

08/08/2023

Mental Health Tips . . . lets share our collective knowledge and experiences and let others know the top 3 things that have helped you improve your mental health and wellbeing. Comment below and help others who may be struggling right now. Lets spread the love 💗 I'll start . . .