 Are you feeling worse on anxiety medication during a heatwave? Perhaps you’re feeling unusually drained and tired, or experiencing an increased intolerance to the heat. If this is you, certain prescribed medications can increase the effects of a heatwave on your body. This is one of the lesser-known effects of antidepressants. Currently, we are experiencing one heatwave after another. It’s uncomfortable and unpleasant of most of us, but it’s particularly difficult for anyone who experiences anxiety or depression and who needs to take an antidepressant medication for it. Many of my clients take commonly prescribed medication for anxiety and/or depression. These medications are categorised as SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) used to treat anxiety and depression or SNRIs (Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors), used to treat major depressive disorder and generalised anxiety. Another category of antidepressant medications are tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Some commonly prescribes antidepressant drugs include the following: SSRIs: Sertraline Citalopram Escitalopram Floxetine (Prozac) Paroxetine SNRIs: Venlafaxine Duloxetine TCAs: Amitriptyline Nortriptyline (Pamelor Imipramine (Tofranil) Doxepin (Silenor, Sinequan) This list is not exhaustive. There are other medications available and it is important to note that the range of possible side effects depend on the specific type of medicine you're taking. Some of these medicines are used in the treatment of other health conditions as well. Can antidepressants affect body temperature? Yes, because antidepressant medications and medications for anxiety may interfere with your body’s ability to regulate its temperature which can cause excessive sweating, and an increased risk of dehydration. This is because some types of antidepressants interfere with actions of the hypothalamus. This is a structure within the brain’s limbic system responsible for heat regulation. The use of antidepressants and heat intolerance often go together. The common signs of heat stress on the body include:
It is important to take steps to protect your body from overheating and to drink plenty of water. This is because there is an increased risk of dehydration. Also, if you are taking these types of medications there is an increased risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Therefore, it is essential to try to prevent your body from overheating. If you are a neurodivergent person with autism, ADHD or any other form of neurodivergence, you may experience sensory discomfort from the heat more profoundly. You can find all the relevant information about heat exhaustion and heat stroke here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heat-exhaustion-heatstroke/ How to stay cool on antidepressants:
A mind-body approach is helpful I use a mind-body approach to managing anxiety when the body is stressed by extreme heat. This includes mindfulness as well as breathing and grounding exercises specific to heat-triggered anxiety. These exercises soothe the mind and calm the body’s sympathetic nervous system. As a hypnotherapist, mindfulness teacher, and qualified counsellor, I recognise the importance of medication in enabling a person with anxiety and/or depression to function in their everyday lives. Often, medication can enable a person to access a talking therapy when they may have otherwise felt too unwell to do so. Changes in the environment including the weather and climate change may make your anxiety symptoms worse. This is not unusual so know that you are not alone. If you feel it is necessary, talk to someone you think would understand, or seek professional help. A talking therapy such as counselling can help you deal with the underlying causes of anxiety or low mood and enable you to get to grips with your problems. Both counselling and hypnotherapy can enable you to manage your anxious thoughts and feelings. Get in touch if you would like to find out more about how I could help you. When should I seek medical advice? If you are concerned about your health and the side effects of your medication you should seek advice from your GP or psychiatrist. IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not stop taking an antidepressant suddenly. This could have serious consequences for your health. It is important that you take any medication prescribed by your doctor in accordance with the instructions given. Never suddenly stop taking your medication. Always talk to your doctor first before making any changes. Try to stay cool and take care of yourself both physically and mentally. DISCLAIMER This article is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please speak with your GP or psychiatrist about any concerns regarding your medication. This blogpost is written without the use of AI. ©Tracy Daniels | Solution Focused Clinical Hypnotherapist, Professional Mindfulness Practitioner & Therapeutic Counsellor, Enhanced DBS  Every year, exam season brings a wave of stress and anxiety into family homes across the UK. GCSEs, A-levels, and university assessments put enormous pressure on young people — and on the parents and caregivers supporting them. If you're wondering how to help your teenager cope with exam stress, you're not alone.
This guide shares practical, evidence-informed strategies to help your child through exam season and explains how hypnotherapy for exam stress can make a real difference for young people who are struggling. Every Teenager Responds to Exam Pressure Differently It's important to remember that stress shows up in different ways. Some young people appear calm on the surface, quietly masking their anxiety, while others are more openly emotional. Both responses are completely normal. Most teenagers who care about doing well will experience some degree of exam nerves — and that's okay. The goal isn't to eliminate stress entirely, but to help your child manage it in a healthy, balanced way. Practical Exam Stress Tips for Parents and Caregivers 1. Keep the Lines of Communication Open One of the most powerful things you can do is simply be there. Let your teenager know they can talk to you without fear of judgement. Bottling up worries tends to make anxiety worse, so creating a safe, loving space for them to express how they're feeling can be enormously helpful. If they're irritable or withdrawn, try not to take it personally — exam pressure is tough, and mood swings are a common sign of stress in teenagers. 2. Help Them Create a Realistic Revision Plan Most schools provide guidance on revision planning, but many teenagers struggle to structure their time effectively. Offer to sit down with your child — not to check up on them, but to help them build a timetable that's actually achievable. A good revision timetable for teenagers should include study blocks, regular breaks, and protected downtime. Balance is everything. 3. Avoid Piling on the Pressure It can be tempting to push your child to study more, especially if you're worried about their results. But research consistently shows that excessive pressure increases exam anxiety, which in turn makes it harder to concentrate and retain information. Conscientious teenagers in particular tend to absorb the expectations of the adults around them — so keeping your own anxiety in check is part of supporting theirs. 4. Offer Small, Meaningful Rewards Positive reinforcement goes a long way. Acknowledging your teenager's hard work — whether that's their favourite meal, a trip out, or simply some quality time together — helps sustain motivation and gives them an emotional boost during what can feel like an exhausting stretch of weeks. 5. Prioritise Sleep, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Teen exam stress often leads to poor sleep, skipped meals, and too much screen time. Yet these are exactly the things a hard-working brain needs most. Encourage your child to:
6. Protect Their Downtime Revision shouldn't consume every waking hour. Teenagers need time to decompress, connect with friends, pursue hobbies, and simply not think about exams. A day off at the weekend isn't a luxury — it's a necessity for preventing burnout and maintaining mental wellbeing during exam season. Warning Signs: When to Seek Help for Exam Anxiety Some stress is normal, but there are signs that a young person may be struggling with severe exam anxiety that requires extra support. Look out for:
How Hypnotherapy Can Help with Exam Stress and Anxiety Hypnotherapy for exam stress is an increasingly popular and effective option for teenagers who are struggling with anxiety, exam nerves, or a fear of failure. As a solution focused hypnotherapist, I work with young people to calm an overactive mind, reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety, and build the confidence and focus they need to perform at their best. Sessions are calm, positive, and solution focused — we work on what your child wants to achieve, rather than dwelling on problems. Many young people find that just a few sessions make a significant difference to how they feel and how well they're able to revise and sit their exams. I am registered with the National Council for Hypnotherapy (NCH) and the Complementary & Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), and hold an Enhanced DBS Certificate. As a personal tutor and retired lecturer, I understand the pressures young people face in education today. If you'd like to find out more about how hypnotherapy for teenage anxiety or exam stress could help your child, please don't hesitate to get in touch: Contact © Tracy Daniels | Solution Focused Clinical Hypnotherapist, Professional Mindfulness Practitioner & L4 Counsellor-in-Training, Enhanced DBS  Stress is something we all experience, yet it can feel surprisingly difficult to understand — let alone manage. Whether you’re navigating a particularly demanding period in your life or simply noticing that everyday pressures are starting to take their toll, understanding why we feel stressed is a powerful first step towards feeling better. What Actually Happens in Your Brain When You’re Stressed? Our experience of stress begins with a physiological response — a built-in alarm system in the brain known as the limbic system, often called the “primitive emotional brain.” When we sense danger, whether physical, emotional, or mental, this part of the brain triggers the well-known fight, flight, or freeze response. Its sole purpose is survival, and it works fast — bypassing logical, rational thought entirely. Why We’re Wired This Way To understand this, it helps to think about our ancient ancestors. Imagine a caveperson faced with a predator. There’s no time to weigh up the options — the limbic system takes over instantly, flooding the body with adrenaline and cortisol to enable a rapid escape. In that context, these stress hormones are lifesaving. The problem is that the same response fires in modern life — in traffic jams, difficult conversations, or financial worries — situations where a surge of adrenaline doesn’t actually help. Too much adrenaline can trigger panic attacks; chronically elevated cortisol feeds ongoing feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. Stress can be acute (a single, short-lived event, such as a minor car accident) or chronic (a prolonged or compounding series of stressors, such as ongoing financial difficulty following an injury). Both can significantly affect our physical and mental wellbeing if left unaddressed. Stress can lead to anxiety, low mood and feeling overwhelmed. Anxiety is a symptom of stress and it can persist, in some cases, long after the stressful event has ended. The Stress Bucket: How Pressure Builds Up A helpful way to understand how stress accumulates is through the idea of a stress bucket. Let’s follow Kate through a difficult day. Kate starts her morning feeling fine. But then she hits unexpected traffic and arrives late for a client meeting — one stressful item drops into her bucket. At lunchtime, she steps in dog mess while checking her phone and ruins a new pair of shoes — another item added. That evening, her partner Tom mentions that redundancies are likely at his company. Suddenly her bucket is close to overflowing. None of these events is catastrophic on its own, but together they accumulate. When our stress bucket fills up and we have no way to empty it, our emotional resilience drops and our mental and physical health can start to suffer. (Kate and Tom are fictional characters.) How Do We Empty the Stress Bucket? The most natural way the brain empties the stress bucket is through sleep — particularly REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the dreaming phase. During REM sleep, the brain processes emotional experiences, converting them into narrative and helping us wake up feeling restored and ready for the day ahead. When sleep is disrupted or we’re struggling with insomnia, this essential processing is interrupted, and stress can accumulate more quickly. Interestingly, research suggests that the deep relaxation experienced during hypnotherapy can replicate some of the restorative effects of REM sleep — helping to reduce stress, calm the nervous system, and bring greater mental clarity. Many clients find that after a hypnotherapy session, they feel not only deeply relaxed but also able to think more clearly about challenges in their lives. Mindfulness is another evidence-based tool for emptying the stress bucket. Regular mindfulness practice trains the brain to step back from automatic stress responses, creating a pause between stimulus and reaction. Even a few minutes of mindful breathing each day can help regulate the nervous system and reduce the accumulation of stress over time. Practical Ways to Manage Stress Reduce what goes in. Consider where you have agency. Could you organise your time more effectively? Build in more sleep? Identify activities — exercise, creative hobbies, cooking, reading — that genuinely help you unwind? Respond, don’t react. Unless you’re in immediate physical danger, taking a mindful moment to pause before responding to a stressful situation can make a significant difference. This is a core principle of both mindfulness practice and solution focused therapy — creating space for thoughtful, rather than automatic, responses. Ask for help. When we’re stressed and anxious, it becomes genuinely harder to think clearly. Talking to someone — a trusted friend, colleague, or therapist — can offer perspective and solutions that feel impossible to access on our own. Reflect on the positive. Each day, try noting two or three things that went well, however small. This isn’t about toxic positivity — it’s about redirecting the brain’s attention. Problems tend to shrink or expand depending on how we choose to think about them. When we feel calm and grounded, the brain works away quietly in the background, finding solutions that feel out of reach when we’re overwhelmed. Finding Support I work with clients experiencing stress and anxiety using a blend of solution focused hypnotherapy, mindfulness, and talking therapy. Together, these approaches help you understand what’s driving your stress, build resilience, and develop practical strategies for feeling better — in a way that’s tailored to you. If you’d like to find out more, I’d love to hear from you. To get in touch for a free, no obligation initial consultation: Contact © Tracy Daniels  How Hypnotherapy Can Help with Health Anxiety Health anxiety can feel exhausting and overwhelming. You might notice yourself constantly checking your body, worrying about symptoms, or seeking reassurance — only for the fear to return again and again. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. This is a common problem that affects a large proportion of the population and it can take over a person’s life. Health anxiety is often a sign that the mind’s automatic responses have become overly protective and hyper vigilant. Hypnotherapy offers a gentle, effective way to calm those responses, helping both the mind and body feel safer and more balanced again. What Is Health Anxiety? Health anxiety occurs when the mind becomes overly focused on physical sensations and interprets them as signs of serious illness. Normal experiences such as fatigue, muscle tension, digestive changes, or headaches can trigger worry, even when medical reassurance has been given. This happens because much of our anxiety response runs on autopilot. Once the mind has learned to associate bodily sensations with danger, it reacts automatically, often before logic has a chance to step in. You May Be Experiencing Health Anxiety If You…
Why Health Anxiety Develops Health anxiety usually develops as a protective response. The subconscious mind learns from past experiences and adjusts its “settings” accordingly. For some people, this learning comes from:
How Hypnotherapy Helps with Health Anxiety Hypnotherapy works directly with the subconscious mind — the part responsible for automatic reactions, emotional responses, and physical sensations. You can think of the subconscious like an autopilot system. Most of the time, it runs quietly in the background, helping you respond to everyday situations without effort. With health anxiety, that autopilot has learned to react with fear when it notices bodily sensations. Hypnotherapy helps update those settings. Rather than trying to override anxiety with logic, hypnotherapy gently retrains the autopilot so it can respond more calmly and appropriately again. Calming the nervous system Hypnosis activates the body’s natural relaxation response, helping the nervous system step out of constant fight‑or‑flight mode. Reducing hyper‑focus on symptoms As the autopilot becomes calmer, the urge to scan, check, and monitor the body naturally reduces. Rebuilding trust in the body Hypnotherapy is an alternative form of health anxiety treatment that helps restore confidence in the body’s ability to function normally, without constant vigilance. Supporting emotional regulation Clients often find they feel calmer, more grounded, and better able to tolerate uncertainty — because their automatic responses are no longer driving fear. What Results Can People Expect? People who use hypnotherapy for health anxiety often notice:
Finally... Health anxiety is not a sign of weakness — it’s a sign that your mind has been trying to protect you. With the right support, those protective responses can be gently recalibrated. Hypnotherapy doesn’t take control away from you. It helps your mind and body work together again, so you can notice sensations without fear and feel at ease in your body once more. If health anxiety is affecting your quality of life, you don’t have to manage it alone. I use solution focused hypnotherapy which offers a calm, supportive way to help your mind feel safer and more settled. Over the past eleven years I have helped many clients to get to grips with this problem. To explore how I could support you get in touch for a free, no obligation initial consultation: Contact Taking that first step can be the beginning of lasting change. © Tracy Daniels  This is exam season, a stressful time for both teenagers and their parents. If you are a parent or a caregiver you may be wondering what can I do to help my young person cope with exam stress?
There are a number of things that you can do but first of all it can be helpful to recognise that we are all different and unique. Some young people may seem able to handle exam pressure quite well, yet they may be masking their emotions whilst feeling stressed and anxious whereas others may be having emotional meltdowns and letting everyone know just how they are feeling. Either way, most young people who want to do well in their exams are likely to be feeling some degree of stress and anxiety at this time and that is perfectly natural. In this blogpost I am covering some exam stress tips for parents and caregivers to help you and your young person get through the exam season. Communicate Talking to your young person and allowing them to express their feelings, if possible, can be helpful. Bottling things up inside can lead to lead to more problems, so letting your child know that you are there for them with love and support can go a long way. If they are occasionally moody or bad tempered, remember this is a tough time for them, so just let it go. Have a plan It is highly likely that your young person’s school has given them a framework for planning and creating their own revision timetable. You could ask your young person about this, not to check up on them, but to see if it is working for them and if they need any help to organise and structure their time around revision. When looking at their exam timetable or schedule ensure that downtime is included too. No pressure A revision timetable can be helpful but avoid pressurising your child to do more than they can cope with on any given day. So often, children will absorb the expectations of the adults who are important to them and internalise these. This is especially true of conscientious children who want to do well and please others, but too much pressure will increase exam anxiety. This in turn will make it more difficult for a young person to focus and concentrate on their studies. Positive rewards We all need to be rewarded for hard work and for doing our personal best. This encourages us to keep going and gives us an emotional lift so small and regular rewards during the exam season can be motivating. Self-care Ensure that your young person is taking care of themselves by eating healthy regular meals, avoiding junk food, which is not good for their hard-working brain, taking regular breaks, having some fresh air and most importantly, getting enough sleep. Balance The exam season can feel overwhelming for some children. It is essential that a young person maintains a balanced life. It must not be about revision all the time. Down time is necessary for young people to relax and refresh their mind so that they do not burn out. A day off at the weekend can help your young person to recognise that there is more to life than exams by connecting with friends and family, their hobbies or interests and enjoying life. What if they are not coping? Emotional meltdowns, procrastination, tearfulness, mood swings, insomnia, changes in appetite, social withdrawal, staying in their bedroom all the time – these are some signs that a young person is experiencing moderate to severe stress and anxiety. If you are concerned about your child’s mental health then you may want to talk to your GP or seek help from a qualified professional. Hypnotherapy for exam stress can help Hypnotherapy is a form of talking therapy that can be particularly helpful for young people who are suffering from exam nerves, exam stress, and anxiety. I help my young clients to calm their mind, enter a state of relaxation and reduce any feelings of stress and anxiety so that they can focus upon their revision and their exam performance, in a positive way. As a solution focused hypnotherapist and former tutor and lecturer, I help children and young people with a range of problems. I am registered with the National Council for Hypnotherapy, the Complementary Natural and Healthcare Council, and I have an Enhanced DBS Certificate. © Tracy Daniels  I felt the need to write this blog post after two people expressed common misconceptions about hypnotherapy over the past week.
The first person asked me, “How long do you put people under for?” I replied, “I don’t put people under.” That is a common misunderstanding about hypnotherapy which is nothing like stage hypnosis neither is it like receiving a general anaesthetic. There is no “going under.” In fact, I use hypnosis to guide a person into trance which is a state of focused awareness and deep relaxation. In this hypnotic state a person’s subconscious mind is more likely to be receptive to the suggestions that I make which are based on a client’s personal goals or desired outcome. I do not put a person to sleep although if a person is feeling tired and deeply relaxed then they may drift into a gentle sleep, in which case I would notice this and bring them back into wakefulness. Hypnotherapy is not mind control The second person said, “I need you to change my mindset because I can’t do it myself.” Can this be done? Well, yes and no. To be clear, hypnotherapy is a talking therapy that requires a collaborative relationship between the client and the therapist. You may want me to change your mindset but I cannot control your mind. Hypnotherapy is not mind control. Certainly not by the hypnotherapist, but most certainly by you, for yourself. I would be wary of anyone who says they can control your mind. Even if they could, would you really want them to? Really, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, because you must consent to changing your mind and/or your behaviour at some level, both consciously and subconsciously. No therapist can do that for you. Throughout trance the client is in control. They will be aware of everything being said whilst in a calm and relaxed state. In this state, with their consent, I can enable them to form new beliefs about themself and their capabilities, effectively helping them to “rewire” their brain. Hypnotherapy can be enormously empowering and life changing. I am professionally trained in solution focused hypnotherapy and the solution focused approach is based upon the idea that the client is the expert in their own life. Indeed you are the expert in your own life. You know yourself better than anyone else. I cannot be an expert about your life because I do not walk in your shoes. I do not inhabit your inner world. Solution focused hypnotherapy is a wonderfully effective form of psychotherapy that can be used for a wide range of problems but it does not work for everyone. A lot depends upon the individual client, their personal circumstances, the level of rapport established between them and the therapist, their openness to receiving therapy or whether there is some degree of internal resistance to therapy and change. I cannot promise a cure for your woes. I do not have a magic wand, so I cannot make your problems vanish but I can educate, support and enable you to make positive changes for yourself. Therapy is a process Therapy is a process and the length of time needed for each client can vary enormously. I have had some clients who have experienced transformational change in just one or two sessions whereas other clients have needed many more sessions and seen me over a period of several weeks or months. Often it depends on how serious and deep rooted the problem has become. Let’s face it, if a problem has persisted for many months or even years, it is unlikely to be resolved in a matter of just a few sessions. For instance, a young woman with a long-term anxiety problem about her appearance and related feelings of lack of self-confidence is not likely to lose those feelings and stop worrying about how she looks after just a couple of sessions. This is because her negative thoughts and feelings have become “hard-wired” in her brain. This notion of the brain becoming hard-wired is based upon neuroscience which is the study of how the brain works. Within this woman’s brain a strong neural connection has formed so breaking down this pathway and replacing it with a new one that involves not persistently worrying about her appearance and feeling okay about herself is going to take time. When the magic happens Nevertheless, positive shifts may begin to happen after just a short period of time. A person may find a renewed sense of hope and optimism, a change in their outlook and over the course of a few sessions a noticeable change in their mindset, thoughts, habits and behaviour. I generally observe steady, incremental changes in most of my clients as well as increased self-confidence, participation in more activities that lift their mood and a regained sense of “feeling more like my old self,” which is a term many clients use. Now that is magical ! It’s truly a “sparkling moment” when a client reports positive change and a sense of being in control of their life. If you’re considering hypnotherapy and you don’t want a “snake-oil salesman” approach but a professional, ethical and integrated therapeutic approach that can potentially lead to sustainable change and enable you to write a new chapter in your life, then feel free to get in touch in with me. © Tracy Daniels   Are you worrying constantly, feeling on edge, or struggling with thoughts you can't switch off? You may be wondering whether what you're experiencing is anxiety — and if so, what you can do about it. This article explains what anxiety is, why it happens, and the practical steps you can take to start feeling better. What Is Anxiety? Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions in the UK, yet it is frequently misunderstood. At its core, it is a normal human emotion — one that exists on a spectrum. As NHS Choices describes it, anxiety is "a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe." Most people will experience anxiety to some degree at various points in their lives, and that is entirely natural. However, anxiety becomes a problem when it is persistent, overwhelming, or starts to interfere with everyday life. What Are the Symptoms of Anxiety? Anxiety can manifest in a wide range of emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms. Common signs of anxiety include:
Many people experience mild or moderate anxiety in specific situations — before a job interview or an exam, for example. For others, anxiety is more severe or chronic, potentially involving panic attacks or a level of distress so significant it disrupts the ability to carry out everyday tasks. There is a broad spectrum of anxiety disorders, ranging from conditions a GP can diagnose and support, to more complex disorders requiring specialist assessment by a psychiatrist. Why Do I Feel Anxious? The Neuroscience Explained To understand anxiety, it helps to understand what is happening in the brain when we feel afraid or threatened. Deep within the brain sits a primitive structure called the limbic system — often referred to as our "survival centre." When the brain perceives something as threatening, the limbic system activates automatically, triggering what is known as the fight, flight, freeze, fawn, or flop response. This process involves the amygdala signalling the hypothalamus to release powerful stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. To put this in context: imagine you are a cave dweller who suddenly spots a tiger nearby. In a split second, your heart rate surges, your breathing quickens, you begin to sweat, and every instinct tells you to run. That is the limbic system doing exactly what it is designed to do — keeping you alive. In modern life, we rarely face tigers. But the limbic system cannot always distinguish between genuine danger and perceived threat. A work presentation, a dental appointment, or a flight can trigger the same primal response — releasing stress hormones that produce the familiar symptoms of anxiety: tension, sleeplessness, restlessness, and fear. When this cycle repeats and anxiety becomes persistent, it can prevent us from living full, fulfilling lives Will I Always Feel This Way? The reassuring answer is: almost certainly not. Anxiety is transient by nature — feelings rise and fall. More importantly, chronic anxiety can be managed and significantly reduced through the right support. This is where neuroscience offers real hope. The brain is not fixed — it is malleable. This quality, known as neuroplasticity, means that with the right therapeutic approach, it is possible to change habitual patterns of thinking and behaviour. Alongside the reactive limbic system, we also have the prefrontal cortex — sometimes called the "executive mind" — which governs logic, reasoning, and rational thought. Effective therapy helps strengthen this rational response, reducing the grip of anxiety over time. The goal is not to eliminate anxiety entirely — it is, after all, an essential survival mechanism — but to understand it, manage it, and prevent it from holding you back. What Can Help with Anxiety? If anxiety is affecting your quality of life, know that you are not alone and that effective help is available. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, options include:
About the Author I am a clinical hypnotherapist, an anxiety specialist, and qualified mindfulness teacher with over eleven years' experience helping people with a wide range of anxiety-related problems. I practise solution-focused hypnotherapy — a neuroscience-informed therapy based on solution-focused brief therapy, which is an evidence-based approach with a strong track record in supporting people with anxiety. My aim is to help you understand your anxiety, develop lasting tools to manage it, and make meaningful, positive changes to your life. I am based in Broadstone, near Poole where I see clients in-person and I also work online. For tips on managing anxiety, follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Ready to Take the Next Step? If you would like to find out more about how solution-focused hypnotherapy could help you, visit my page: Hypnotherapy for Anxiety or get in touch to arrange a free initial consultation. © Tracy Daniels  Tossing and turning in bed unable to fall asleep is my personal idea of hell. Years of poor sleep brought me to the point at which I knew I had to do something about it. Over time I experimented with different options, got to know myself and my body’s rhythms better and chose to work with the problem rather than against it. I’m not saying that what works for me will work for anyone else, but it just might help and if you’re suffering from insomnia then you’ll probably try anything. Unfortunately, regular good quality sleep evades many people. In fact, as many as one in three people in the UK suffer from poor sleep, so this is a common problem. Lack of sleep is often associated with poor mental health, impaired mental functioning and memory consolidation as well as having adverse effects upon various physiological processes. Whilst deep sleep is essential for our health, it is during light sleep, the rapid eye movement stage (REM sleep), when we are dreaming, that our brain can turn emotional events into a narrative (a story). This helps us to process difficult events or emotions and wake up feeling refreshed and restored. However, if our sleep is poor, disturbed or a person is suffering from insomnia then this interferes with the brain’s ability to deal with stress, regulate our emotions and function well in the world. There is some research that indicates that deep relaxation during hypnosis replicates the beneficial effects of REM sleep. This helps to reduce stress, calm, and refresh the mind. Often my clients find that hypnosis leaves them feeling deeply relaxed and positive. There are many factors that can have an adverse effect upon our sleep. Stress, worries, anxiety and overthinking are the common problems that clients experience when they discuss their sleep difficulties. Unfortunately, it is only too easy to become stuck in a vicious cycle which only makes matters worse. For example, if we are feeling stressed, lack of sleep will only lead to us feeling more easily stressed, becoming less emotionally resilient and that in turn will exacerbate the sleep problem. To get out of this vicious cycle we need to reduce the activity of what is known as the sympathetic nervous system which prepares the body for dealing with a threat, real or perceived, and activate the body’s parasympathetic nervous system to enable rest and digestion to occur. The following are some Do’s and “Don’ts” that may be helpful: Help with sleepless nights For a good night's sleep:
To induce a good sleep, do not:
Finally, be aware that many people experience sleep problems at some point in their lives. Medical problems and some medicines can affect a person’s sleep as well as a range of emotional factors. It can be helpful to experiment with different solutions to sleep problems to find what works for you. Hypnotherapy and mindfulness are well established complementary therapies that help people with sleep problems. Both therapies may enable a person to reach a state of inner calm and reduce the symptoms of stress, worry and anxiety. As a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Mindfulness teacher, I teach my clients how to use a range of techniques for improved sleep and well-being. None of the information in this article replaces medical advice. If you have a persistent sleep problem or are suffering from severe insomnia, then seek medical advice from your G.P. © Copyright Tracy Daniels 2024 | All Rights Reserved  Why do we fail with our New Year's Resolutions and what can we do about it? Christmas is over and many of us find ourselves reflecting on the year gone by and making new resolutions for the year ahead. However, so many of us will resolve to change something, perhaps to give up a bad habit or start a good new habit only to find that after a few weeks we haven’t managed to keep it going. Let’s be honest here, we need to recognise that personal change is not easy for most people and of course it requires motivation, commitment, and perseverance. Our brains are wired for gratification and if that gratification is delayed our motivation can fall away. Personally, I prefer to think in terms of goals for the year ahead rather than resolutions. Resolutions are quite vague whereas goals can be specific and broken down into achievable steps. Nevertheless, at some point you will have contemplated and identified your New Year's resolution and decided that you are ready to change your behaviour with some awareness of the barriers that make that difficult. You may have prepared yourself and will have started to successfully implement your plan for achieving your resolution, only to find that after a good start your motivation begins to wane, and you fall back into old patterns of behaviour. So, what can you do about this? Realistic, achievable goals Laying a solid foundation for change in ourselves is essential. Initially it is important to be realistic about what we would like to achieve. For instance, nobody manages to run a marathon without putting in lots of hard work to build up their stamina and fitness over a period of months beforehand. Ask yourself, “Is my goal realistic and can I achieve it.” Also, consider if the timescale within which you would like to achieve your goal is manageable with all the other time commitments you may have in your life. Prepare an action plan Your action plan doesn’t need to be anything elaborate. In fact, the simpler and easier it is the better. You may wish to write it down because when we commit our thoughts to paper, we reinforce our goals both mentally and visually. You may want to create a pinboard of statements or images that you find motivating to help you keep on track. Whether this is done as a digital or non-digital exercise doesn’t really matter, the important thing is that you review it regularly. Be clear about any barriers to change Being clear about any barriers to change is not easy but a skilled therapist could help you to identify those barriers and the action steps that you could realistically take to overcome them. Also, it worthwhile to remind yourself of any risks associated with your current behaviour and the rationale for change. You may find it helpful to tell other people who you know would be supportive about your goal. They will encourage you if your motivation is waning. Reward yourself appropriately Once you have a good foundation in place it is time to put your plan into action. At this stage it is useful to think about how you may reward yourself as you begin to reach your goal. For example, if you have managed to lose a kilogram in weight, how are you going to reward yourself for that achievement? It wouldn’t be a good idea to treat yourself with food, but you could treat yourself to a healthy activity. Consider putting some strategies into place for occasions when you might feel tempted. If you are trying to lose weight and you are going out for dinner, you could look at the menu online in advance and decide what would be the healthiest option beforehand, thereby minimising the risk of a spur of the moment decision to make a less healthy choice. Don’t give up! Do you know that it is normal to fail in achieving our goals? Success often requires several attempts. Most people will relapse into well-established patterns of behaviour because our brains are “hard wired” in that way. If we want to change, we need to develop and reinforce the desired behaviour repetitively. Unfortunately, many people become so disappointed and frustrated with themselves that they just “throw in the towel.” Don’t give up! This can be a learning opportunity; a time to review your progress so far, evaluate what worked for you, where you went wrong and consider if anything needs adjusting. Was there something that triggered your relapse? What could you do differently next time? Take some time to remind yourself of the steps taken in the planning stage and see if any improvements could be made. What steps could be taken to avoid a relapse in the future? If planning and reviewing progress is something that you find difficult then I can help you with that process. As a former SEN lecturer, I am adept at action planning and breaking goals down into smaller, achievable targets. Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is a modality that I use to help people rewire their brains and make positive changes in their lives. Finally, please be kind to yourself. A little self-compassion can go a long way. Keep going. Every time you fall back, pick yourself up again with your goal clearly in sight. A Chinese proverb that I use to motivate myself is, “The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” © Copyright Tracy Daniels 2024 | All Rights Reserved  Words have power, there’s no doubt about that. As a hypnotherapist and as an English teacher, I know about the transformative power of language. The words we use about ourselves are the most important of all. Each year, many people decide upon a New Year’s resolution which often begins with the words, “This year I will…” It is thought that the tradition of making New Year's resolutions originated with the Babylonians, who made promises to the gods in hope that they would earn their goodwill during the coming year. Centuries later the tradition has and endured. Making a New Year’s resolution is a way to set a goal and to begin the year with a positive intention. Unfortunately, good intentions often fall by the wayside, and we are left with a feeling of failure, having not managed to successfully accomplish or achieve what we set out to do. In fact, most people will have given up on their New Year’s resolutions by the beginning of February. Action or description Instead, it may be helpful to adopt the idea of thinking of one word, possibly an “action word” or a “doing word” as a theme or positive intention for the months ahead; something that has meaning for you personally and can be reviewed as the year progresses. On the other hand, you may wish to think about a descriptive word to describe a feeling or a quality that you would like to develop within yourself. For example, if you would like to lose weight then I would suggest instead of using the word “diet” with all the negative connotations that entails, perhaps choose the word “challenge,” and set yourself the challenge to consume healthier foods in place of unhealthy foods. If you are the type of person who is easily upset or who tends to feel worried or anxious, then your word for the year may be “calm.” Reframe “failure” Yes, you may start the year off well but drift back into old habits or behaviours. When that happens, don’t beat yourself up about it! You’re only human and it’s okay to slip up sometimes. Let’s re-frame the thinking that is applied to a notion of failure: Instead of saying to yourself, “This is hopeless. I will never achieve my goal,” try to think something like, “Okay, so I slipped up yesterday but today is a new day and another opportunity to get things right.” Imagine that you’re pressing a reset button in your mind. Helpful tips Often people are unable to achieve their goals because they have not fully prepared themselves at the initial stage. Laying a solid foundation for change in ourselves is essential. This could involve the following activities:
Only you know what it is that you would like to change. Perhaps you would like to achieve a better home, work, life balance? Perhaps losing weight or giving up smoking is your goal? Maybe you want to overcome a specific fear or phobia? Perhaps you wish to be able to deal with other people’s behaviour better? If setting goals, planning, and reviewing progress is something that you find difficult then I can help you with that process. As a former SEN lecturer, I am adept at action planning and breaking goals down into smaller, achievable targets. Solution focused hypnotherapy and mindfulness are other modalities that I use to help people rewire their brains and make desirable changes in their lives. Word ideas to get you started for 2022: Appreciate Balance Commit Dare Empower Fun Grateful Grow And so on… Give it go - see how you get on. I have chosen my word for 2022 and it is “create.” Will you choose your word? © Copyright Tracy Daniels 2021 | All Rights Reserved |
Tracy Daniels
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